Early this year the Australian Broadcasting Commission changed its policy to bring the Melbourne and Sydney presentations in line with those made from its studios in Brisbane Adelaide, Perth and Hobart using announcers from its Rural Division to present the weather segment on the basis of the information furnished from the Bureau from 1st July, 1961. Although there were strong protests from the Melbourne viewing audience it appeared that it would be impracticable for the Bureau to continue its direct television service to the public with personal presentations by the duty forecasters.

On the same date, 1st July, 1961 all Divisional Offices commenced making their releases uniformly in all States, not only to television, but also to press and radio in a re-designed and standardised form—the, "Official Weather Report" with the aim of increasing the public utility of the announcements published through any medium of publicity. The basis of this revised presentation is the publication of complete information regarding the elements of economic or social importance with particular emphasis on both adequate warnings of any severe phenomena, including heavy rain, and the period of persistence of either fine or wet spells to the limit of meteorological confidence. It has been made clear to all who receiver the Official Weather Report that its contents are to be published without paraphrasing, elaboration, modification or comment as to its substance and that there must be unambiguous acknowledgement of the Bureau of Meteorology.

The withdrawal by the ABC of the official presentation of weather news by the Bureau presented an opportunity for the commercial companies to take over. In Melbourne the Herald-Sun Television Company, HSV Channel 7 quickly came to an arrangement for giving the Bureau a five minute segment for the appearance of the duty forecasters on camera at the end of their major evening news service and before the 7 p.m. station identification. This service commenced on 18th September, 1961. The company has provided special production aids, including a new "set" for the display of as many as six charts, and two cameras. The new programme has boon highly satisfactory to both the Bureau and the Station.

Another form in which the Bureau could utilise the capacity of television in its service to the public would be a weekly programme for possibly both metropolitan and country stations. This type of programme will probably be constructed as a ten or fifteen minute presentation of the important elements of the weather during the past week linked by explanation of the major circulation controls and the physical properties of the air masses to an extended period forecast for the following three or four days. Emphasis would be given to seasonal agricultural activities and major social and sporting events.

The extent of the future demand for television weather services may be estimated from the following list of stations which are scheduled for opening the foreseeable future: ABC stations in various centres will commence progressively from late in 1962. Opening dates of others are given where known.

Australian Capital Territory
ABC 3 Canberra
GTC 7 Canberra

New South Wales
ABCN-1 Central Tablelands
GBN-8 Central Tablelands (opening February 1962)
ABHN-5 Newcastle-Hunter River
NBN-3 Newcastle-Hunter River (opening early 1962)
ABRN-6 Richmond-Tweed Heads
RTN-8 Richmond-Tweed Heads (opening March, 1962)
ABWN-51 Illawarra
WIN-4 Illawarra (opening February, 1962).

Victoria
ABCV-1 Bendigo
BCV-8 Bendigo (opening 23rd December, 1961)
ABRV-3 Ballarat
BTV-6 Ballarat (opening March, 1962)
ABLV-4 Latrobe Valley
GLV-10 Latrobe Valley (opening December, 1961)
ABGV-3 Goulburn Valley
GMV-6 Goulburn Valley.(opening December, 1961)

Queensland
ABDQ-3 Darling Downs
DDQ-10 Darling Downs (opening second quarter 1962)
ABRQ-3 Rockhampton
RTQ-7 Rockhampton
ABTQ-3 Townsville
TNQ-7 Townsville (opening not before June 1962)

Tasmania
ABNT-3 North Eastern Tasmania
TNT-9 North Eastern Tasmania (opening middle 1962)

Bureau of Meteorology