GTV (Australian TV station)
GTV is a commercial television station in Melbourne, Australia, owned by the Nine Network. The station is currently based at a new high-tech, purpose-built studio at 717 Bourke Street, Docklands. History. GTV-9 was amongst the first television stations to begin regular transmission in Australia. Test transmissions began on 27 September 1956, introduced by former 3DB radio announcer Geoff Corke, based at the Mount Dandenong transmitter, as the studios in Richmond were not yet ready. The station covered the 1956 Summer Olympics which Melbourne hosted., the 1956 Carols By Candlelight and the Davis Cup tennis  as part of its test transmissions. The station was officially opened on 19 January 1957 by Victorian Governor Sir Dallas Brooks from the studios in Bendigo Street, Richmond. A clip from the ceremony has featured in a number of GTV-9 retrospectives, in which the Governor advises viewers that if they did not like the programs, they could just turn off. The Richmond 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 to 1935). A cornerstone, now visible from the staff canteen courtyard , was laid when construction of the Piano factory began. Eric Pearce was appointed senior newsreader in the late 1960s, after having been the first newsreader at rival station HSV-7. He held that position for almost twenty years. In 1957, GTV-9's first large-scale production was the nightly 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-9 telethon. Bert Newton moved from HSV-7 to join Kennedy. "IMT" continued for thirteen years, dominating Melbourne's television scene for  most of that time. It set a precedent for a number of subsequent live variety programmes from the station. Ownership has changed over the decades. The station was first licensed to the "General Television Corporation Ltd.", a consortium of two newspapers, The Argus and The Age, together with cinema chains Hoyts, Greater Union, Sir Arthur Warner's Electronic Industries, JC William's Theatres, Cinesound Productions, and radio stations 3XY, 3UZ, 3KZ. In early 1957 The Argus was acquired by The Herald and Weekly Times Ltd, and the paper was closed on the same day that GTV-9 officially opened. The Herald  in turn sold its interests in the station to Electronic Industries, later acquired by UK television manufacturer Pye, in 1960. 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 commercially owned television network. Prior to this GTV-9 was affiliated with ATN-7 in Sydney. Son Clyde Packer ran the network for some time, until a falling out led to a handover to younger son Kerry Packer. In the 1980s the network was sold to  Alan Bond, but later bought back at a much lower price. Following the death of Kerry Packer, his son James Packer progressively sold down his stake in the network. (See also Publishing and Broadcasting Limited.) Along with most Australian TV stations, GTV-9 commenced colour test transmissions in October, 1974. The official changeover took place at 12.00am on Saturday 1 March 1975. In 1976, GTV-9 became the first Australian television station to commence permanent 24-hour transmission. In 2001 the station commenced digital television broadcasting, in line with most other metropolitan stations. GTV-9 continued broadcasting in analogue on VHF9, with a  digital simulcast on VHF8. In 2010 it was announced to public and then staff, that after 54 years at Bendigo Street, GTV-9 would move day-to-day operations including News and commercial sales to 717 Bourke Street, Docklands. On 25 October 2010, it was announced that GTV-9 would begin producing larger scale studio productions, such as The Footy Show, Hey Hey its Saturday, and Millionaire Hotseat from the new Docklands Studios Melbourne. On 28 February 2011, GTV-9 broadcast its final live program – the 6pm edition of "Nine News" – from the Richmond "Television City" studios, and the following day began  broadcasting news bulletins from 717 Bourke Street. Also while their new fiber link to their transmission site was being completed, a temporary DVB-S2 link was put up on Optus D1, which ceased at the end of the year. In 2012, no new programming has been produced out of the new studios. The network opted to move "A Current Affair" and its host Tracy Grimshaw to TCN-9 in Sydney. In May 2012, a lower powered permanent backup DVB-S2 link for their transmission site was re-established on Optus D1, which requires at least a two-metre solid receiving dish . Programming. Locally produced programs by or with GTV-9 Melbourne. Current. Past. 2010s 2000s 1990s 1980s 1970s 1957 – 1960s News. The station's evening news bulletin, "Nine News Melbourne" is presented by Peter Hitchener from Monday to Thursday and Alicia Loxley from Friday to Sunday. Sport is presented by Tony Jones on weeknights and Clint Stanaway on weekends and weather is presented by Livinia Nixon (Monday to Thursday) and Madeline Slattery (Friday to Sunday). Alicia Loxley is the fill-in news presenter for Peter Hitchener on weeknights, with Dougal Beatty being the fill-in presenter for Alicia Loxley on weekends. Madeline  Slattery presents the weather in place of Livinia Nixon. "Nine News Melbourne" is produced locally from Nine's Melbourne studios and is also simulcast on Light FM and streamed online. "Nine News" national bulletins ("Nine Early Morning News", "Nine Morning News" and "Nine News Now") are produced from Sydney although late newsbreaks at the weekend are produced from Melbourne and presented by Alicia Loxley. In May 2017, the station launched its first local afternoon news bulletin, "Nine Afternoon News Melbourne", putting it head to head with rival station Seven's local afternoon news. The bulletin is presented by Alicia Loxley  (Monday-Wednesday) and Dougal Beatty (Thursday & Friday). Presenters. News presenters Sports presenters Weeknights Weekends Weather presenters Reporters Sports Reporters. Fill-in Presenters Former presenters. Eric Pearce, who was knighted after his retirement, was GTV-9's chief news presenter from the late 1950s until 1974. After his first retirement, the subsequent American style ""NewsCentre Nine"" presented by Peter Hitchener did not rate well, so Pearce was persuaded to return in 1976, remaining until 1978. In 1978, former HSV-7 news presenter Brian Naylor joined as GTV-9's chief weeknight news presenter, with Hitchener on weekends. Naylor's association with Nine lasted 19  years – he retired at the end of 1998, with Naylor replaced by then deputy news presenter Peter Hitchener. Jo Hall took over on weekends, with Tony Jones the main weekend fill-in. Other main presenters of "Nine News 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" and Jo Hall (1998–2011). Past weekend sport presenters in recent years have included Leith Mulligan (1999–2006), Heath O'Loughlin (2006–2008), Grant Hackett (2008–2009) and Lisa Andrews (2009–2011). Rob Gell was the previous weather presenter he held the position for  fifteen years from 1988 to 2004.