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1957-1975Since 1975 GTV9 have used the Nine Network's logo.
Channel Nine Melbourne
GTV9 General Television CorporationA Commision in 1953 recommended that 1 national and 2 commertial television licences were to be issued in both Melbourne and Sydney, with the other capital cities and regional areas to be dealt with over time. The Australian Broadcasting Control Board (ABCB) granted licences, and held public hearings in 1955. There were 4 applicants for the 2 Melbourne licences, one of them being General Television Corporation Ltd.
General Television was a consortium between the 2 newspapers The Argus and David Syme's The Age. Other sharholders included Hoyts, Greater Union, Electronic Industries, JC William's Theatres, 3XY, 3UZ, 3KZ and Cinesound Productions. Sure enough, General Television won the licence for channel 9.
It was named GTV (GT for General Television, V was standard for Victoria).
GTV9 made its first broadcast at 4.30pm on 27 September 1956. It broadcast the 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games as test transmissions later that year.
GTV9 was officially opened on the 19 January 1957 by Sir Dallas Brookes.
Later that year GTV9 formed an affiliation with ATN7 Sydney sharing certain shows.
In 1960 Frank Packer, the owner of TCN9 Sydney, bought 62% of GTV9, and in 1963 the National Television Network was born. This of course stopped the affiliation with ATN7.
