March 12, 2021
Nine News plans to close its regional Sunshine Coast and Wide Bay newsrooms from June 30.
The closures, announced to staff on Friday morning, follow a deal by Nine to re-affiliate with the WIN-TV network.
In 2016, Nine dumped its long-standing relationship with WIN and shifted its content to Southern Cross Ten, owned by Southern Cross Austereo (SCA).
Later that same year, WIN signed a five-year affiliation agreement deal with Network 10 (now owned by Viacom) to stream its premium content. This deal is due to expire on July 1.
The deals in 2016 left viewers in regional areas confused as favourite programs shifted to different channel slots.
This seems likely to happen again on July 1, although there has been no official announcement yet by any of the networks about program changes.
In a statement to the ASX on Friday, SCA CEO Grant Blackley said Southern Cross had previously been affiliated with Network 10 for more than 20 years before entering into the agreement with Nine.
“SCA looks forward to discussions in coming weeks with Network 10 to establish a new affiliation in regional Queensland, southern NSW and regional Victoria from July 1,” Mr Blackley said.
WIN closed its Wide Bay newsroom in 2019.
UPDATE: From July 1, WIN will broadcast Nine’s metropolitan free-to-air television content (from Channel 9, 9Go, 9Gem and 9Life) for a minimum of seven years.
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