2003 - 04 Annual Report - Sbs

46OVERVIEWIn March 2004, the new position of Chief TechnologyOfficer was created to manage, under the Technologyand Distribution Division, the Corporation’s mediaproduction and transmission technologies andnetworks, as well as its information technology systems,capital planning and digital content development. Allparts of SBS’s complex technical infrastructure arenow amalgamated under a single structure for projectmanagement review, coordination and planning.A two-phase process of corporate-wide capital planningthat will deliver improvements to infrastructure hascommenced. The first priorities are the development ofa five year capital plan and the continuous replacementof analogue production and transmission capacity withdigital technologies. A new centralised fault reportingsystem was introduced in June 2004 as the first ofseveral initiatives to assist the capital planning process.The second phase will address issues of technologicalconvergence in broadcasting and the alignment of SBS’sinvestment in digital technology with its mid- to long-termplans for media production.NETWORK OPERATIONS AND PLANNINGThe Transmission Services Group was restructured duringthe year to better reflect SBS’s changing technologyneeds. Two new branches were created: NetworkDevelopment and Operations which is responsible formanaging the growth and performance of the SBSDistribution and Transmission Networks as well asbroadcasting research initiatives; and CommunicationsStrategy and Planning which advises on long-termstrategies and maintains representation on national andinternational forums.Both branches maintained regular contact with theDepartment of Communications, Information Technologyand the Arts and other departments, government bodiesand industry stakeholders in order to coordinate thefinancial and logistical management of SBS transmissionand distribution networks.SBS formed a unique and strengthened partnershipwith Broadcast Australia, its largest transmission servicesupplier, resulting in the streamlining of the rollout ofnew digital television services, improving the overallSBS Television network availability, and creating newtechnology development opportunities.Television TransmissionSBS Television transmitted its programs throughoutAustralia via the following means:• 231 terrestrial transmitters that deliver its analogueservice through contracts with three service providers,Broadcast Australia, Imparja and Watson’s TechnicalServices. The transmission service supply, previouslyobtained from Broadcast Engineering Services, is nowprovided by Broadcast Australia.• An estimated 200 self-help transmitters owned andoperated by local communities in mostly remoteregions of Australia.• Four Optus Aurora satellite services to all of Australia,including 40,000 remote direct-to-home receivers.• Four Digital TV satellite services to all of Australia,providing the full suite of SBS digital TV.• 72 digital terrestrial services which cover all capitalcities and major regional centres, reaching anestimated 80% of the national population; and• Re-transmission services via the cable subscriptionservices of Optus Vision and Foxtel, and the satellitesubscription services of Austar and Foxtel.Digital TransmissionSBS’s digital service, which began in January 2001, hascontinued to rapidly expand beyond the state and territorycapitals. During the year, a further 45 new servicesbegan, bringing to 72 the total number of digital services.An additional 45 services, already under contract, will becompleted in the last half of 2005. When these servicesare rolled out, SBS will have passed the half-way mark forreplicating its existing analogue TV network to digital.All state and territory capital cities are now connected viaTelstra’s digital video network, and the satellite distributionof SBS’s digital service is now available throughoutAustralia, allowing the commencement of digital rolloutsin more remote locations.