Cable TV and Pay TV in Australia FAQ 

Section 3: Pay TV channels available in Australia 

3.1 What pay TV channels are available in Australia? 

Here is a summary of the channels available in Australia at the moment. To see which pay TV services offer these channels, please read Section 4. 

Movie Channels 

Showtime 
Premium movies, mainly from Paramount, Columbia/Tristar, Universal/MCA and 20th Century Fox. Available on Austar and Foxtel. 
Encore 
Classic movies from the 50s to the 80's, mainly from Paramount, Columbia/Tristar, Universal/MCA and 20th Century Fox. Available on Austar and Foxtel. 
Movie One 
Premium movies, mainly from the Disney, Warner Brothers, MGM and New Regency studios. Available on Optus Vision. 
Movie Extra 
Made for TV movies and mini-series, as well as reruns from Movie One. Available on Optus Vision. 
Movie Greats 
Classic movies from the 50's, to the 80's, mainly from the Disney, Warner Brothers, MGM and New Regency studios. Available on Optus Vision. 
TNT 
Classic movies mainly from MGM and Warner, similar to TNT in Europe and Asia (not the US). Available on Austar, Foxtel and Optus Vision. 
World Movies 
Highbrow and arthouse movies from around the world in English and other languages. Available on Austar, Foxtel and Optus Vision. 
Nightmoves 
Adult movie channel screening R rated movies. Available on Foxtel and Optus Vision. 
See also fX in the general entertainment section. 

Sports channels 

Fox Sports 
Sports, with a strong emphasis on international sports. Similar to Star Sports in Asia and Prime Sports in the US. Available on Austar and Foxtel. 
Fox Sports 2 
Second sports channel.  Available on Austar and Foxtel. 
Sky Channel 
Sports channel (mainly horse racing) during the day and evening, and rock music videos from 10pm-2am. Currently only available in pubs, clubs and hotels, however, may be available on Foxtel and Optus Vision one day. 
ESPN 
Sports channel similar to ESPN in the US and Asia. Includes programs from both ESPN and ESPN2 in the US. Available on Optus Vision. 
Sports Australia 
Sports channel similar to ESPN but with an emphasis on Australian sporting events, such as cricket, swimming, rugby League, etc. Available on Optus Vision. 
NOTE: Sports Australia is to close, to be replaced by a new sports channel.
Sports AFL 
A channel devoted entirely to Australian Rules Football. Available on Optus Vision.
NOTE: Sports Australia is to close soon, to be replaced by a new sports channel.
Sports Australia 2 
This channel occasionally carries additional sporting events to the other Optus Vision channels. Available on Optus Vision. 
NOTE: Sports Australia is to close soon, to be replaced by a new sports channel.

Pay Per View channels 

Main Attraction 
Pay Per View channel featuring sporting events (mainly boxing and wrestling), expanding to movies and concerts in the future. Each event must be paid for before it can be viewed. Available on Optus Vision. 
Event TV 
Pay Per View channel featuring sporting events (mainly boxing and wrestling).  Each event must be paid for before it can be viewed.  Available on Foxtel. 

