9Go! is an Australian free-to-air digital television multichannel, which was launched by the Nine Network on 9 August 2009, replacing Nine Guide.[2][3] It is a youthful channel that offers a mix of comedy, reality, general entertainment, movies, animation and drama aimed at people between the ages of 2 and 18.[4]
The general concept for GO! was revealed on 23 March 2009, with the Nine Network announcing their intention to start a standard-definition variety-based multichannel, launched midway through 2009. The channel's name and branding was first revealed as GO!99 on 14 April 2009 by TV Tonight, a blog dedicated to Australian television.[5]
The channel's final name was confirmed by the Nine Network via A Current AffairasGO! on 15 July 2009,[6] as well as multi-coloured logo variations.[2][6]
The channel went to air at 1:00 pm on 5 August 2009, broadcasting a promo loop. GO! officially began broadcasting scheduled programming from 9 August 2009 at 6:30 pm with a 1-minute promo featuring the song "Go!" by Sydney based sound house group Noise International featuring vocals by Sharon Muscat.[7] It was then followed by an episode of Wipeout, the first programme to air on the new channel.[8]
There have been reports that GO!'s technical launch had caused a significant number of digital TV receivers to no longer pick up Nine's digital channels. In response, Nine established a helpline for viewers experiencing problems or requiring assistance to tune in to the new channel.[9]
On 24 November 2009, the channel launched via Foxtel Cable on channel 129.[10]
After major demands for the channel's theme song (which was written specifically for the channel, going as far as remixes of the 1-minute cut being played in clubs), it was released independently by Noise International on 4 December 2009,[11] having promised a month earlier.[7] A music video was also produced (notable for the usage of neon dancers), which was regularly shown as a filler on the channel.[12]
2010–2014: Newsbursts, launch in regional areas, first birthday and new presentation[edit]
GO! introduced Newsbursts, a news-break filler program in May 2010. Presented by young journalists in the Nine newsroom,[13] these would usually feature a few breaking news stories and the weather. These were later dropped in 2011, replaced by repeats of Nine Newsbreak.
GO! celebrated its first birthday in 2010 by playing movies every night at 10pm during the month of August 2010. GO! also played a mini clip during the commercial breaks thanking everyone for watching GO!.[14]
In September 2010, GO! aired a promo promoting new shows using the song All Eyes on Me by Sammy Small, licensed from Extreme Music.[15]
Darwin received the channel on 18 October 2010[16] (over a year after other capital cities started transmitting the multi channel). From December 2010, Nine Network affiliate Imparja Television commenced transmission of the GO! channel to viewers in remote areas of Central, Northern and Eastern Australia,[17] before expanding to Eastern South Australia on 11 November 2011.[18]
GO! received a new on-air presentation for 2011. GO! also played a mini clip after programs during Summer 2010/2011, featuring the song "Hello" by The Potbelleez, using the slogan "Let's GO! 2011" to promote new shows airing on the channel.[19] This presentation remained (mostly) unchanged for the next few years.
On 2 February 2014, the channel received a new logo and the on-air presentation graphics were updated by creative company DD8.[20]
On 26 November 2015, the Nine Network introduced a network-wide rebrand of all of its digital channels with GO! being renamed 9Go!.[21] Additionally, 9Go! was moved to channel 93, but a simulcast currently remains available on channel 99 (now in HD).[22] Later, 9Go!'s on-air theme was changed for a continuous design across all of its channels. This included a new look for program listings, program advertisements and promos and introduced the in program classifications.
2016–present: Regional media shakeup and beyond[edit]
Nine announced that it had signed a new affiliation deal with Southern Cross Austereo on 29 April 2016, replacing WIN Television as the primary Nine affiliate starting 1 July 2016.[23] Consequently, 9Go! was broadcast by Southern Cross into Regional Queensland, Southern NSW/ACT and Regional Victoria on channel 53, also on TDT in Tasmania on channel 53.[24][25]
On 12 December 2016, 9Go!'s daytime schedule was mostly reformatted into a children's programming block branded Go! Kids.[26] Children's programming aired from 6am to 6pm on 9Go! in addition to being available via streaming on the 9Now service, with regular programming broadcast outside of those hours.[27] In late 2019, the Go! Kids block was no longer in this network because the cancellation of Kids' WB and their long-running output deal with Warner Bros, but remained online instead.
