NineHD – Apparently it starts today?

March 17th, 2008

The Nine Network has announced today that it is going to launch its new High Definition channel (NineHD). Unfortunately for viewers, NineHD will be a “virtual mirror” of the programming found on Nine’s main (SD) channel to begin with.

Unlike the launch of their commercial network counterparts that we saw late last year with 7HD & TenHD… Nine has suggested that they are going to utilise the HD Channel to simply simulcast most of their SD programming in better quality with an extra 12 hours of different content mixed in. This is due to a large percentage of Nine’s more popular programming already being produced in high definition and a shift in viewing time may upset some viewers.

Director of strategy for Nine’s owner PBL Media, David Coleman told The Age that NineHD programming could not differ substantially from the SD channel because an increasing amount of programs had already been filmed in high definition.

“What that means is that if we want to continue to show those programs in HD, which obviously we do, we have to use the HD channel at that time,” Mr. Coleman said.

More information regarding the launch of NineHD can be found from a variety of online sources including this article written by Jesse Hogan of The Age – “Better late than never – Nine on a high definition”.

IceTV will closely monitor Nine’s use of their HD channel over the coming weeks and start to provide our own listings within the IceTV EPG as soon as we possible can.

When we are confident with Nine’s use of their new HD Channel and we have been able to update our own IceTV EPG to reflect this, we will notify all IceTV Users accordingly.

Cheers,

IceTV Team

Posted in IceTV EPG, Service Announcement.