View source for BTQ

{{About|the Australian television station}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}
{{Use Australian English|date=November 2011}}
{{Infobox television station
| callsign               = BTQ
| city                   =
| logo                   = Seven Network logo.svg{{!}}120px
| branding               = Seven
| analog                 = 
| digital                = 6 ([[very high frequency|VHF]])
| virtual                = 7
| translators            = 
| affiliations           = [[Seven Network|Seven]] '''([[Owned-and-operated station|O&O]])'''
| founded                = 
| airdate                = {{start date and age|1959|11|01|df=yes}}
| location               = [[Brisbane|Brisbane, Queensland]]
| country                = Australia
| language               = English
| callsign_meaning       = '''B'''risbane<br />'''T'''elevision<br />'''Q'''ueensland
| former_callsigns       = 
| former_channel_numbers = [[Analog TV|Analog]]: 7 ([[very high frequency|VHF]]) (1959–2013)
| owner                  = [[Seven West Media|Seven West Media Limited]]
| licensee               = Channel Seven Brisbane Pty Ltd
| sister_stations        = 
| former_affiliations    = 
| erp                    = 200 [[kilowatt|kW]] (analog)<br />50 kW (digital)
| haat                   = 337 m (analog)<br />335 m (digital)<ref>[[height above average terrain|HAAT]] estimated from http://www.itu.int/SRTM3/ using EHAAT.</ref>
| class                  = 
| facility_id            = 
| licensing_authority    = [[Australian Communications and Media Authority]]
| coordinates            = {{coord|27|27|59|S|152|56|36|E|type:landmark_scale:2000}}
| website                = {{URL|http://7plus.com.au}} 
}}
'''BTQ''' is the [[Brisbane]] television station of the [[Seven Network]] in Australia. BTQ was the second [[television station]] to launch in [[Brisbane]], going to air on 1 November 1959, after [[QTQ]] (station of the [[Nine Network]]) launched three months earlier and before [[ABQ]] (station of the [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]]) launched just 1 day after BTQ's launch.

Along with other Australian television channels, BTQ began broadcasting on digital television on 1 January 2001.

In the early eighties, ''Seven National News'' became the first Brisbane-based bulletin to be relayed throughout a string of independent Queensland telecasters{{citation needed|date=August 2019}}. Within the same decade, BTQ was also a major production house for children's television – hosting popular shows as ''[[Wombat]]'', ''Now You See It'', ''Family Feud'', ''Play Your Cards Right'' and ''Seven's Super Saturday'' featuring [[Agro (puppet)]]. In the 1980s and 1990s, the channel regularly opened its facilities to the Brisbane public – at Open Days. In the 1970s, BTQ also held annual telethons for the Children's Hospital, featuring network personalities.

In 1995, BTQ also produced "Tourist TV", a tourist information channel which could be viewed at various Gold Coast hotels and resorts, including [[Sea World Nara Resort]].

Until 2007, BTQ was the key station of the national [[Austext]] teletext service. The service was later largely automated out of ATN-7 Sydney until it was decommissioned in September 2009.

In July 2018, deconstruction of the BTQ transmission tower began after nearly 60 years of service. On 21 July 2018 the top half of tower which contained its broadcasting elements, no longer in use by the station, was removed in stages by a destruction crew via helicopter.<ref>Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211205/zUYeJv8A_D4 Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20210106020433/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUYeJv8A_D4 Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite web| url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUYeJv8A_D4| title = Top of BTQ 7 tower removed - news report | website=[[YouTube]]}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

==News==
{{further|Seven News}}

===Brisbane and Queensland===

''Seven News Brisbane'' is directed by Michael Coombes and presented by [[Max Futcher]] and Sarah Greenhalgh on weeknights and Samantha Heathwood on weekends from Seven's Brisbane studios, located at [[Mount Coot-tha]]. Sport is presented by [[Steve Titmus]] from Sunday to Wednesday and [[Ben Davis (journalist)|Ben Davis]] from Thursday to Saturday. Weather is presented by certified meteorologist [[Tony Auden]] from Sunday to Thursday and Coastal Expert Paul Burt on Friday and Saturday.

The bulletin is also simulcast in Brisbane on local radio station 96.5 Family FM, to regional [[Queensland]] viewers in the [[Sunshine Coast, Queensland|Sunshine Coast]], [[Wide Bay-Burnett]], [[Toowoomba]], [[Rockhampton]], [[Mackay, Queensland|Mackay]], [[Townsville]] and [[Cairns]] television markets via the [[Seven Queensland]] network and across central & remote areas of eastern Australia, on [[Southern Cross Television|Southern Cross Central]].

