Australia Network now closed.

[ROBINPATTAYA]

The Australian Government in it's wisdom have decided to deny millions of Australians living overseas & hundred of millions od Asean residents this service. That now means no vital Australia news, information or sport from Australia into the Asean region. The small cost of $20 million a year is cheap when you consider the exposure to millions of ASEAN residents thinking of export, tourism, education etc. into Australia.

On a personal bias,is there any way to access AFL from another TV source. The internet isn't an option because where I live has very patchy internet coverage, streaming alway buffers which is annoying at best. I don't know if any cable network provider will be able to supply AFL now.

Any info is very welcome

Cheers

[OMGImInPattaya]

Wow...that's too bad. I always found the Australian News Network (I think that's the name) to be a bright spot on my cable dial. Sorta like an Australian BBC. Great news and cultural programming...though I couldn't give a wit about the sports stuff. Does seem pretty miserly to shut it all down if the cost was only 20 mil a year but I guess there are welfare or immigrant benefits to pay.

[bdenner]

Not yet, I'm still getting both the Asia and Pacific services from the IS-19 satellite.

EDIT: It is on borrowed time though. Hope Rabbit is proud of himself, amongst other things screwing expats still paying taxes.

Edited May 29, 2014 by bdenner

[avander]

Robin, I recently joined AcrosstheTasman.com forum and torrents site dedicated to football. You'll need tobdownload a Torrent client and can then download most games and watch at your leisure. PM me with your email address if you want an invitation to join.

Very sad about Aust Network. I am a user also. It was still on a couple of days ago...... Bunch of w*nkers.

Sent from my GT-I9305T using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Edited May 29, 2014 by avander

[simple1]

Wow...that's too bad. I always found the Australian News Network (I think that's the name) to be a bright spot on my cable dial. Sorta like an Australian BBC. Great news and cultural programming...though I couldn't give a wit about the sports stuff. Does seem pretty miserly to shut it all down if the cost was only 20 mil a year but I guess there are welfare or immigrant benefits to pay.

Aust News Network is having funding withdrawn as it is claimed it was not acheiving some components / objectives in the region of Australian Foreign Policy, nothing to do with the costs of welfare / migrant funding

Edited May 29, 2014 by simple1

[samuijimmy]

So is this just the news part? ....

I just flipped through to the channel and it's playing Giggle and Hoot..... I guess the kids will be happy!

[OMGImInPattaya]

Wow...that's too bad. I always found the Australian News Network (I think that's the name) to be a bright spot on my cable dial. Sorta like an Australian BBC. Great news and cultural programming...though I couldn't give a wit about the sports stuff. Does seem pretty miserly to shut it all down if the cost was only 20 mil a year but I guess there are welfare or immigrant benefits to pay.

Aust News Network is having funding withdrawn as it is claimed it was not acheiving some components / objectives in the region of Australian Foreign Policy, nothing to do with the costs of welfare / migrant funding

Whatever the reason, it's a shame for English speaking expats in he region as there was allot of high quality news and current affairs programming that will now be lost. A good source of unbiased and un-defamation law filtered news on Thailand as well.

[ripstanley]

At this stage the Australian Network is still being broadcast in full. I also have a satellite dish and can access it with no problems

[avander]

Does anyone have any ideas on the best way to protest the closure from our (expat) points of view?

[raro]

Not really Pattaya related, topic moved.

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Mobi]

Not really Pattaya related, topic moved.

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

To where???

[MrWorldwide]

This was an easy target for Hockey's razor gang and I expect it will only be the first of many, despite the fact that the nanny state continues to find money to carpet bomb commercial networks with messages re the dangers of smoking, drinking and beating up your partner. Anyone who still needs that kind of 'education' in 2014 is way beyond help. Fortunately SBS saw the writing on the wall some years back and now have enough ads to keep the razor gang at bay - think happy thoughts

[balo]

Now you have to use internet like the rest of us europeans watching tv, get used to it.

Sent from my SM-P601 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[ClutchClark]

What a disappointment. I am American and that has long been my favorite channel.

[avander]

Now you have to use internet like the rest of us europeans watching tv, get used to it.

Sent from my SM-P601 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

It was and still is a great idea for Australia which is as much part of SEA as it is Oceania. Getting rid of it is a mistake and they should instead be thinking about how to change its objectives or meet them much as SBS had to a few years back by introducing paid advertising to it's content. POssibly fo rbusinesses either serviing or wanting to serve the areas the station covers.

Edited May 29, 2014 by avander

[Tolley]

It is a shame if it goes which seems likely always liked to watch the news from home

I heard that the ABC chief is looking at ways to try and preserve it but I don't see how that is going to work out.

[PlastikbinLina]

Does anyone have any ideas on the best way to protest the closure from our (expat) points of view?

Write to your Fed MP. It does work.

[Torrens54]

Not yet, I'm still getting both the Asia and Pacific services from the IS-19 satellite.

