TCN

Infobox_Broadcast
call_letters = TCN
city =
station_
station_slogan = We Heart TV
station_branding = Nine
analog = 9 (VHF)
digital = 8 (VHF)
other_chs =
affiliations = Nine (O&O)
network = Nine
founded =
airdate = September 16, 1956
location = Sydney, New South Wales
callsign_meaning = Television
Corporation
New South Wales
former_callsigns =
former_channel_numbers =
owner = PBL Media Holdings Pty Ltd
licensee = TCN Channel Nine Pty Ltd
sister_stations =
former_affiliations =
effective_radiated_power = 200 kW (analog)
50 kW (digital)
HAAT = 259 m (analog)
260 m (digital) [HAAT estimated from http://www.itu.int/SRTM3/ using EHAAT.]
class =
facility_id =
coordinates = coord|33|48|42|S|151|11|45|E|type:landmark_scale:2000
homepage = [http://www.ninemsn.com.au/ www.ninemsn.com.au]

TCN is the Sydney flagship television station of the Nine Network in Australia and is located at Willoughby. The license, issued to a company named Television Corporation Ltd headed by Frank Packer, was one of the first four licenses (two in Sydney, two in Melbourne) to be issued for commercial television stations in Australia.

History

TCN began broadcasting on 16 September 1956, and became the first station in Australia to begin regular transmissions. The first TV tower was built there in 1956 [ Communications - TV - the mast of Australia's first television transmitter, TCN rises 561 feet from the site of a former dairy at Willoughby, near Sydney http://naa16.naa.gov.au/rs_images/ShowImage.php?B=7654355&S=1&T=P National Archives of Australia 1956 Retrieved on 2008-03-14] [ Communications - TV - the 75-foot antenna of Australia's first television transmitter, TCN Channel 9 at Willoughby, five miles from Sydney, NSW http://naa16.naa.gov.au/rs_images/ShowImage.php?B=7654345&S=1&T=P National Archives of Australia 1956 Retrieved on 2008-03-14] [ Communications - TV - view southwards from the top of the 486-foot tower which carries the antenna of TCN Australia's first television transmitter - Municipality of Willoughby, NSW http://naa16.naa.gov.au/rs_images/ShowImage.php?B=7654358&S=1&T=P National Archives of Australia 1956 Retrieved on 2008-03-14] [ Communications - TV - view southwards from the top of the 486-foot tower which carries the antenna of TCN Australia's first television transmitter - Municipality of Willoughby, NSW http://naa16.naa.gov.au/rs_images/ShowImage.php?B=7654357&S=1&T=P National Archives of Australia 1956 Retrieved on 2008-03-14] [ Communications - TV - suburban homes in Willoughby, near Sydney, NSW from the top of TCN's television tower http://naa16.naa.gov.au/rs_images/ShowImage.php?B=7654356&S=1&T=P National Archives of Australia 1956 Retrieved on 2008-03-14] , but was replaced by a taller one which is the tallest lattice tower in Australia at 233 metres and is now operated by TXA Australia which operates another tower nearby at Artarmon.

The first words spoken on the station were by John Godson, who introduced the station audio-onlycite news
first = Vanessa
last = Walker
url = http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,19845891-7582,00.html
title = TV's original voice speaks up
publisher = The Australian
date = 2006-07-20
accessdate = 2006-07-20] , shortly before the first program, "This Is Television", was introduced by Bruce Gyngell, the first person to appear on Australian television, however original footage of this program does not exist. Gyngell again said this passage in 1959 for archival purposes. Other early programming included the 1958 variety music program "Bandstand" which was launched by Brian Henderson. It lasted for 14 years on the station and launched the careers of many Australian performers.

In 1957, the station formed an affiliation with Melbourne station HSV-7, allowing them to share programming. In 1963, station affiliations changed; TCN-9 formed part of the National Television Network with GTV-9 in Melbourne, QTQ-9 in Brisbane and NWS-9 in Adelaide. These stations formed the basis of what is now the Nine Network, although only the Sydney and Melbourne stations were owned by the Packer-controlled company Nine Network Limited.

On Frank Packer's death in 1974 ownership of Nine Network passed to his younger son Kerry Packer. Kerry's older brother Clyde Packer had been groomed to take over from their father but after a bitter split with his father ca. 1970 he relinquished his role in the company and subsequently moved to the USA.

