SYDNEY (PTI): Australia born media Magnate Rupert Murdoch, who virtually rules the Indian skies via Satellite, faces competition from home with the Australian TV planning to beam programs directly to the subcontinent from next year. Australia television, the international branch of the state-run Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), augments its international operations by middle of 1995 that would cover India, according to Cathy Galagher, Publicity Manager for Australia Television.

Using the Apstar II satellite, whose footprint includes India along with large parts of Asia and northeast Africa, the station would beam a round-the-clock channel programing news, information and entertainment based programs that would highlight Australia in an Asia Pacific framework, she says.

Australia TV is also seeking rebroadcasting arrangements for some of its programs in India in the intervening period, she says. Launched in February 1993, the TV network at present beams a 24hour service via the Indonesian Palapa B2P satellite to 15 countries in Southeast Asia and Oceania.

Its immediate expansion program includes use of Apstar I satellite from August 1994 to April 199510 broadcast t most of China and Japan go on to Apstar II satellite by mid1995 to cover Australia, most of Asia and parts of Africa. With 21 International news bureaux, half of them focatedin Asia, the April 1995 line up would have news and current affairs up to about one third of the total programing in a direct response (0 Australia television’s present viewers, who appreciate the regional perspective it offers, she says. The international service editorial guidelines aim at Australia television and radio Australia becoming distinctive of the country’s services directed to a region of cultural diversity, reflecting Australian values in information, entertainment, sports and arts while striving for relevance to the regional audience and respecting local sensitivities while avoiding “cultural intrusion.”

Article extracted from this publication >>  September 16, 1994