GTS/BKN

2025-10-19T09:31:39Z

2001:4479:700:1500:1049:1811:F792:714D: /* News */ minor fixes to this section

{{short description|Regional TV stations in Australia}}
{{more footnotes needed|date=November 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}}
{{Infobox television station
| callsign = GTS/BKN
| logo = [[File:Seven Network logo.svg|100px]]
| image = [[File:Nine Network logo (2008).svg|140px]]
| location = '''GTS''': [[Spencer Gulf]], [[South Australia]] '''BKN''': [[Broken Hill]], [[New South Wales]]
| country = AU
| language = English
| branding = Seven Spencer Gulf Seven Broken Hill Nine Spencer Gulf Nine Broken Hill
| digital = '''GTS''': 44 ([[ultra high frequency|UHF]]) '''GDS''': 42 ([[ultra high frequency|UHF]]) '''BKN''': 9 ([[very high frequency|VHF]]) '''BDN''': 7 ([[very high frequency|VHF]])
| affiliations = '''GTS/BKN''': [[Seven Network|Seven]] ([[Owned-and-operated station|O&O]]) '''GDS/BDN''': [[Nine Network|Nine]]
| owner = [[Seven West Media]]
| licensee = '''GTS''': Spencer Gulf Telecasters Pty Ltd '''BKN''': Broken Hill Television Pty Ltd
| sister_stations = [[SGS/SCN]]
| airdate = '''GTS''': {{start date and age|1968|03|01|df=y}} '''BKN''': {{start date and age|1968|08|16|df=y}}
| callsign_meaning = '''GTS''': Spencer '''G'''ulf '''T'''elecasters '''S'''outh Australia '''BKN''': '''B'''ro'''K'''en Hill '''N'''ew South Wales '''GDS''': '''G'''TS '''D'''igital '''S'''outh Australia '''BDN''': '''B'''KN '''D'''igital '''N'''ew South Wales
| former_affiliations = Independent ({{start date|1968}}–{{end date|2006}})
| former_channel_numbers = [[Analog TV|Analog]]: '''GTS''': 4 ([[very high frequency|VHF]]) '''BKN''': 7 ([[very high frequency|VHF]])<ref>{{ cite web
|url=http://acma.gov.au/webwr/_assets/main/lib100059/stations_book_electronic_edition.pdf
|title=ACMA Stations Book Electronic Edition
|access-date=4 January 2014
|date=July 2008
|publisher=[[Australian Communications & Media Authority]]
|url-status=bot: unknown
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080531095407/http://acma.gov.au/webwr/_assets/main/lib100059/stations_book_electronic_edition.pdf
|archive-date=31 May 2008
}}</ref>
| erp = '''GTS''':240 [[kilowatt|kW]] '''BKN''':4 kW
| haat = '''GTS''':627 m (digital) '''BKN''':104 m<ref>[[height above average terrain|HAAT]] estimated from http://www.itu.int/SRTM3/ using EHAAT.</ref>
| coordinates = '''GTS''': {{coord|33|6|14|S|138|9|51|E|type:landmark_scale:2000|name=GTS}} '''BKN''': {{coord|31|57|5|S|141|26|25|E|type:landmark_scale:2000|name=BKN}}
| licensing_authority = [[Australian Communications and Media Authority]]
}}
[[File:GTSBKN Broken Hill studios.jpg|thumb|right|GTS/BKN offices in [[Broken Hill]]]]
'''GTS''' and '''BKN''' are [[Australia]]n regional television stations serving the [[Spencer Gulf]] of [[South Australia]] and the [[Broken Hill]] area of [[New South Wales]].

The stations are owned and operated by [[Seven West Media]] and based in [[Port Pirie]] with satellite offices in Broken Hill, [[Port Augusta]], [[Whyalla]] and [[Port Lincoln]], and playout facilities based in [[Hobart]].

The station's name originates from the Port Pirie and Broken Hill stations' callsigns, '''GTS''' Port Pirie and '''BKN''' Broken Hill.

==History==
GTS signed on for the first time on 1 March 1968. BKN followed soon afterward, on 16 August. In 1974, the stations (and their repeaters) merged to form Spencer Gulf Telecasters and broadcast under the name ''GTS/BKN Television'', and later, ''Central GTS/BKN''. The company was bought by [[Southern Cross Broadcasting]] (SCB) in 2001, though it retained the Central name and branding until the end of 2005.

Due to their areas' sparse populations, after [[regional television in Australia#Aggregation|aggregation]] they remained among the few stations in Australia that continued to cherry-pick programming from all three networks, though from 2001 onward, it began favouring [[Seven Network|Seven]] through its affiliation with [[Southern Cross Television]].