General entertainment / variety channels 

TV1 
Classic programs from the 50's to the early 90's, with an emphasis on US sitcoms. Similar in style to TBS in the US. Available on Austar and Foxtel. 
Arena 
Mostly first run programs, with an emphasis on British programs, but there are also programs from the US, Canada, New Zealand and Australia. Programs include Brookside, Saturday Night Live, and Police Rescue. Available on Austar and Foxtel. 
Fox 
Children's programs during the day, new and/or recent hit series, variety and drama at night. Available on Foxtel. 
fX 
Classic movies and general entertainment programs from the Fox library. Available on Foxtel. 
The Disney Channel - Australia 
Family oriented programs from Disney. Available on Optus Vision. 
Ovation
Arts & entertainment channel, featuring arts related events and documentaries. Available on Optus Vision.
thecomedychannel 
Comedy channel featuring new and old comedy from Australia, the US and the UK. Available on Austar and Foxtel. 
UK TV 
Classic programs from the BBC, Thames Television and Pearson's Television, and also Australian programs from Grundy Television. Available on Foxtel. 
Hallmark Entertainment Network 
Family oriented programming from Hallmark Entertainment, mainly consisting of movies and mini-series. Available on Foxtel. 
Fox Soap / Fox Talk / Fox Travel / Fox History 
A channel with four different program formats depending on the time of the day or day of the week. During weekdays, Fox Soap features soap operas, Fox Talk features talk shows on weekday evenings and overnight, Fox Travel features programs about travel during the days on weekends, while Fox History features programs about history during the evenings and overnight on Weekends, and is similar to The History Channel in the US and the UK. Available on Foxtel. 
Lifestyle Channel
Channel featurig infotainment shows about cooking, gardening, etc. Available on Austar and Foxtel.

Documentary / education channels 

The Discovery Channel 
Documentary channel similar to The Discovery Channel in the US, Europe, Asia and elsewhere. Available on Austar and Foxtel. 
National Geographic Channel
A documentary channeel. Available on Foxtel. Expected to be available on Austar from October 1998.
Odyssey
A documentary channel. Available on Optus Vision.
Horizon Learning Channel 
An education channel. Available on Optus Vision.
See also Fox Soap / Fox Talk / Fox Travel / Fox History in the General Entertainment section above. 

Children's channels 

Nickelodeon / Nick At Nite 
Children's programs during the day and classic TV programs at night. Similar to Nickelodeon / Nick At Nite in the US and Europe. Programs include Ren & Stimpy, Rocko's Modern Life, Gulah Gulah Island and Nick Arcade. Available on Galaxy, Austar, East Coast Television and Foxtel. 
Cartoon Network 
Cartoons. Similar to Cartoon Network in the US, Europe & Asia. Available on Galaxy, Austar, Optus Vision and Foxtel. 
See also Fox in the General Entertainment section. 

Music video channels 

Channel [V] Australia 
Music videos, with general programs and specialty programs focusing on house/techno, heavy metal, alternative, soul, rock, and others. Available on Galaxy, Austar, East Coast Television and Foxtel. 
MTV Australia 
An Australian version of the world famous music video channel.  Also includes general programs and specialty programs, including MTV programs seen around the world (e.g. Hit List UK) and local versions of other MTV programs. Available on Optus vision.
CMT (Country Music Television) 
Country music videos. Similar to CMT in the US, Europe and Asia. Available on Austar Foxtel and Optus Vision. 

News channels 

Sky News Australia 
A 24 hour news channel similar to Sky News in the UK. Available on Foxtel and Optus Vision. 
CNN International 
The world famous 24 hour news channel. Emphasis is on news but there is also current affairs, talk shows, etc. Available on Foxtel and Optus Vision. 
BBC World 
A 24 hour news channel operated by the BBC. Emphasis is on news but also includes current affairs and some documentaries. Available on Austar and Foxtel. 
WeatherVision 
A channel entirely about weather. Available on Optus Vision. 
Foxtel Weather 
A channel entirely about weather. Available on Foxtel. 

Business news channels 

ABN (Asia Business News) 
This channel has merged with CNBC ans is now know as CNBC Asia Business News 
Bloomberg Information TV 
Business News. Available on Foxtel. 
CNBC
This channel has smurged with ABN and is now known as CNBC Asia Business News.
CNBC Asia Business News
Business news and other business related programs. Available on Austar, Foxtel and Optus Vision. 

Home shopping channels 

TV Shopping Network 
Home shopping programs. Available on Austar (satellite only), Foxtel and Optus Vision. This channel is also available in parts of the Asia Pacific region via cable and satellite. 

