Editing Austext

{{Short description|Australian teletext service}}
{{morefootnotes|date=July 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2022}}
{{Use Australian English|date=July 2022}}
{{Infobox television channel
| name        = Austext
| logo        =
| logo_size   =
| logo_alt    =
| launch_date = 1982
| closed_date = {{End date and age|2009|09|30|df=y}}
| network     = [[Seven Network]]<br>[[Prime Television]] (Relay)<br>[[Southern Cross Television]] (Relay)
| owner       = [[Seven Media Group]]
| country     = {{Flagicon|Australia}} Australia
| area        = [[Sydney]], [[Melbourne]], [[Brisbane]],<br>[[Adelaide]], [[Perth]], Regional [[Queensland|QLD]] via [[Seven Network|Seven]]<br>Regional: [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]],<br/>[[Australian Capital Territory]]<br>Regional: [[New South Wales]] via [[Prime Television|Prime]]<br>[[Tasmania]] via [[Southern Cross Television|Southern Cross]]
| website     = 
| terr_serv_1 = [[Analog television|Analog]]
| terr_chan_1 = Normally tuned to 7
| terr_serv_2 = [[Standard-definition television|SD Digital]]
| terr_chan_2 = Channel 7, 77 (via [[Seven Network|Seven]])<br>Channel 6 (via [[Prime Television|Prime]] and [[Southern Cross Television|Southern Cross]])
| terr_serv_3 = [[High-definition television|HD Digital]]
| terr_chan_3 = Channel 70 (via [[Seven Network|Seven]])<br>Channel 60 (via [[Prime Television|Prime]] and [[Southern Cross Television|Southern Cross]])
}}

'''Austext''' is the former [[Australia]]n [[teletext]] service based in [[Brisbane|Brisbane, Queensland]]. The service was carried and operated by the [[Seven Network]] and its affiliates over most of Australia. It carried news, financial information, weather, lottery results, a [[TV listings|TV guide]] and other information, as well as [[closed captioning]] for programs.

The service was freely available for viewing on any television, [[computer]] or other device with teletext functionality and the ability to access and view [[Seven Network|Channel Seven]], or one of Seven's regional affiliates [[Prime Television|Prime]], [[Golden West Network|GWN]] or [[Southern Cross Television|Southern Cross]].

==History==
Seven first began testing the Teletext services in 1979, starting regular service on 4 February 1980<ref name="electronics"/> with useful information being transmitted in 1982 in [[Brisbane]] and [[Sydney]]. Austext was shut down in September 2009.<ref name="ripa">{{Cite news |url=http://www.cnet.com.au/rip-austext-will-you-shed-a-tear-339297406.htm |title=RIP Austext: Will you shed a tear? |author=Derek Fung |accessdate=7 July 2013 |date=15 July 2009 |work=CNET |publisher=CBS Interactive }}</ref> [[TCN]], head station of the [[Nine Network]] and ATN's competitor, tried a teletext service in 1977, but as of 1979 it wasn't frequently updated due to the lack of teletext receivers.<ref name="electronics"/>

In its early years, there were two separate services: 7-Text coming out of [[ATN (TV station)|ATN]] in Sydney<ref name="electronics">{{cite web |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/AUSTRALIA/Electronics-Australia/EA-1980-04.pdf |title=Electronics Australia |date=April 1980 |accessdate=2 October 2024 |page=12 }}</ref> with a separate version for HSV-7 in Melbourne,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Practical-Television/70s/Television-Servicing-UK-1978-11.pdf |title=Television |date=November 1978 |accessdate=3 October 2024 |page=19 }}</ref> and in Brisbane, SevenTel.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Practical-Television/80s/Television-Servicing-UK-1981-01.pdf |title=Television |date=January 1981 |accessdate=2 October 2024 |page=23 }}</ref> In 1988, BTQ-7 became responsible for the national service and was renamed Austext.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/AUSTRALIA/ETI-Australia/80s/ETI-1988-11.pdf |title=ETI Australia |date=November 1988 |accessdate=3 October 2024 |page=30 }}</ref>

==Content==
The information available on Austext pages included the latest in news, weather, racing, general interests and a television guide. Also available are contact details for Austext and state deaf associations.

The news pages included the latest in business, national news, international news, sport, science and technology, and showbiz.
The weather pages include same day forecast capital city temperatures, same day forecast conditions and minimum/maximum temperatures as well as current temperature, humidity, [[dew point]], wind speed, wind direction, sunrise and sunset times, and an outlook for the next five days  for major centres across Australia which was all supplied by the [[Bureau of Meteorology]]. The racing pages included a national [[Totalisator Agency Board|TAB]] racing index which ceased operation on 4 August 2009. The general interest pages included items such as lottery results, daily horoscopes and a joke of the day. The service also carried a TV guide with listings for the Seven Network in its five metropolitan markets, as well as listings for other networks, both metropolitan and regional, until 2007 when they disappeared.

Closed captioning for programs on the [[Seven Network]]'s channels are also included in the Austext system. When produced by the [[Australian Caption Centre]], they were branded as "Supertext". To access closed captions through Austext, viewers enter the navigation code number 801 on an analog television or by pressing the Text, CC, Subtitle or a designated coloured button (depending on make and model) on their digital [[set top box]] or television.

==Closure==
In July 2009 Seven announced that Austext would shut down on 30 September 2009.<ref name=knox>{{Cite news |url=https://tvtonight.com.au/2009/07/austext-to-end.html/comment-page-1 |title=Austext to end |author=David Knox |accessdate=22 September 2021 |date=14 July 2009 |publisher=[[TV Tonight]] }}</ref> This was due to claims from the network that the technology had come to the end of its useful service life and is not commercially viable to replace. Seven also noted the wide availability of alternate sources of information now accessible to viewers such as Seven's own websites. Despite the closure, closed captioning services continued to remain available.<ref name="ripa"/><ref name=knox/>

The onscreen closedown notice read:

{{Blockquote
|text=''The Seven Network started providing test teletext services commencing in 1977, with live services commencing in 1982 in Brisbane and Sydney.''<br/>
''The Austext service today is still provided using the original 1970s technology. This equipment has now reached the end of its lifespan.''<br/>
''Unfortunately, it is not possible to replace the existing Austext system with new equipment except at significant cost.''<br/>
''Austext is a free service and does not attract advertising revenue, so this is not commercially viable.''<br/>
''Seven is aware that Austext has many loyal supporters and we know that many of you will miss the Austext service. We sincerely regret any inconvenience the cessation of this service may cause and we have endeavoured to provide you with as much notice as possible.''<br/>
''Unlike when the service started, information currently available on Austext is now freely available from a number of alternative sources including over the internet via [[Yahoo7]].''<br/>
''CLOSED CAPTIONING SERVICES will be unaffected and continue to be available on page 801.''
}}

==See also==
{{Portal|Australia|Television}}
*[[Ceefax]]
* [[List of teletext services]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Seven Media Group}}
{{Teletext}}

[[Category:Seven Network]]
[[Category:Teletext]]
[[Category:Mass media in Brisbane]]
[[Category:Defunct mass media in Australia]]
[[Category:1977 in Australian television]]
[[Category:1982 in Australian television]]
[[Category:1982 establishments in Australia]]
[[Category:2009 disestablishments in Australia]]