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CH31 Background

Demise of Television BRACS

Shortly after the 1988 roll out of the Broadcasting in Remote Aboriginal Communities Scheme (BRACS), a rapid demise occurred in the amount of locally produced television content that communities were broadcasting. In such a hostile environment and with the absence of regular maintenance, for most Aboriginal communities, the 'BRACS' television channel very soon became an uninterrupted 'ABC' or 'Imparja' channel.

During the 1990's, an enormous capital injection was given to the Broadcasting in Remote Aboriginal Communities Scheme. Once again, the absence of regular maintenance and operator training saw a very short life-span for locally produced television content.

Towards the end of the 90's, Bracs facilities were forced to install the new digital satellite broadcasting (DVB) technology. For Anangu Pitjantjatjara communities, the complicated operation of this new equipment ushered in the final end to local editorial control of their Bracs television channel.

Enter CH31

With the DVB technology, came an opportunity for Imparja television to broadcast a second television channel - but only as a digital service on the new satellite. This digital service is called CH31 and is sometimes referred to as the 'Back Channel'.

PY Media immediately recognised the potential of CH31 to be the vehicle for modern and successful Bracs television by:-

• Removing the enormous ongoing cost of the 1990's era local Bracs television equipment.
• Providing access to locally produced television content from other Bracs communities.
• Putting editorial control of the Bracs television channel back in the hands of the local community.
• Providing a Bracs television web portal to allow Aboriginal people to interact with modern technology in a culturally appropriate way.

The development of modern and successful BRACS television is an ongoing process. PY Media launched Bracs television into the new millennium when WaruTech (previously Waru Remote Communications) developed The Cable Guy's Mate during Christmas 2000.

The Cable Guy's Mate

An 'In-House' Solution

Since the introduction of CH31, PY Media had been trying to find a way that communities could easily access and broadcast the new service. The BRACS licence allowed communities to legally broadcast the programs, but changing over to the CH31 service and changing back to the normal service required a very complicated manual process. Attempting the manual process often ended in 'no television at all' for the community.

The establishment of Waru Remote Communications in late 2000, allowed PY Media to begin work on an in-house technical solution. Born on the 5th of January 2001, the 'cable guy's mate' was literally developed 'in-house' - on the dining table of the original crammed WRC workshop/ living quarters.

Low Cost Technology

The cable guy's mate consisted of a specially configured telephone modem plus a diode fitted to an RS232 data cable. The unit allowed PY Media to 'dial up' the satellite decoder in a BRACS community, remotely changing between the normal and CH31 services.

Cable-Guy's-Mate	Charmer-Prototype

Inaugural Test

The first cable guy's mate was installed at Fregon. PY Media arranged for Imparja to play out a pre-recorded match of Aboriginal football on the CH31 service and WRC remotely changed over the Fregon Bracs television channel for this inaugural broadcast.

Thus began a new era for Aboriginal CAFL football in Australia. Soon after the inaugural broadcast, PY Media began using the CH31 service to telecast Live Footy coverage to Aboriginal Communities who were unable to support their local team because of the tyranny of distance.

Traeger Park	West Gap