In 2003, Spencer Gulf Telecasters won the right to broadcast a second station in the same area, and in January 2004, started broadcasting [[SGS/SCN]] as a [[Network 10|Ten]] affiliate. Since 31 October 2010, GTS/BKN has also operated a third station relaying [[Nine Network]] programming from Sydney and Adelaide, under the callsigns GDS in Port Pirie and BDN in Broken Hill.

In January 2006, Central GTS/BKN was renamed ''Southern Cross GTS/BKN'', changing its logo to the corporate star branding used by [[TNT (Australian TV station)|TNT]] Tasmania and [[TND (TV station)|TND]] Darwin.

In July 2018, Southern Cross GTS/BKN was renamed ''Seven Spencer Gulf'', reverting to the Seven Network branding, as currently used by Southern Cross stations in Tasmania and Darwin.

The sale of GTS/BKN, alongside its sister stations and the Seven-affiliated stations owned by [[Southern Cross Austereo]], to [[Seven West Media]] was finalised in July 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Knox |first=David |date=1 July 2025 |title=WIN TV switches off Seven in Riverland, Griffith, and Mount Gambier. |url=https://tvtonight.com.au/2025/07/southern-cross-completes-sale-of-regional-tv-assets-to-seven.html |access-date=1 July 2025 |website=TV Tonight}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Laidlaw |first=Kyle |date=2025-06-30 |title=CHANNEL 7 confirms completion of Southern Cross Regional TV deal |url=https://tvblackbox.com.au/page/2025/07/01/channel-7-confirms-completion-of-southern-cross-regional-tv-deal/ |access-date=2025-07-08 |website=TV Blackbox |language=en-AU}}</ref>

===Digital channels===

On 31 October 2010, GTS/BKN launched GDS/BDN, a Channel Nine affiliate rebroadcasting [[TCN]] Sydney. On 11 January 2011, GTS/BKN launched Ten's SD multichannel [[10 Peach|Eleven]]. Starting from 7 November 2011, GTS/BKN slowly rolled out [[9Gem]], [[9Go!]], [[7two]], [[7mate]] and [[10 Bold|One]] as digital channels across the GTS/BKN areas.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gtsbkn.com.au/s_cms/index.php?page=new-digital-tv|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120104085652/http://www.gtsbkn.com.au/s_cms/index.php?page=new-digital-tv|url-status=dead|archive-date=4 January 2012|title=New TV Channels - Southern Cross GTS/BKN Television|access-date=28 October 2018}}</ref>

On 7 December 2013, GDS/BDN switched to a feed of [[NWS (TV station)|NWS]] Adelaide.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?id=267719117162&story_fbid=10151737369552163|title=PRESS RELEASE: Southern Cross Austereo... - Southern Cross GTS/BKN|via=Facebook|date=5 December 2013|access-date=28 October 2018}}</ref>{{Primary source inline|date=December 2020}} On 30 September 2018, GDS/BDN launched [[9Life]].

Southern Cross Austereo launched [[7HD]], [[9HD]], and [[10 HD]] in the Spencer Gulf/Broken Hill areas in March 2020, via the stations GTS/BKN, GDS/BDN, and [[SGS/SCN]], while also making [[7mate]], [[9Gem]], and [[10 Bold]] all SD channels to accommodate the aforementioned HD channels. The following are the changes that occurred on 19 March 2020: 7HD launched on LCN 60, 7mate moved from LCN 60 to LCN 63 and became a SD channel, and the main [[Seven Network|Seven]] channel was made available on both LCNs 6 and 61. 10 HD was launched on LCN 50. [[10 Peach]] was moved from LCN 55 to LCN 53, 10 Bold was moved from LCN 50 to LCN 52 and became an SD channel, while the main [[Network 10|10]] channel was made available on both LCNs 5 and 51. Southern Cross Austereo's Nine channel adjustments occurred in late March 2020; the following is a list of GDS/BDN channel changes that occurred in March 2020: [[9HD]] was made available on LCN 80, the main [[Nine Network|Nine]] channel was made available on both LCNs 8 and 81, [[9Go!]] was moved to LCN 83 from LCN 88, and [[9Gem]] was moved to LCN 82 from LCN 80 and became a SD channel.<ref>{{cite web |last=SCA Spencer Gulf |date=17 March 2020 |title=TV CHANNEL CHANGES STARTING THIS THURSDAY |url=https://www.facebook.com/SCASpencerGulf/posts/pfbid0M2Neonye8ycdFz5pZnHUhL4zx8KVoQnBqPyThxaDrzsn1N3S4vCiEerrnmG9v7Dhl |website=[[Facebook]]}}</ref>

==Programming==
The main GTS/BKN service carries programming from the [[Seven Network]], including the Adelaide edition of [[Seven News]]' nightly 6pm bulletin.