Foreign language channels 

TeleItalia 
Italian language channel featuring news, sports, drama and movies. This channel is no longer available but there are rumours it may be resurrected on Foxtel. 
New World Television 
Chinese language channel featuring news and other programs. This channel is no longer available.
NHK 
Japanese language channel produced by NHK, the government owned broadcaster in Japan. Available on Optus Vision.
Television Oceania
Japanese language channel featuring programs from Japan and Australia in targeted towards Japanese tourists. Available via Telstra Lasercast to about 50 hotels in Sydney, Melbourne and Cairns.
CTN (Zhong Tian Channel) 
Chinese language channel. This channel has been taken off Optus Vision, and has been replaced by TVB-J, a new chinese channel, from August 1998. 
TVB-J
A new Chinese Channel from Hong Kong featuring general entertainment. Available on Optus Vision fr.
CCTV 4 (Chinese Central Television) 
Chinese language channel from China. Available on Optus Vision. 
Antenna
Greek language channel. Available on Optus Vision.
Mega Channel Australia 
Greek language channel.  Available on Optus Vision. 
RAI 
Italian language channel. Available on Optus Vision. 
ART 
Arabic language channel. Available on Optus Vision.
LBC
International version of domestic Lebanese channel. Available on Optus Vision.

Community access channels 

Local Vision 
Community access channel with programs produced by community groups and members of the public. NOTE: This channel has been taken off the air from Optus Vision.
Optus Vision Education Channel 
Community Access Channel featuring university courses, personal classifieds, and perhaps other material between programs. Available on Optus Vision. 

Tourist information channels 

The Cairns Channel
Tourist information channel.  Available via Telstra Lasercast to a limited number of hotels in Cairns.

There may also be some other tourist channels in Cairns and the Gold Coast, aimed mainly at tourists staying in hotels. 

3.2 What international channels are available in Australia? 

The following international channels are available in Australia: 

These channels are Australian versions of international channels: 

HBO is available in parts of Asia and New Zealand, however, I don't know if HBO will be available here.

3.3 What other channels might be available in Australia in the near future? 

Here is a list of channels that will or ought to be available in Australia in the near future. 

Movie Channels

A movie channel
Channel 7 intends producing a movie channel featuring MGM movies by 1999.

Sports channels

Sky Racing Channel
Sports channel featuring horse racing, greyhound racing, etc. Will be available on Foxtel and Optus Vision from September 5 1998.
Three new sports channels
Optus Vision will feature three new sports channels from August 1, which replace Sports Australia, Sports Australia 2 and Sports AFL. These are: a sports channel, a weekend sports channel and a special events sports channel. These channels may be available on Foxtel from January 1999.

General entertainment / variety channels 

TBS - Turner Broadcasting System 
A general entertainment channel featuring older and newer programs from Warner Brothers and Turner. This channel is rumoured to be coming to Optus Vision in the near future.
NBC 
This channel has ceased transmission in Asia and has been replaced there by National Geographic Channel. 
Family Channel Australia 
Family oriented general entertainment. Similar to Family Channel in the US but with additional Australian programs. No idea when or if this channel will commence operation. 
Australia Gold 
Classic Australian programs from the Crawford Library.
a general entertainment channel
Channel 7 intends producing a general entertainment featuring programs from its program library.

Documentary / education channels 

Nature Study Channel 
Documentary and education channel focusing on nature, wildlife, animals and conservation. This channel was promised by Optus Vision for late 1996, but so far has never materialised. 

News channels 

World News Channel 
News, including many news programs from around the world in English and other languages. May be available on Galaxy, Foxtel, and/or Optus Vision in the future. 
Worldnet 
News, current affairs, US politics and documentaries. Operated by the US government. May still be available in Australia to a limited number of homes served by an early Telstra cable TV trial (may have been discontinued by now). 

Religious channels 

The Christian Channel
Religious channel. This channel was broadcasting a test transmission for three days a week during February and March 1998 but is no longer broadcasting.