After viewing digital television for some months, it is interesting to find that the seemingly minor side-benefit of receiving program information with the broadcast is actually very useful. Even though only one channel in Perth provides more than just "now and next" information, the limited data given by all helps when flicking through channels looking for something to watch, and when recording, because the recorded programme automatically gets tagged with the broadcast name and description.
However, it's an all too common occurrence that, for hours, days or even weeks at a time, the information stops coming. At the moment, only 2 of the 5 channels are providing data. The three commercial networks have coincidentally broken down at the same time, leaving the viewer to only know what's on the government stations. Channel 7 has been broken for a week, Channel 9 often dies on the weekends, and Channel 10 breaks randomly.
Perhaps this is not a coincidence. The networks jealously guard their schedules, making it virtually impossible to legally obtain them through the internet for use on devices such as PVRs. They license the schedules out to other companies who add onerous conditions of use. The reasons the networks do these things would be the same as their reasons for not providing reliable multi-day, or at least "now and next", information. That is, to try to halt the progress of personal video recorders.
Despite the fact that people who purchase PVRs will, on average, watch more television than they did before, they will also see less commercials. This is seen as a big problem for the networks' main source of revenue, so they try to restrict PVRs. The alternative, which they have no choice but to reach eventually, is to give up trying to stem the increased use of PVRs, but to find alternative methods of earning money. Full-screen advertisements interrupting programs don't work for PVRs, so they must look elsewhere.