TELEVISION viewing will not be the same from today for many Gympie Region residents.

Not all will be affected immediately, however.

And some have had to make the change already.

The Federal Government's Retune Project will create a TV black hole in some areas today from 9.30am to 3.30pm.

And once services resume, viewers will have to reset their TVs to new frequencies.

Gympie and nearby Mary Valley and Sunshine Coast viewers will need to make the change today.

But Rainbow Beach and Kilkivan district residents will do so on October 8.

The federal authorities say viewers will do themselves no favours by retuning early.

They will simply be without television if they try.

Goomeri residents have already had to manage the changeover, after it occurred in their area in May.

A government information advertisement, "Why retune?", explains that there is only a limited spectrum of frequencies available for television and other broadcast media, including mobile broadband.

"Restacking" of frequencies will make more room.

Satellite television viewers will be among the few Australians not affected in some way at some time.

If you are watching the Viewer Access Satellite Television service the retune will not affect you.

Viewers can retune any time after the changeover and can obtain help from the Retune website or their TV installer.