Guide to using TVNews and RequestTV

What are TVNews and RequestTV?

TVNews and RequestTV provide access to all programs broadcast by free-to-air TV channels in Australia since late 2007.
Programs from any one day’s broadcasting are usually available by the next day.

What is the difference between TVNews and RequestTV?

TVNews

TVNews covers television news, current affairs, and documentary programs recorded from all free-to-air TV channels.

It is a collection of individual segments from each program rather than entire programs. You can download a specific story from, for example, Foreign Correspondent.

Use TVNews to:

  • link from LMS units to segments of any free-to-air television news or current affairs program, and selected documentaries,
  • copy segments to play in a lecture that is to be recorded in Lectopia (details of the broadcast must be logged in the copyright management tool for that lecture), or
  • upload segments to Lectopia using the Upload to Lectopia Request Form

RequestTV

RequestTV records all programs shown by free-to-air TV channels and makes them available for purchase on DVD within  days of broadcast.

The DVDs can be:

  • borrowed by any Murdoch University student or member of staff,
  • copied for external students,
  • played during a lecture that is recorded in Lectopia, and
  • uploaded to Lectopia using the Upload to Lectopia Request Form

Linking from your LMS unit to a TVNews program

  1. Go to TVNews or connect from the Databases page (do not use 'Alternative access, on campus only' link to the database).
  2. Search for the particular program you want, and click on the title or the complete record link to open the full record.
  3. Copy the URL shown in the To cite this article field or the media file field, and use it to link from your LMS unit.

Copying a program to your computer

  1. Go to TVNews and find the program that you want.
  2. Click on the link to the video at the bottom of the record.
  3. Follow the options to save the video.

Ordering a DVD from RequestTV for the Library’s collection

  1. Go to RequestTV and search for the program you want. 
  2. Select Order program and fill in the pop-up form.
  3. Click Order at the bottom of the form to complete the procedure.
  4. You will receive an email confirming the order, and the Library will be notified.

Uploading a segment from TVNews to Lectopia

  1. Find the segment you want in TVNews.
  2. Copy the URL link.
  3. Download and complete the Unit Coordinator’s section of the Upload to Lectopia Request Form (tick TVNews as the ‘source of the recording’, and give the URL of the specific segment).
  4. Deliver the Form to the Enquiry and Loans Desk in your campus library.
  5. You will be emailed when the upload has taken place.

Uploading a DVD from RequestTV to Lectopia

  1. Download and complete the Unit Coordinator’s section of the Upload to Lectopia Request Form.
  2. Deliver the Form and the DVD to the Enquiry and Loans Desk in your campus library.
  3. You will be emailed when the upload has taken place.


The TVNews and RequestTV databases are available to staff and students of the University under the University’s Screenrights licence.

The Screenrights licence also covers our educational use of cable and satellite broadcasts.
See Using broadcast AV material under the Screenrights licence for further details.