About
About Channel 35
Channel 35 aims to explore, preserve and promote the history of regional commercial television in regional Australia. It comes at a time of significant structural change in Australia's regional media landscape.
The name Channel 35 was chosen to acknowledge the original 35 independent commercial television stations that were put to air across regional Australia between 1961 and 1977, and which laid the foundations for the industry as it exists today. It was inspired by the "Channel 22" branding used by Australia's regional commercial television stations around 1980 to collectively market themselves to national advertisers.
Australia's first regional commercial television station
GLV Latrobe Valley, Traralgon, Vic. Photo credit
About Michael Thurlow
This website is an extension of two research projects completed by Dr Michael Thurlow at Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia. His Master of Research thesis, Station Break: A History of Regional Commercial Television Ownership and Control (2015) traces changes in the ownership and control of stations over a 60-year period. This foundation study provided a basis for the much larger PhD thesis, Switched On: A History of Regional Commercial Television in Australia (2020) which is the first dedicated political, regulatory, economic, industrial, technological and socio-cultural history of the industry.
Michael Thurlow presents a WIN News update, 2007.
The aim of these projects and ongoing research activities is to record the history of an industry which has contributed much to the economic, cultural and social development of regional Australia. Michael is an Associate Member of Macquarie University's Centre for Media History, Australia's only centre dedicated to the history of the media and history in the media. He is also an accredited Professional Historian (MPHA) with Professional Historians Australia. Click here to learn more about the background to his research.
The content of this website will expand over time to include excerpts from my research, a photo gallery and interactive features. Please feel free to forward ideas and suggestions using the Contact form.