GTV

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GTV
Melbourne, Victoria
Branding	Nine
Slogan	Welcome Home
Channels	Analog: 9 (VHF) Digital: 8 (VHF)
Affiliations	Nine (O&O)
Network	Nine
Owner	PBL Media Holdings Pty Ltd (General Television Corporation Pty Ltd)
First air date	September 27, 1956
Call letters’ meaning	General Television Victoria
Transmitter Power	200 kW (analog) 50 kW (digital)
Transmitter Coordinates	37°49′42″S 145°21′12″E / 37.82833°S 145.35333°E / -37.82833; 145.35333
Website	www.ninemsn.com.au

GTV (General Television Corporation) is a television station in Melbourne, Australia owned by the Nine Network. It was the primary commercial TV stations in Melbourne, and amongst the first to begin transmission in Australia. Test transmissions began on 27 September 1956, introduced by former 3DB radio announcer Geoff Corke. The station officially opened on 19 January 1957.^{[citation needed]} The station is based at a converted factory in Bendigo Street, Richmond.

History

GTV front gates on Bendigo Street, Richmond

GTV's original logo on the studios outside wall

Sir Dallas Brooks officially opened GTV-9 on 28 September 1956 from studios in Bendigo Street, Richmond. The building, bearing the name Television City, had been converted from a Heinz tinned food factory, also occupied in the past by the Wertheim Piano Company (from 1908 - 1935). A conerstone, now visible from the staff canteen courtyard, was laid when construction of the Piano factory began.

The station was licensed to the General Television Corporation Ltd., a consortium of two newspapers, The Argus and The Age, as well as Hoyts, Greater Union, Electronic Industries, JC William's Theatres, Cinesound Productions, and radio stations 3XY, 3UZ, 3KZ. GTV-9's first major production, in 1957, was the variety show In Melbourne Tonight ("IMT"), hosted by Graham Kennedy. Kennedy was a radio announcer at 3UZ in Melbourne before being 'discovered' by GTV-9 producer Norm Spencer, when appearing on a GTV telethon. IMT continued for thirteen years, dominating Melbourne's television scene for most of that time. It set a precedent for a number of live variety programmes from the station.^{[citation needed]} Soon after the station's launch, Eric Pearce was appointed to read the news on the station - a position held for almost twenty years.^{[citation needed]}

In 1957 The Argus was acquired by The Herald and Weekly Times Ltd, which in turn sold its interests in the station to Sir Arthur Warner's Electronic Industries, later acquired by UK television manufacturer Pye, in 1960.^{[citation needed]} Because of the restriction on foreign ownership of television stations, GTV-9 was then sold to Frank Packer's Australian Consolidated Press, which already owned TCN-9 in Sydney, resulting in the formation of the country's first commercial television network.^{[citation needed]}

Along with most Australian TV stations, GTV-9 commenced colour test transmissions in October, 1974.^{[citation needed]} The official changeover took place at 12.00am on Saturday 1 March 1975. GTV became the first Melbourne television station to commence permanent 24 hour transmission in 1976.^{[citation needed]} The station commenced digital television broadcasting in 2001, in line with most other metropolitan stations. GTV continued broadcasting in analogue on VHF9, with a digital simulcast on VHF8.

Programming

Locally produced programs by or with GTV-9 Melbourne.
Listed in chronological order, most recent first.
(*) Asterisk indicates Studio 9 as the primary studio.

Current

• A Current Affair (2008 - present)
• Here's Humphrey (2008 - present) Previously Adelaide
• The Singing Bee (2007- present)*
• Footy Classified (2007 - present)
• 20 to 1 (2005 – present)
• The AFL Footy Show (1994 - present)*
• The AFL Sunday Footy Show (1994 - present)

