Editing TCN (section)

==History==
TCN began broadcasting on 16 September 1956, and became the first television station in Australia to begin regular transmissions. Test broadcasts, initially consisting of a test slide and later documentaries and dramas, had commenced two months earlier on 13 July 1956.<ref>"First test broadcast by TCN". The Daily Telegraph, 1956-14-07. p.  1.</ref> The first TV tower was built there at 24 Artarmon Rd, Willoughby, in 1956 and rose 171&nbsp;m (561&nbsp;ft) in height,<ref>
 Communications – TV – the mast of Australia's first television transmitter, TCN rises 561 feet from the site of a former dairy at Willoughby, near Sydney
 https://naa16.naa.gov.au/rs_images/ShowImage.php?B=7654355&S=1&T=P
 [[National Archives of Australia]]
 1956
 Retrieved on 14 March 2008
</ref><ref>
 Communications – TV – the 75-foot antenna of Australia's first television transmitter, TCN Channel 9 at Willoughby, five miles from Sydney, NSW
 http://naa16.naa.gov.au/rs_images/ShowImage.php?B=7654345&S=1&T=P
 [[National Archives of Australia]]
 1956
 Retrieved on 14 March 2008
</ref><ref>
 Communications – TV – view southwards from the top of the 486-foot tower which carries the antenna of TCN Australia's first television transmitter – Municipality of Willoughby, NSW
 http://naa16.naa.gov.au/rs_images/ShowImage.php?B=7654358&S=1&T=P
 [[National Archives of Australia]]
 1956
 Retrieved on 14 March 2008
</ref><ref>
 Communications – TV – view southwards from the top of the 486-foot tower which carries the antenna of TCN Australia's first television transmitter – Municipality of Willoughby, NSW
 http://naa16.naa.gov.au/rs_images/ShowImage.php?B=7654357&S=1&T=P
 [[National Archives of Australia]]
 1956
 Retrieved on 14 March 2008
</ref><ref>
 Communications – TV – suburban homes in Willoughby, near Sydney, NSW from the top of TCN's television tower
 http://naa16.naa.gov.au/rs_images/ShowImage.php?B=7654356&S=1&T=P
 [[National Archives of Australia]]
 1956
 Retrieved on 14 March 2008
</ref> but was replaced by a taller one in 1965 which is the [[Channel 9 TV Tower|tallest lattice tower in Australia]] at 233&nbsp;m (764&nbsp;ft),<ref>
 "TCN's new tower is quite an Eiffel!"
 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article47808092
 [[National Library of Australia]]
 1964
 Retrieved on 11 June 2013
</ref> and is now operated by TXA Australia which operates another tower nearby at Artarmon.

The first words spoken on the station were by John Godson, who introduced the station audio-only,<ref name="Original Voice">{{cite news
 |first = Vanessa
 |last = Walker
 |url = http://www.knowfirst.info/forums/archive/index.php/t-18983.html
 |title = TV's original voice speaks up
 |publisher = [[The Australian]]
 |date = 20 July 2006
|access-date = 20 July 2006
}}</ref> shortly before the first program, ''This Is Television'', was introduced by [[Bruce Gyngell]]. As Godson's voice only was heard, Gyngell (who spoke and was seen) is regarded as the first person to "appear" on Australian television. Original footage of Gyngell's opening address is not believed to exist but it was re-created in 1959 to have a representation in the archives (albeit, not the real thing). Other early programming included the 1958 variety music program ''[[Bandstand (Australia)|Bandstand]]'' which was launched by [[Brian Henderson (television presenter)|Brian Henderson]]. It lasted for 14 years on the station and launched the careers of many Australian performers.

In 1957, the station formed an affiliation with [[Melbourne]] station [[HSV-7]], allowing them to share programming. In 1963, station affiliations changed; TCN-9 formed part of the [[National Television Network]] with [[GTV-9]] in Melbourne, [[QTQ-9]] in [[Brisbane]] and [[NWS-9]] in [[Adelaide]]. These stations formed the basis of what is now the [[Nine Network]], although only the Sydney and Melbourne stations were owned by the Packer-controlled company [[Nine Network|Nine Network Limited]].

