From 5 December 2023, NITV will be available in HD for the first time with free-to-air channel 34 transitioning to an HD service. The move will allow NITV to broadcast content in HD, providing audiences using compatible TVs with higher picture quality and an improved viewing experience.
To ensure NITV remains accessible to people who may not have HD-compatible TVs, from 5 December NITV will also be available to continue watching with the introduction of NITV broadcast in SD on free-to-air channel 36.
“We’re excited to be providing more ways to enjoy NITV,” said Peter Noble, proud Bandjin and Girramay man and NITV general manager.
“With the introduction of NITV HD this December, we’re able to deliver the best of NITV in high definition, which means audiences can experience better viewing quality when watching their favourite NITV shows. Whether it’s the thrills and spills of league legends and rising stars battling in the Koori Knockouts, or the vast beauty of people and Country across the continent on Going Places with Ernie Dingo, we’re proud to be bringing you Blak excellence, bigger and better than ever before.”
The move to HD will see NITV begin broadcasting using MPEG-4 technology, which is widely used and supported across Australia today. NITV will continue to be accessible on channel 34 on many TV sets, or TVs using recorders or set top boxes, but some people may need to retune. Audiences with older equipment may find their TVs are not compatible and should instead switch to watching NITV on channel 36 in SD. NITV has more information and support available on their website: sbs.com.au/NITV/HD.
“No matter how you watch NITV, you’ll still be able to access the channel in a range of ways, regardless of the equipment you use. The transition to HD on channel 34 is being supported by the launch of NITV on channel 36, allowing people to continue watching in SD if needed, alongside the ability to enjoy NITV shows at any time on SBS On Demand” Noble said.
“We’re committed to continuously improving how we serve our audiences, partners, and increasing our investment in First Nations storytelling and the Indigenous media sector. The move to HD comes after we introduced split transmission across five metro and seven regional markets in May 2022, we marked more than a decade of being available free-to-air as part of the SBS network this time last year, and earlier in 2023, celebrated two decades of Living Black, Australia’s longest running Indigenous current affairs television program. As we look ahead, we’re excited to explore more ways we can reach and engage Australians, and continue to support the strength of First Nations media and production sector in this country”.