In March 2021, Nine announced that WIN Television would be returning as the primary Nine regional affiliate from 1 July 2021.[28] Consequently 9Go! got bumped up to channel 82.[29]
9Go! in regional areas provided by WIN Television was converted into a MPEG-4 HD channel on 6 December 2023.[citation needed] 9Go! in Nine metropolitan areas was converted into a MPEG-4 HD channel on channel 99 on 8 May 2024.[30][31] The HD feed launched in Darwin and northern NSW at the same time as metropolitan areas and a SD simulcast is still available on channel 93.[citation needed]
Original plans for 9Go! suggested it would consist of a mix of entertainment and lifestyle programming (this rule wasn't featured until the launch of future Female-oriented HD channel 9Gem in 2010).[32][33] However, this branding was replaced by a youth-orientated light-entertainment channel instead.[34] 9Go!'s programming is generally structured under nightly themed blocks,[35] which consists of comedy on Sunday, all new reality shows on Tuesday, sci-fi on Wednesday,[citation needed] female-skewed drama on Thursday (until the launch of 9Gem, when it was replaced by movies instead), and movies on Friday.[35] Movies screen with "limited and brief commercial breaks".[36] The schedule is designed not to cannibalise viewers from the main Nine channel.[37]
It was announced in June 2009 that the Nine Network had signed a $500 million deal with Warner Bros. to continue its current output deal for another five years from 2011 to 2015.[38][39] The deal helped Nine retain existing content (including many television series and films), as well as providing new content for both its primary channel, 9Gem (launched in 2010) and 9Go!.[38][39][40]
NRL matches were shown on 9Go! on Friday nights if the cricket was scheduled on 9Gem in Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia and Western Australia. 9Go! also broadcast the 2015 Liverpool FC tour matches against Brisbane Roar and Adelaide United. The NBL was broadcast on 9Go! on Sundays if the cricket was scheduled on 9Gem. On 16 August 2017 it was announced that WWE programming including Monday Night Raw and Smackdown Live would air every week on the channel in a reduced 1 hour format. Raw airs on Thursdays at 11PM and Smackdown Live airs following the Friday Night Movie.
When GO! was in development stages, the concept name was revealed as GO!99 on 14 April 2009 with a black and white concept logo.[5] On 15 July 2009, news program A Current Affair confirmed the name as GO! along with a scheme of multi-coloured logos based on the original concept logo.[2][6] On 2 February 2014, the channel's branding was refreshed with a new, 3D glossy logo with multi-coloured gradient variants.[20] Following the network-wide rebrand on 26 November 2015, the channel was renamed 9Go! with the famous "nine dots" from Nine's logo integrated into then-current logo, but with the O in lowercase.[21]
^Canning, Simon (17 May 2010). "The Diary". The Australian. Sydney: News Limited. Juniors get a Go!. Retrieved 3 May 2024 – via NewsBank. NINE'S digital offspring Go! is to become an official training ground for junior journos with the launch of the first locally produced content for the channel. Under a project being championed by Nine's director of news and current affairs, Mark Calvert, Go! news updates under the title Go! Newsbursts. The news segments will be aimed at a younger audience, which already laps up shows such as The Flintstones, The Jetsons and I Dream of Jeannie, and will be hosted by younger journos from the Nine newsroom who will man the four ``newsbursts each day on a rotating basis. ``It's great to be giving on-air opportunities to some of the talented young journalists we have in our newsroom, Calvert said.
^tvcentralcomau (7 September 2010). GO! Ident: New Season (Extended) (Television ident). Nine Network. Archived from the original on 20 December 2021 – via YouTube.
^Knox, David (23 June 2023). "Earth Science Investigators on the case". TV Tonight. Archived from the original on 25 June 2023. Retrieved 25 June 2023. Earth Science Investigators premieres 7:30am Monday July 3 on 9Go!