GDS/BDN broadcasts programs from the [[Nine Network]], including the state bulletin from [[NWS (TV station)|NWS]] from [[Adelaide]].

===Local programming===
GTS/BKN produced a wide range of local programming throughout the 1970s and 1980s, including ''Panel Probe'', ''Women's World'', ''Cue'', sports coverage, local documentaries and a nightly epilogue. The station also produced its own local commercials.

===News===
For over 50 years, GTS/BKN ran a regional news service for its viewing area, initially as a 10-minute mid-evening bulletin<ref>[https://televisionau.com/classic-tv-guides/tv220774 South Australia TV guide - Monday 22nd July 1974], TelevisionAU</ref> before gradually expanding to a full half-hour program each weeknight.

The bulletin aired under numerous titles such as ''GTS/BKN News'', ''Central News'' and ''Southern Cross News'', before relaunching as ''Nightly News'' in January 2019.

The news service retained reporters and [[Video journalism|video journalists]] based at bureaus in [[Port Pirie]], [[Broken Hill]], [[Port Augusta]], [[Port Lincoln]] and [[Whyalla]], although in later years, presentation for the bulletin was moved from the Port Pirie studios to [[Southern Cross Austereo]]'s Canberra headquarters, and latterly, the company's [[Hobart]] studio.

Presenters and reporters included [[Rosanna Mangiarelli]], [[Will McDonald (journalist)|Will McDonald]], Virginia Langeberg, Tim Hatfield, Fraser Goldsworthy, Julie Snook, and at the time of the bulletin's axing, Madeline Kerr and John Hunt, with weather presenter Alex Sykes.

In 2019, ''Nightly News'' was moved from GTS/BKN to sister station [[7two]], airing at 7pm on weeknights following the Adelaide-based edition of ''[[Seven News]]'' on the main channel.

On 13 April 2023, Southern Cross Austereo announced it was ceasing production of GTS/BKN's local news service, effective immediately, marking the end of local television programming for the Spencer Gulf and Broken Hill areas. According to other media outlets, some staff working on the program had not been informed that the final bulletin had been broadcast until after it aired.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Ormonde |first1=Bill |last2=Cominos |first2=Christian |last3=Ward |first3=Nicholas |title=SA's last locally produced commercial regional news show axed |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-04-13/spencer-gulf-nightly-news-axed-by-southern-cross-austereo/102220072 |website=ABC News |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |access-date=13 April 2023 |language=en-AU |date=13 April 2023}}</ref>

GTS/BKN's ''Nightly News'' was the last regional TV news service to be produced in [[South Australia]], following the end of [[WIN News]]' bulletins for [[SES/RTS|the Mount Gambier and Riverland]] areas in February 2013.

===Channels===
{{see also|List of digital television channels in Australia}}
The following is a list of [[digital subchannels|channels]] broadcast on GTS and BKN respectively.

{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}

'''GTS/BKN''':
{| class="wikitable"
! [[Virtual channel|LCN]]
! [[Digital subchannel|Channel]]
|-
|6
|[[Seven (Southern Cross Austereo)|Seven]]
|-
|60
|[[7HD]]
|-
|61
|[[Seven (Southern Cross Austereo)|Seven]]
|-
|62
|[[7two]]
|-
|63
|[[7mate]]
|-
|68
|[[Racing.com]]
|}
{{col-2}}

'''GDS/BDN''':
{| class="wikitable"
! [[Virtual channel|LCN]]
! [[Digital subchannel|Channel]]
|-
|8
|[[Nine Network|Nine]]
|-
|80
|[[9HD]]
|-
|81
|[[Nine Network|Nine]]
|-
|82
|[[9Gem]]
|-
|83
|[[9Go!]]
|-
|84
|[[9Life]]
|}

{{col-2}}
{{col-end}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://www.sca.com.au Official site] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130818083407/http://www.gtsbkn.com.au/ |date=18 August 2013 }}

{{Seven West Media}}
{{New South Wales TV|state = collapsed}}
{{South Australia TV|state = collapsed}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gts Bkn}}
[[Category:Seven Network]]
[[Category:Television channels and stations established in 1968]]
[[Category:1968 establishments in Australia]]

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GTS/BKN