Previously, [[Tracey Challenor]] presented the weekend news for many years until her resignation in February 2007. Cummins was first appointed to the weekday weather in 2005 after more than a year of the Brisbane bulletin not having a weather presenter; former kids show presenter [[Tony Johnston]] had this role in 2003. Cummins was replaced by former [[Nine Network|Nine]] weatherman [[John Schluter]] in early 2007 and she was moved to weekends. Ghidella joined ''Seven News'' in 2007 and replaced Challenor.

In October 2002, Rod Young moved from ''[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]]'' in Brisbane to co-anchor with Kay McGrath. She had presented ''Seven News Brisbane'' solo for the previous nine months following the retirement of [[Frank Warrick]]. Their dual presenter format has proved to be successful. Following a couple of lean years coming second to ''[[Nine News#Brisbane (Queensland statewide)|Nine News Brisbane]]'', ''Seven News Brisbane'' regained its ratings lead by 2007, helped by the recruitment of ex-Nine weatherman [[John Schluter]] and director of news Rob Raschke. In 2008, ''Seven News Brisbane'' was officially the #1 bulletin in Brisbane, winning all 40 ratings weeks.

In January 2013, [[Sharyn Ghidella]] and [[Bill McDonald (Australian journalist)|Bill McDonald]] were appointed Sunday to Thursday presenters with [[Kay McGrath]] and [[Rod Young]] moving to present on Friday & Saturday. It was also announced that Ghidella will present a local edition of ''[[Today Tonight]]''.

In March 2018, McDonald was removed as co-anchor of the bulletin,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://tvtonight.com.au/2018/03/bill-mcdonald-to-exit-seven-news.html|title=Bill McDonald to exit Seven News|publisher=[[TV Tonight]]|first=David|last=Knox|date=9 March 2018|accessdate=9 March 2018}}</ref> and was replaced by Max Futcher following poor ratings.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.couriermail.com.au/entertainment/confidential/veteran-journalist-max-futcher-is-the-man-for-seven-anchor-role/news-story/f1343a4dc29280db044283f183edb817|title=Veteran journalist Max Futcher is the man for Seven anchor role|publisher=The Courier-Mail|date=11 March 2018|accessdate=11 March 2018}}</ref>

In January 2024, it was announced that Samantha Heathwood will replace Katrina Blowers as weekend news presenter from 3 February.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-01-24 |title=7NEWS announces big change to presenter line-up |url=https://7news.com.au/entertainment/tv/7news-brisbane-announces-exciting-presenting-changes-for-katrina-blowers-and-samantha-heathwood-c-13340115 |access-date=2024-01-25 |website=7NEWS |language=en}}</ref> Blowers will share presenting ''Seven Afternoon News'' with Heathwood and will be a reporter. &nbsp;

In July 2024, [[Sharyn Ghidella]] was made redundant after 17 years with the network.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://tvtonight.com.au/2024/07/after-38-years-my-shoulder-tap-has-finally-come-sharyn-ghidella-dumped-from-seven-news.html |title="After 38 years, my shoulder tap has finally come": Sharyn Ghidella dumped from Seven News &#124; TV Tonight |date=12 July 2024 }}</ref> Following a raft of changes to the Brisbane newsroom, in August 2024, after 18 years, [[Shane Webcke]] stepped down from his sports presenter role to explore new directions and focus on family interests<ref>{{cite web | url=https://tvblackbox.com.au/page/2024/08/12/shane-webcke-to-step-down-from-channel-7-sports-desk/ | title=Shane Webcke to Step Down from Channel 7 Sports Desk | date=11 August 2024 }}</ref>

In October 2024, it was announced Sarah Greenhalgh would join Max Futcher as co-anchor of 7NEWS Brisbane’s flagship 6.00pm weekday bulletin, starting from Monday, 21 October<ref>{{cite web | url=https://tvblackbox.com.au/page/2024/10/12/sarah-greenhalgh-joins-max-futcher-as-7news-brisbane-anchor/ | title=Sarah Greenhalgh Joins Max Futcher as 7NEWS Brisbane Anchor | date=11 October 2024 }}</ref>

News updates for Brisbane are presented by [[Max Futcher]] or Sarah Greenhalgh throughout the afternoon and the early evening. Katrina Blowers is a fill-in news presenter for the bulletin. [[Ben Davis (journalist)|Ben Davis]] and Alissa Smith are fill-in sports presenters and Laura Dymock is the fill-in weather presenter.

