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Channel Seven

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Today Tonight graphic adapted by Patricia Feijoo

Channel Seven 'Today Tonight' interview Media Man Australia director, Greg Tingle at Bondi Beach, Sydney

The Seven Network is an Australian television network, owned by the Seven Media Group. Seven dates back to December 2, 1956, when the first stations on the VHF7 frequency were established in Sydney and Melbourne. The network is currently the largest network in the country in terms of population reach. Seven has traditionally been the second highest rating television network in Australia, trailing its traditional rival the Nine Network, but just ahead of Network Ten. Seven have won the ratings year twice since 1978, in 2000 and 2007.

Seven's headquarters are based in a converted warehouse at Jones Bay Wharf in Pyrmont, Sydney. National news and current affairs programming is based at studios in Martin Place, while the network's main production studios are located at Epping in Sydney's northern suburbs. In 2009, Seven will move their Epping based operations to a purpose built high-definition television production facility at the Australian Technology Park in Redfern. The majority of content is broadcast out of the network's digital Broadcast Centre in the Melbourne Docklands.

Programming

Further information: List of programs broadcast by the Seven Network

New programmes introduced in 2005 led to a ratings increase, following a relatively poor 2004. A number of programmes introduced in 2006 continued on in 2007, in addition to many new entries - the bulk of which imported from US television networks.

Australian programming shown on the network includes medical drama All Saints , police drama City Homicide, lifestyle program Better Homes and Gardens, soap operas Home and Away, comedy Kath & Kim, new comedy drama Packed to the Rafters, mega-dollar quiz show Deal or No Deal, Gladiators, Dancing with the Stars, Medical Emergency, Hot Property, Australia's Got Talent, travel show The Great Outdoors, as well as Australia's Best Backyards, The Outdoor Room, It Takes Two, The Zoo, RSPCA Animal Rescue, Find My Family, The Real Seachange, The Force, Crash Investigation Unit, Border Security, SCU: Serious Crash Unit, Surf Patrol, Bush Doctors and Most Shocking. Children's programming includes It's Academic, The Wiggles speicals, Go Go Stop, Playhouse Disney and Saturday Disney, Toon Disney, Jetix.

The network has established output deals with a number of American production studios, including NBC Universal, The Walt Disney Company and ABC Studios. Programming imported from the US currently includes 24, The Amazing Race, Desperate Housewives, Grey's Anatomy, Lost, Prison Break, How I Met Your Mother, Lipstick Jungle, Private Practice, My Name Is Earl, Bones, What About Brian, Ugly Betty, Brothers & Sisters, Boston Legal, Shark, Scrubs, Family Guy, Heroes, 30 Rock, Dirty Sexy Money and Samantha Who?. Seven is still to air in 2008 Reaper, Eli Stone and October Road.

News and Current Affairs

The Seven Network's news service is called Seven News. After trailing for many years, to National Nine News, Seven rebounded effective from February 2005 to the future, and claimed to be Australia's number one in news and current affairs. Seven News produces several news bulletins and news programs including; Sunrise, The Morning Show, Weekend Sunrise, Seven Morning News, Seven 4.30 News, Seven News, Seven's Late News Updates, and Today Tonight. During the early hours of 4am to 6am, Seven rebroadcasts some of American television network NBC's news and current affairs programming, including Today, Weekend Today, Dateline NBC and Meet the Press.

In recent years under the guidance of former longtime National Nine News chief, Peter Meakin, Seven's news and current affairs have produced more locally-focussed content, which has been lifting ratings for key markets such as Sydney and Melbourne. Since February 2005, the ratings of Deal or No Deal, Seven News and Today Tonight have gradually increased. Seven News was the highest-rating news service nationally in both the 2005 and 2006 ratings seasons. A key aspect of Seven's recent ratings dominance in news and current affairs has been attributed to Deal or No Deal's top rating audience, which provides Seven News with a large lead-in audience. In 2007, Seven News completed a clean sweep across the five capital cities in terms of being the most watched 6pm news bulletin. On July 5, 2008, Seven News finally launched a '7' watermark located on the Bottom Left. This will be shown on The Morning Show, Seven News & Today Tonight only. The watermark was not allowed to be broadcast on Sunrise or neither Weekend Sunrise because of live coverages.

Sport

Seven is a major player in Australian sports broadcasting. The 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney resulted in huge ratings for the network, with over 6.5 million Australians viewing the telecast of opening and closing ceremonies. The broadcast also ran on the short-lived C7 Sport subscription channel.

After the 2001 season Seven ended its famous 45-year run as AFL football broadcaster when the Nine Network and Network Ten, along with pay TV provider Foxtel, jointly won the television rights. On January 5, 2006 the Australian Football League accepted a bid from Seven and Ten to broadcast AFL games from 2007 - 2011 at a cost of AU$780 million.

Seven's most popular recurring sporting events include the Olympic Games, AFL Premiership Season, the Australian Open Golf, the Australian Open Tennis, Bledisloe Cup Rugby, Melbourne Cup Carnival, Mt Buller World Aerials, the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, the Tri-Nations Rugby, V8 Supercars and the Champ Car World Series.

Seven has exclusive Australian free-to-air, pay television, online and mobile telephony broadcast rights to the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. The live telecast of the XXIX Olympiad with be shared by both the Seven Network and SBS Television. Seven will broadcast the opening and closing ceremonies and mainstream sport's including swimming, athletics, rowing, cycling and gymnastics. In stark contrast, SBS TV will provide complementary coverage focused on long-form events such as football, road cycling, volleyball, and table tennis.

Seven's coverage of the 2008 Summer Olympics was widely critised by viewers, with many angry at the networks contractual obligation to show AFL football over the Olympics. Viewers also complained that many team sports were delayed, with the absence of Roy and HG and the continual amount of advertisements during live events further angering viewers.

On October 13, 2007, the International Olympic Committee announced that the Nine Network, in joint partnership with subscription television provider Foxtel, has secured broadcasting rights for the 2010 Winter Olympics and the 2012 Summer Olympics. (Credkt: Wikipedia).

Websites

Channel Seven

Network Seven Corporate Website

My Seven

Profiles

Gladiators

The Great Outdoors

Australia's Got Talent

Today Tonight

Hot Property

Where Are They Now?

Sydney In Time