C31 Melbourne: Difference between revisions

In September 2014, Australian federal communications minister [[Malcolm Turnbull]] announced that licensing for community television stations would end in December 2015.<ref>{{cite web|title=Community TV: Malcolm Turnbull confirms licensing for stations will end in 2015 |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-09-10/community-television-kicked-off-air-by-federal-government/5733690 |publisher= Australian Broadcasting Corporation |date=10 September 2014 |accessdate=26 January 2016}}</ref> In September 2015, Turnbull, then Prime Minister, announced an extension of the deadline to 31 December 2016.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2015/09/community-tv-lifeline-extended-to-2016.html |last=Knox |first=David |title=Community TV lifeline: extended to 2016 |publisher=TV Tonight |date=17 September 2015 |accessdate=26 January 2016 }}</ref> The deadline was further extended twice at the last minute by Minister for Communications Mitch Fifield, first to 30 June 2017,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://tvtonight.com.au/2016/12/new-switch-off-date-for-community-tv.html |last=Knox |first=David |title=New switch-off date for Community TV |publisher=TV Tonight |date=15 December 2016 |accessdate=18 December 2016 }}</ref> and later to 31 December 2017.<ref>{{cite news |date=27 June 2017 |title=Channel 31 gets a six-month reprieve on free-to-air TV shutdown |url=http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/channel-31-gets-a-sixmonth-reprieve-on-freetoair-tv-shutdown-20170627-gwzjw3.html |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |location=Sydney |access-date=27 June 2017}}</ref> Fifield made an additional extension to 30 June 2018 as part of the government's deal with the [[Nick Xenophon Team]] to garner support for large-scale media reforms in the [[Australian Senate|Senate]],<ref>{{cite web |url=https://mumbrella.com.au/devil-detail-deals-government-made-get-media-reforms-across-line-471840 |title=The devil in the detail: The deals the government made to get media reforms across the line |last=Wallbank |first=Paul |date=15 September 2017 |website=Mumbrella |access-date=31 December 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Harris |first=Rob |date=13 September 2017 |title=Media reform: Government clinches deal with crossbench |url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/media-reform-government-clinches-deal-with-crossbench/news-story/9250f66fcebc9fc8e4631e75f51e85ba |work=Herald Sun |location=Melbourne |access-date=31 December 2017}}</ref> while a further extension, announced on 1 June 2018, gave broadcasters an additional two years through 30 June 2020.<ref>{{cite press release |date=1 June 2018 |title=Community television broadcasters granted two-year licence extension |url=http://www.minister.communications.gov.au/mitch_fifield/news/community_television_broadcasters_granted_two_year_licence_extension#.WxdVvu6FPZ4 |url-status=live |location=Canberra |agency=Department of Communications and the Arts |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180606033503/http://www.minister.communications.gov.au/mitch_fifield/news/community_television_broadcasters_granted_two_year_licence_extension |archive-date=6 June 2018 |access-date=6 June 2018}}</ref> In June 2020, they were given another 12 -month extension.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Knox|first=David|title=11th hour reprieve: C31 & C44 win 12 month extension {{!}} TV Tonight|url=https://tvtonight.com.au/2020/06/11th-hour-reprieve-c31-c44-win-12-month-extension.html/|access-date=2020-07-10|website=https://tvtonight.com.au/|language=en-AU}}</ref>.