===Presenters===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+Current presenters
! rowspan="2" scope="col" |Role
! colspan="7" scope="col" |Bulletins
|-
! scope="col" |Monday
! scope="col" |Tuesday
! scope="col" |Wednesday
! scope="col" |Thursday
! scope="col" |Friday
! scope="col" |Saturday
! scope="col" |Sunday
|-
! scope="col" |News
| colspan="5" |[[Max Futcher]] <small>(2018–present)</small><br>Sarah Greenhalgh <small>(2024–present)</small>
| colspan="2" |Samantha Heathwood <small>(2024–present)</small>
|-
! scope="col" |Sport
| colspan="3" |[[ Steve Titmus]] <small>(2024–present)</small>
| colspan="3" |[[Ben Davis (journalist)|Ben Davis]] <small>(2023–present)</small>
| [[Steve Titmus]] <small>(2024–present)</small>
|-
! scope="col" |Weather
| colspan="4" |[[Tony Auden]] <small>(2013–present)</small>
| colspan="2" | Michelle Jensen <small>(2024–present)</small>
| [[Tony Auden]] <small>(2013–present)</small>
|}

===Reporters===
{{col-start}}
{{col-2}}
*Garth Burley (crime)
*Katrina Blowers
*Laura Dymock
*Anna McGraw
*Amanda Abate 
*Brittany Lane
*Rosanna Kingsun (court)
{{col-2}}
*Mitchell Kroehn 
*Deon Savage 
*Carly Madsen 
*Alex Lewis 
*Tamra Bow 
*Ben Davis (sport)
*[[Shane Webcke]]
*[[Trevor Gillmeister]]
{{col-end}}

===''[[Sunrise (Australian TV program)|Sunrise]]'' correspondents===
* Georgia Chumbley (primary)
* Tamra Bow (secondary)
===Past presenters===
*[[Frank Warrick]] – news (1976–2001)
*[[Darren McDonald]] – news (1980s)
*[[Tracey Challenor]] – news (1991–2007)
*[[Simon Reeve (Australian television presenter)|Simon Reeve]] – news (2001–2003)
*[[Bill McDonald (Australian journalist)|Bill McDonald]] – sport
*[[Talitha Cummins]] – weather (2005–2010)

==Current local programming==
*''[[Creek to Coast]]''
*''[[Queensland Weekender]]''
*''[[The Great South East|The Great Day Out]]''
*''[[Seven News|Seven Afternoon News]]'' Queensland Edition (since August 2015)
*''[[Sunrise (Australian TV program)#Local bulletins|Sunrise Queensland]]'' bulletins (since October 2021)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://tvtonight.com.au/2021/10/sunrise-adds-live-queensland-bulletins.html|title=Sunrise adds live Queensland bulletins|publisher=[[TV Tonight]]|first=David|last=Knox|date=3 October 2021|accessdate=4 October 2021}}</ref>

==Former local programming==
*''[[Today Tonight]]'' (1995–2003, 2013–2014)
*''[[Family Feud (1978 Australian game show)|Family Feud]]''
*''[[Wipeout (1999 Australian game show)|Wipeout]]''
*''[[Wombat (TV series)|Wombat]]''
*''[[Agro's Cartoon Connection]]'' – Moved to [[ATN|ATN-7]] in 1997.
*''[[Saturday Disney]] –'' Moved to [[ATN|ATN-7]] in 1997.
*''[[A*mazing]]'' – Moved to [[TVW|TVW-7]] in 1997.
*''[[Time Masters (game show)|Time Masters]]'' – Moved to [[TVW|TVW-7]] in 1997.
*''[[The Mole (Australian season 3)]]'' – Episodes 2–10, except for a [[The Mole (Australian season 3)#Weakest Link Special Episode|portion of Episode 4]]
*''[[The Mole (Australian season 6)]]'' – Gold Coast swing (up to and including Ally's termination).

==See also==
*[[Television broadcasting in Australia]] *[[Sunrise (Australian TV program)]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Seven Media Group}}
{{Queensland TV}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Btq}}
[[Category:Television stations in Brisbane]]
[[Category:Seven Network]]
[[Category:Television channels and stations established in 1959]]