Community television is getting switched off.

The government has confirmed community TV stations will lose access to Australia's sixth TV channel at the end of 2015, with it to be broadcast online only. The government will instead sell the broadcast spectrum with telecommunications companies likely to bid.

There are five community licensees, in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth. TV stars including Rove McManus and Hamish & Andy got their start on community TV.

The decision to push community TV online only would "probably spell the death of community television," said Richard McLelland, secretary of the Australian Community Television Alliance and general manager of Melbourne community TV station Channel 31.