Some Sunrisers have asked us to write in this blog what else the Sunrise team gets up to during the week apart from the show - as if three hours of live TV wasn't enough!

Well, with the help of our forward-looking, and fast-walking leader, we have been fitting in some side projects ...  

You may have noticed the ads promoting Your Song, the first Sunrise primetime special starring Guy Sebastian. All of us at Sunrise had a lot to do with it and it sure produced some weary eyes and nodding heads over the last few weeks. Producers drooling with tiredness over their editing machines... Endless phone calls arranging and rearranging songs, musos and setlists...

That lady crying in the audience was nothing compared to the the staff left balling trying to get the thing to air!

For others of us not so involved, we just turned up in the crowd at the recording to dance like bogans. It was great fun.

You may also have seen the new ads promoting the new Channel 7 HD. This new channel will also be mentioned more and more on Sunrise, so we thought some explanation may be in order.

Very soon you will be see some of the Sunrise team appearing on this High Definition channel,  for which you just need a HD-ready TV and as set top box. (Many new TVs have one included and are good to go, but

	Where to buy a HD TV Ask a HD question 7HD info page on Y!7

check here if you are confused)

Our man on the weekend bench, Andrew O'Keefe will soon be filling in his weekdays heading up a new primetime show only to be seen on 7HD. 

And if you loved Monique on Sunrise Weather, Nightcap will be part of Mon's new gig as she branches outside the Weather Winnebago. 

And then there's the better quality of picture, sound and motion sent down your chimney via a matrix of higher-frequency nano-tubing shazbots. Or some such. Who can understand how their TV works anyway? It looks shmick? Sweet.

If only it had been around in time for Your Song. More people would have realised exactly how good it was to see and hear him belting out You'll Never Walk Alone. Oh well.

If you needed an excuse to buy that new TV - this is it.

If you would like to know what other new and exclusive shows coming up on 7HD, here's the corporate low-down...

Australia's newest channel is now. It's here. It's live.

More than 50 hours of exclusive programming each week and building further in early 2008. 7HD outlines plans for new content including Seven Original television productions for Australia's newest channel.

December 9, 2007 --- The Seven Network's new channel, 7HD, will launch 50 hours of exclusive weekly programming from tomorrow. This is the next step in Seven's migration to multiple channel television on its digital platform.

7HD is the first commercial multiple channel to launch in Australia and the first channel to move to a broader schedule. Seven HD - a free channel and number 70 on your HD channel tuner is up now.

Seven is committed to creating a new channel that encourages and promotes new developments and ideas, the network's on-air talent and its creative, production, promotion and marketing teams in its programming across multiple channels. The company sees 7HD as a foundation from which it will build on the Seven Network's acknowledged leadership in the production of Australian television programmes.

The first Seven Original for 7HD programmes are a new project for Andrew O'Keefe and a new primetime series created by Adam Boland, Seven's Director of Morning Television and Strategic Initiatives. Both programmes will launch in early 2008.

Seven's Chief Executive Officer David Leckie, said: "We are leading the drive into multichanneling. And we can't wait to deliver Australians more entertainment in 2008 and then build on that through the year to launch what will be our third channel in early 2009. "7HD is about having a go, giving Australians more programmes and allowing our people to get cracking on creating new Australian content. We are recognised as the leader in news and public affairs, sports and the production of shows that Australians want to watch. 7HD will confirm our leadership in the creation and development of programmes relevant to all Australians."

7HD was launched on 15 October and was the first commercial multi-channel in Australia. From Monday, December 10, 7HD increases its programming commitment to more than eight hours a day of unique content. 7HD is creating and commissioning new Australian programmes that will only be seen on 7HD.

7HD will also deliver more sport, more movies, more documentaries and more children's programmes. 7HD will take another significant step the new year - with details on programming plans to be released in January. New made-for-HD international series, including the new American series, Daybreak, and new documentary programmes, mini-series and the launch of premiere Disney family movies at 6:30pm Saturday, will also form a cornerstone of 7HD's programming - along with the opportunity for Australians to catch in high definition the biggest programmes on Australia's leading television network .

Produced at Seven's high-tech digital news centre - the glass-front, streetscape home of Sunrise, The Morning Show, Seven News and Today Tonight - Andrew O'Keefe's new programme will bring the popular host into a new format.

More info

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