In December 1987, Kerry Packer sold the Sydney and Melbourne stations to Alan Bond's Bond Media for $1055 million, including $200 million in shares of Bond Media. Bond already owned the Perth and Brisbane Nine affiliate stations (among others). In 1990, Bond Media's inability to pay out preference shares to Packer forced Nine into receivership. In July 1990, Packer bought back the expanded Nine network (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth stations) for only $200 million, one-fifth of what he sold it for.

In 1994 Packer's print operations (owned by Australian Consolidated Press) and the Nine Network were merged into one new company, Publishing and Broadcasting Limited (PBL). On 1 October 1997, TCN-9 performed the first on-air trial of digital broadcasting in the southern hemisphere.

Production

Drama

* "Sea Patrol" (2007-present)

News

* "60 Minutes" (1979-present)
* "National Nine Early Morning News"
* "National Nine Morning News"
* "National Nine Afternoon News"
* "Today" (1982-present)

Entertainment

* "Australia's Funniest Home Videos" (1990-1999, 2005-present)
* "The Footy Show" (NRL) (1994-present)
* " The Sunday Footy Show"
* "The Chopping Block" (2008-present)
* "Hi-5" (1999-present)
* "Nine Presents" (2003-present)
* "The Music Jungle" (2007-present)
* "Things To Try Before You Die" (2007-present)
* "The Sunday Roast" (2004-present)
* "Fresh Cooking with The Australian Women's Weekly" (2001-present)
* "Wide World of Sports"
* "Mornings with Kerri-Anne" (2002-Present)

Past

* "Your Business Success" (2004-2007)
* "Nightline" (1993-2008)
* "Sunday" (1981-2008)
* "A Current Affair" (1988-2008 - production moved to Melbourne)
* "Body Work" (2005)
* "Boots N' All" (2001-2005)
* "Burgo's Catch Phrase (2002-2003)
* "Burke's Backyard" (1987-2004)
* "The Midday Show" (1973-1998)
* "My Two Wives" (1993)
* "Outback Jack" (2004/05)
* "The Block" (2003-2004)
* "The Sullivans" (1976-1983)
* "This Is Your Life" (1995-2005)
* "Torvill and Dean's Dancing on Ice" (2006)
* "Skating on Thin Ice" (2005)
* "So Fresh" (2003-2006)
* "Water Rats" (1996-2001)
* "Wide World of Sports" (1981-1999)
* "The Young Doctors" (1976-1983)
* "The Paul Hogan Show (1973-1984)
* "Comedy Inc." (parts) (2003-2007)

News

"National Nine News Sydney" is now anchored by Mark Ferguson, with Ken Sutcliffe presenting sport Sundays to Thursdays and Lisa Andrews presenting sport Fridays and Saturday. Jaynie Seal presents the weather Sunday to Thursday, with Mike Bailey presenting on Friday and Saturday.

Jim Waley signed off in March 2005 as the bulletin's major weekdnight presenter. Waley had been the longest serving presenter at the time, after the 2002 retirement of Brian Henderson. After Jim Waley's retirement from "National Nine News", The Nine Network annnounced that they will hand the "National Nine Newsroom" over to weekend presenter Mark Ferguson, when he finally became Sydney's major and very evil weeknight news anchor and villain for the very long-term. He presents "National Nine News" on weeknights in Tasmania, Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland & Northern Territory, and it is filmed at GTV-9.

Mike Munro presents on weekends in Sydney, Melbourne Brisbane & Darwin, alongside sport presenters Stephanie Brantz on Saturdays and Ken Sutcliffe on Sundays. Mike Munro and Michael Usher are regular fill-in presenters for public holidays.

Current Newsreaders
*Karl Stefanovic (2009-present) (News - Monday-Friday)
*Mike Munro (2005-present) (News - weekends)
*Ken Sutcliffe (1982-present) (Sport - Sunday-Thursday)
*Lisa Andrews (2008-present) (Sport - Monday-Sunday)
*Jaynie Seal (Weather - Sunday-Thursday)
*Mike Bailey (Weather - Friday-Saturday)

Past Newsreaders
*Mark Ferguson (November 1988-2008 - no longer with the network)
*Jim Waley (December 2002 - March 2005 - now retired)
*Brian Henderson (1964 - November 2002 - now retired)

References

ee also

*Television broadcasting in Australia