Perth MHR Tim Hammond.
Camera IconPerth MHR Tim Hammond. Credit: Supplied/DAVID FOOTE

West TV to continue for six more months after Perth MP Tim Hammond convinces Federal Govt to continue funding

Giovanni TorreEastern Reporter

EAST Perth-based West TV will continue to broadcast on free-to-air television for an additional six months.

In 2014, the Federal Government announced community television broadcasters nationwide would have to abandon their telecasts and focus on online production.

Perth MP Tim Hammond said today that since his election on July 1 he has encouraged communications minister Mitch Fifield to extend the deadline.

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“After significant lobbying I am delighted that we have forced the Turnbull Government to provide community television broadcasters like West TV an additional six months to transition their services,” Mr Hammond said .

“While I am delighted that today brings a small respite for community broadcasters like West TV, they still have an impending deadline of the end of June 2017.

“Without local community broadcasters, many local talents have very limited pathways into the competitive television industry. Community broadcasting is a vital grassroots media service that delivers local productions tailored to their own communities,” he said.

Mr Hammond said West TV is Western Australia’s first and only free-to-air digital community television station.

“It combines nationally produced shows with locally produced material and often has more than 60,000 viewers a day in Perth,” he said.