ABC, SBS vanish in "Tectonic shift" in Aussie TV #language #media

Let me unravel the meaning behind the Sydney Daily Telegraph's statement today that "Network Ten’s launch of the digital-only free-to-air sports channel One is a tectonic shift in Australian television". This  is taking a geological term (the agonisingly slow, grinding movement of huge plates that comprise the Earth's crust) and applying it (very accurately) to the agonisingly slow, grinding progress that represents "change" in the Australian TV broadcasting industry.

It's a bit like a "quantum leap", which is of course a very, very small - almost undetectable - change in state (and one that will not exist if observed). But good on Channel 10 - or perhaps One - for making a move that the public broadcasters made a few years ago. Not that the public broadcasters matter - for as the Tele explained, "After years of an industry comprising just the Seven, Nine and Ten channels, since last Thursday night we now have a fourth – One." Hmmm. What's missing there? ABC 1 and 2, and SBS 1 and 2 perhaps? At least they are in good company - apparently "pay TV" is also not part of the "industry". 

Admittedly the Tele favourably mentioned the ABC a bit later when it said that "While the digitally savvy ABC has broadcast its unique digital channel ABC2 since 2005, it's taken the full eight years since free-to-air digital TV started in Australia for a commercial TV network to follow suit". Which is a good point, taking us back to "tectonic" for a moment; but leaving the ABC out of the industry remains a bit rich. Just because they don't show traditional, paid-for advertising. Let alone ignoring SBS completely (which, ahem, does accept money for adverts).

As always, go figure. It is the Tele, after all.