To retain our licence BCTV was required to "get on air" before 30 June 1999.

CTV 41 BENDIGO became Victoria's first (and, at that time, Australia's only) operational regional community television broadcaster when transmission into Bendigo began at 5.15pm on Saturday, 19 June 1999, using a 120 watt transmitter and Yagi broadcast antenna supplied by A.R.F.C.Pty Ltd.

For the first 7 seven days CTV 41 BENDIGO transmitted a test pattern consisting of colour bars and our call-sign. From Saturday, 26 June 1999, a 3 hour tape of vision, music and information on programs to be broadcast and on how to contact us at CTV 41 BENDIGO was continuously broadcast on a loop.

Our licence to broadcast was due for renewal from 1 July 1999 and at 1.00pm on 30 June 1999 BCTV was advised by the Australian Broadcasting Authority that our licence HAD NOT been renewed because we were not broadcasting programs. Regular programming was to commence on 17 July 1999 and the ABA had been advised of this. Our transmitter has been switched off.

We requested the Australian Communications Authority to review the decision of the ABA. ON 23 NOVEMBER 1999 the ACA recommended to the ABA that it return BCTV's licence for a short period to give BCTV the opportunity to start broadcasting programs.

ON 23 MAY 2000 THE ABA FINALLY ADVISED THAT, DESPITE THE ACA RECOMMENDATION, THEY WOULD NOT RENEW BCTV's LICENCE.

THIS DECISION WAS ALSO CONFIRMED IN A LETTER DATED 21 JUNE 2000 FROM THE MINISTER's OFFICE ADVISING THAT THE MINISTER WOULD NOT INTERVENE IN THE DECISION MAKING PROCESSES OF THE ABA.

This decision effectively means the end of BCTV and CTV 41 BENDIGO.