Past

2000s

• Temptation (2005 - 2009)
• Underbelly series 1 (2008)
• Canal Road (2008)
• Million Dollar Wheel of Fortune (2008)*
• Power of 10 (2008)
• Hole in the Wall (2008)
• The Mint (2007 - 2008)
• The Singing Bee (2007)
• 1 vs. 100 (2007)
  Filmed at the Central City Studios at Melbourne Docklands but managed by GTV-9
• The Nation (2007)
• Quizmania (2006 - 2007)
• Bert's Family Feud (2006 - 2007)*
• Shopping for Love (2005 - 2007)
• Comedy Inc (in part, 2003 - 2007)
• Magda's Funny Bits (2006)
• Any Given Sunday (AFL Chat Show) (2005 - 2006)
• Celebrity Golf Shoot-Out (2005 - 2006)
• StarStruck (2005)*
• Australia's Funniest Home Video Show (2000 - 2004)*
  (production returned to Sydney in 2005 and renamed Funniest Home Videos)
• Micallef Tonight (2003)
• National IQ Test (2002 - 2003)
• Shafted (2002)
• Surprise, Surprise (2000 - 2001)
• Russell Gilbert Live (2000)

1990s

• Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? (1999 - 2007)
• Stingers (1998 - 2004)
• The Russell Gilbert Show (1998)
• Burgo's Catch Phrase (1997 - 2001)
• This is Your Life (1995 - 2005)
• The Price Is Right (1993 - 1998, 2003 - 2005)

1980s

• The Flying Doctors (1986 - 1993)
• Sale Of The Century (1980 - 2001)

1970s

• The Don Lane Show (1975 - 1983)*
• The Ernie Sigley Show (1974 - 1985)*
• The Graham Kennedy Show (1972 - 1975)*
• A Current Affair (1971 - 1978)
• Hey Hey It's Saturday (1971 - 1977, 1979 - 1999)*
• The Sullivans (1976 - 1983)
• Cartoon Corner (1970 - 1971)

1957 - 1960s

• It Could Be You (1961 - 1969) Tommy Hanlon, Jr.
• The Tarax Show (1957-1969)
• Do You Trust Your Wife ? (? - ?)
• The Adventures Of Gerry Gee (? - ?)
• Concentration (1957 - 1961)
• New Faces (Australian) (1963 - 1985)
• In Melbourne Tonight (1957 - 1970, 1996 - 1998)*
• World Championship Wrestling (1964 - 1978)

News and Current Affairs

The station's evening news bulletin, Nine News Melbourne is presented by Peter Hitchener on weekdays, a position he has held since the retirement of Brian Naylor at the end of 1998. Jo Hall presents the weekend bulletins.

Sport is presented by Tony Jones on weeknights, and Lisa Andrews on weekends. Livinia Nixon presents the weather on weeknights.

Brett McLeod and Tim McMillan are the fill-in presenters for Jo Hall on weekends, with Lisa Andrews as the fill-in sport presenter. Brodie Harper, Denis Walter, Steven Jacobs, Carolyne Randoe or Rachael Rollo present the weather in place of Livinia Nixon over the summer, or as a fill-in.

The 6pm news bulletin is produced locally from Nine's Melbourne studios and is also simulcast on Light FM and streamed online. Nine News national bulletins (Early Morning News, Morning News Hour, Afternoon News, Late News) are produced from Sydney although late news updates at the weekend are produced from Melbourne and presented by Jo Hall.

Presenters and Reporters

Fill-ins

News Reporters

Sport Reporters

Former newsreaders

Eric Pearce, who was knighted after his retirement, was GTV-9's chief newsreader from 1957 until the mid-1970s. After his first retirement, the subsequent American style "News Centre Nine" did not rate well, so Pearce returned to the helm until 1978.

Former HSV-7 newsreader Brian Naylor joined GTV-9 in 1979, an association that lasted 19 years. Retiring at the end of 1998, Naylor was replaced by then-deputy newsreader Peter Hitchener.

Other lead presenters of Nine News in Melbourne included Tracy Grimshaw (1981-1993), who has since moved to A Current Affair and Tracey Curro, who also worked on Nine's 60 Minutes.

See also

• Television broadcasting in Australia

External links

• GTV9 Old Boys Collection of old photos and memories of the early years 1956 - 1970.

References