Press release from TVS
Having overseen the station’s recent transition to digital broadcasting, TVS Chief Executive Laurie Patton today announced that he is signing off at the end of the month.
As Secretary of the Australian Community Television Alliance, Mr Patton spearheaded the community television sector’s negotiations with the Federal Government. Late last year the Government allocated a digital channel in each of the mainland state capitals, along with funding for a new transmission system, for each community station through until the switchover to digital-only broadcasting in 2013.
TVS launched its digital service on 1 March 2010. In a media release to mark the occasion, Communications Minister, Senator Stephen Conroy, said: “Laurie Patton was instrumental in delivering this outcome for Community TV and its passionate audiences nation-wide, so it is fitting that Laurie is the first to get his station to air in digital”.
Mr Patton joined TVS in 2004 shortly after it was awarded Australia’s first permanent Community Television Licence. Over the past six years he has supervised the construction of a fully automated broadcast centre, along with the acquisition of programming and most recently the successful launch of the TVS digital channel 44 service.
TVS Chairman, Geoffrey Roberson acknowledged the skill and the experience that Mr Patton has demonstrated as the station’s inaugural CEO. “Without someone of Laurie’s calibre in charge TVS would probably not exist. His passion and his determination have been key ingredients in the creation of the channel,” he said.
Speaking on behalf of the hundreds of volunteers who make programs for TVS, host and producer Joy Hruby OAM (“Joy’s World” – 7pm Mondays) said that TVS provides a much needed outlet for community groups and individuals to express their views and provide valuable information. “Without TVS programs like mine could not be made. I sincerely thank Laurie for his role in making it all possible”.
Commenting on the station’s significance in the emerging multi-channel digital TV market, Mr Patton said: “TVS represents a new age for community television. The advent of digital has created the opportunity for community based producers to do things that could not have been envisaged a decade ago. Community TV is the real ‘user generated content’ platform. What’s more, there is nothing like it anywhere else in the world”.
After just four years on air TVS has a loyal audience watching a wide range of unique programs increasingly made by and for local community groups. Currently, around 40 percent of the programs shown on TVS are made in Sydney. “For less than $1000 you can buy a digital camera that produces broadcast quality images”, according to Mr Patton. “With enough enthusiasm and a little creative talent community groups can make interesting programs that are relevant to the growing audiences that are attracted to TVS”.
While he is leaving TVS Mr Patton will remain Executive Director of the Television Sydney Foundation. The Foundation has been created in order to solicit public donations and to provide financial support to not-for-profit community groups and individuals wishing to make programs for TVS.
To mark its transition to digital TVS has recently added a slate of new programs, including.
“Strike one” – hosted by fishing journalist and photographer Al McGlashin. The 13 part series was filmed mostly around Sydney using innovative camera technology including cameras attached to fishing lines. Screening Thursdays at 8pm.
“Gluten Freedom” – people who are gluten intolerant can still eat great food (including pizza) and for everyone else gluten free food can be very tasty. Tuesdays at 8pm.
“Level 3” – for those who love their Wii’s, X-Boxes and Nintendos. Reviews all the latest computer games. From Thursday, 29 April 2010 at 10.30pm
In addition to these new locally made shows TVS will broadcast the internationally respected “Al Jazeera English” news program at 10pm weeknights, starting on Monday April 19 2010. Al Jazeera English is already screened in more than 100 countries with a potential viewing audience of 190 million households.