Galaxy (Australian television)

Not to be confused with Galaxy (British TV channel) or Galaxy Television (Nigeria).

Galaxy Television
IndustrySubscription television
Founded1993
FateBankruptcy
HeadquartersSydney, Australia

Galaxy is a former provider of pay television programming in Australia via satellite and wireless cable (microwave) delivery methods.

Galaxy was founded in 1993, and began test broadcasting on 1 January 1995 via microwave transmission, making it the first provider of pay-TV services in the country.[1] It was officially launched on Australia Day (26 January).[2] [3] At launch only two channels were fully operational, the local Premier Sports and international news channel ANBC.[4] Digital satellite broadcasts began in September 1995.

Galaxy was a joint venture between Continental Century Pay-TV and Australis Media. Each held licenses allowing them to provide four channels of satellite delivered television

Continental Century Pay-TV and Australis Media held exclusive licenses to broadcast pay-TV in Australia via satellite until 1997. Their main competitors were Foxtel and Optus Vision, both of which operated separate cable networks. The Galaxy channel package was franchised to CETV (Later Austar) and East Coast Television in regional areas.

At its peak, there were around 120,000 Galaxy subscribers. The service ceased shortly after Australis Media went into liquidation on 18 May 1998.

  1. ^ Lamont, Leonie (2 January 1995). "Pay TV's First Day: Sporting Fare From Beyond The Fringe". News. Sydney Morning Herald. p. 1. Retrieved 13 July 2010.
  2. ^ Lamont, Leonie (27 January 1995). "Launch of Pay TV Like Old Times For Ron Casey". News. Sydney Morning Herald. p. 3. Retrieved 13 July 2010.
  3. ^ Westfield, Mark (2000). The gatekeepers: the global media battle to control Australia's pay TV. Australia: Pluto Press. p. 300. ISBN 1-86403-102-6. Retrieved 30 September 2009.
  4. ^ Bertolus, Phil (2 February 1995). "At Home With Pay TV". The Age Green Guide. p. 1. Retrieved 27 January 2010.