On Sir Frank Packer's death in 1974 ownership of Nine Network passed to his younger son [[Kerry Packer]]. Kerry's older brother [[Clyde Packer]] had been groomed to take over from their father but after a bitter split with his father ca. 1972 he relinquished his role in the company and subsequently moved to the USA.

On 2 March 1981 [https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-ABCB/abt_-_annual_report_-_1980-1981.pdf], the station began broadcasting at the Kingsgate Hyatt Tower (now Elan Building) on UHF channel 49, later moving to UHF channel 52 in February 1983 [https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-ABCB/abt_-_annual_report_-_1983-1984.pdf] to allow for ABC and SBS to set up transmitters there. This transmitter was installed to cover areas of central Sydney where reception is affected by the ghosting caused by the high-rise buildings in Sydney's central business district.

In January 1987, Kerry Packer sold the Sydney and Melbourne stations to [[Alan Bond (businessman)|Alan Bond]]'s Bond Media for $1.055 billion, including $200 million in shares of Bond Media. Bond already owned the [[Perth]] and [[Brisbane]] Nine affiliate stations (among others). In 1990, Bond Media's inability to pay out preference shares to Packer forced Nine into receivership. In July 1990, Packer bought back the expanded Nine Network (Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane) for only $200 million, one-fifth of what he sold it for. Perth was not included due to Bond selling it to Sunraysia Television before Packer buying back the company.

In 1994, Packer's print operations (owned by [[Australian Consolidated Press]]) and the Nine Network were merged into one new company, [[Publishing and Broadcasting Limited]] (PBL). On 1 October 1997, TCN-9 performed the first on-air trial of [[digital television|digital broadcasting]] in the southern hemisphere.

TCN commenced digital television transmission on 1 January 2001, broadcasting on VHF Channel 8 while maintaining analogue transmission on VHF Channel 9.
The analogue signal for TCN was shut off at 9.00am [[AEDST]], Tuesday, 3 December 2013.

In 2014 and 2015, TCN produced both ''Inside Story'' and ''The Verdict'' for the Nine Network, hosted by [[Leila McKinnon]] and [[Karl Stefanovic]] respectively. ''The Verdict'' did not build a solid audience and as expected the program was axed in 2016.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://tvtonight.com.au/2016/12/axed-in-2016.html|title=Axed in 2016|date=28 December 2016 |publisher=TV Tonight|access-date=21 July 2019}}</ref>

In January 2017, following the affiliation formed between Nine and Southern Cross in 2016, the station became home to the new ''Nine News'' Canberra and Southern NSW bulletins. The bulletins were anchored by [[Vanessa O'Hanlon]].<ref>{{cite web |url= https://tvtonight.com.au/2016/11/boost-set-for-regional-news.html|title=Boost set for regional news|date=7 November 2016 |publisher=TV Tonight|access-date=21 July 2019}}</ref>

In late 2018, It was announced that after 25 years on air, the Nine Network axed and retired ''[[The NRL Footy Show]]'', bringing to an end 25 years of live primetime variety from the station.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2018-10-02/channel-nine-axe-nrl-footy-show/10328922   |title=NRL Footy Show axed by Channel Nine due to poor ratings after 25 years on air.|date=2 October 2018|publisher=ABC News|access-date=21 July 2019}}</ref>

It was also announced to public and then staff, that after 64 years in [[Willoughby, New South Wales|Willoughby]], TCN would move to [[North Sydney, New South Wales|North Sydney]]. This move occurred in stages throughout the second half of 2020. The final broadcast of Sydney’s ''[[Nine News]]'' from Willoughby, took place on Friday 20 November 2020. The final broadcast from Willoughby was ''[[Weekend Today (Australian TV program)|Weekend Today]]''  on Saturday 21 November 2020, with ''[[Nine News]]'' commencing at North Sydney that evening.