EDIT: It is on borrowed time though. Hope Rabbit is proud of himself, amongst other things screwing expats still paying taxes.

Still getting it via "WETV" Cable in Chiang Mai.

Write letters of complaint to "Rabbit" and any other Oz Political Snooze you can think of. Trouble is, the whole lot of them are simply NOT interested in Expats. But at least we should rattle their cages.

[bdenner]

Now you have to use internet like the rest of us europeans watching tv, get used to it.

Sent from my SM-P601 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Just in case you are not aware Australia Network beams into many third world countries where the magic of the internet does not exist as we know it. My shltty 3G service (which has only just come on line), here in the rice paddies, is not capable of streaming live broadcasts.

I'd love to "GET USED TO IT"

[Sandman77]

The ken gurus are not gone!

Signal still here on telkom 108 East

In Indonesia pay tv transvision!

Here 2 live shoots !

Signal on 68,5 east

I belive only fta signal switched off

Because want money from cable operators!

Encrypted on 68, east also still here!

[joncl]

It always has been encrypted on 68.5e or IS20 as this is the Australia Network - India service.

AN is still free to view on IS19 both the Asia and Pacific channels .

[Sandman77]

On Australia network site I read one time that smarcard is free for Australians, or for foreign cable operators in Thailand

Try to order one, but I was not able to get one!

[joncl]

Australia Network India .. is what the irdeto card is for the other two channels Asia and Pacific are free to view as always. Try and get a card for their Indian Service, yes I have had one for 4 years now, same programming time shifted into the Indian time zone and one extra afl game.

[ripstanley]

Australia Network India .. is what the irdeto card is for the other two channels Asia and Pacific are free to view as always. Try and get a card for their Indian Service, yes I have had one for 4 years now, same programming time shifted into the Indian time zone and one extra afl game.

There was a different AFL game in 2013 but in 2014 the Indian network do no see a different game on Sundays. At the start of this season the Pacific network had the extra game. Now all channels have the same games.

Edited May 30, 2014 by ripstanley

[gkroo]

There are strong rumours that Sky News Australia will offer a replacement to the Australia Network as the following news article reflects http://www.theaustralian.com.au/media/broadcast/sky-sets-up-rival-to-abc-overseas/story-fna045gd-1226889463422

[Tolley]

It is still available in Thailand at the moment....was watching it last night....

[carlyai]

One thing different governments like to do is play with easy things, like SBS, Radio Australia, Australian Network, ABC. If you're a right winged government, then the ABC is left and if your're left the ABC et al is right winged.

I used to work for the old PMG's department, now Telstra, where we looked after the ABC as well as all the other telecommunications, TV and Radio. We used to beam HF high power broadcasts into Asia, especially Vietnam during the Vietnam war. There will always be a need of an overseas broadcaster for Australia.

The overseas arm of the ABC, what ever it will be called in the future, will be back (maybe in a year or so), it's just getting a slap on the wrist from the new government.

[xen]

Wow...that's too bad. I always found the Australian News Network (I think that's the name) to be a bright spot on my cable dial. Sorta like an Australian BBC. Great news and cultural programming...though I couldn't give a wit about the sports stuff. Does seem pretty miserly to shut it all down if the cost was only 20 mil a year but I guess there are welfare or immigrant benefits to pay.

Aust News Network is having funding withdrawn as it is claimed it was not acheiving some components / objectives in the region of Australian Foreign Policy, nothing to do with the costs of welfare / migrant funding

Whatever the reason, it's a shame for English speaking expats in he region as there was allot of high quality news and current affairs programming that will now be lost. A good source of unbiased and un-defamation law filtered news on Thailand as well.

I am a cynical bastard and i believe that the current conservative government has to return some favours to the Murdoch clan for services rendered. The Conservative Press continues to jump on and kick the ABC & SBS for their perceived bias . T he ABC has the best of Aussie & British shows and does much to promote Australian Arts in music, film and television. Personally i would rather watch good Aussie or British drama and a variety of sports on the ABC or SBS than Hillbilly Swamp Rats or other such crap that gets presented on Murdoch.

[avander]

One thing different governments like to do is play with easy things, like SBS, Radio Australia, Australian Network, ABC. If you're a right winged government, then the ABC is left and if your're left the ABC et al is right winged.

I used to work for the old PMG's department, now Telstra, where we looked after the ABC as well as all the other telecommunications, TV and Radio. We used to beam HF high power broadcasts into Asia, especially Vietnam during the Vietnam war. There will always be a need of an overseas broadcaster for Australia.

The overseas arm of the ABC, what ever it will be called in the future, will be back (maybe in a year or so), it's just getting a slap on the wrist from the new government.

I hope so. Having moved overseas only recently I am enjoying having access to The Australia Network and use it daily.

[Sandman77]

On 108 e Australia network freezed into a green standing picture yesterday still not running looks like a technical problem