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HISTORY OF ACCESS 31

In 1992, the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Transport, Communications and Infrastructure (HORSCOTCI) recommended that the last high powered, free-to-air channel be set aside for community/educational television. These recommendations coincided with the introduction of the new Broadcasting Services Act that took effect on the 5th October the same year and identified for the first time a new service category: Community/Educational Television.

The new act removed previous legislative impediments to the licensing of a Community/Education Television service and allowed for temporary broadcast trials. After extensive work by broadcast engineering consultants Access 31 established the technical infrastructure required to produce and transmit local programs through the many facilities and portable equipment available in the metropolitan area. The station commenced broadcasting on Friday 18th June 1999, although a permanent licence was not allocated until a ministerial review of the television broadcasting industry was completed in early 2002.

A solid professional base and skilled personnel

Since its commencement, Access 31 has established a solid and professional base upon which to build and operate a local television service for the whole of the Perth metropolitan area.

From a broadcast suite in our Belmont studio, the signal is microwave-linked to the transmitter facility at Bickley which is co-located in the same building as the ABC and SBS transmitters. The output from Access 31's high powered 15kW transmitter is combined into the same antenna feed as SBS, and the signal is delivered to the greater metropolitan area via the same antenna as SBS. Thus, if you receive SBS in Perth, you should be able to receive Access 31.

Today, Access 31 has a viewing audience in excess of 715,000 people per month (OzTam Research January 2007). It is a well-structured company with a qualified and experienced Board of Directors and professional management and staff, and is well positioned to achieve its goals and enrich the choice available to Perth television audiences.

With a continued increase in awareness and participation of the local service in all areas of the Station’s operations, Access 31 can look forward to an exciting and prosperous future.