Sport back on regional TV as Seven and WIN reach deal
Seven and WIN have reached an eleventh hour deal that has seen Channel 7 programming return to a large part of regional Australia, just in time for this weekend’s AFL.
Channel 7, 7two, and 7mate stopped transmitting in The Riverland and Mount Gambier in South Australia, and Griffith in NSW on Tuesday, after the two networks failed to come to terms on a renewal for their longstanding broadcast agreement. WIN is Australia’s biggest regional TV network operator. Most of its broadcast content is supplied through deals with Nine, but it also carries Seven’s broadcast in some regions.
Seven holds the free-to-air broadcasting rights for numerous major sporting codes, including the AFL and test cricket. Although the Seven stations remained available to regional audiences through its digital streaming service, there were concerns about unreliable network coverage, and the additional cost of access.
Broadcast transmission was switched back on about 5pm AEST on Thursday, according to Seven.
“The Seven Network and WIN Network have reached a new content agreement which has seen Seven’s channels return to the Riverland, Griffith and Mount Gambier via aerial transmission this afternoon,” the networks said, in a joint media statement.
“Both Seven and WIN acknowledge the significant impact of free-to-air television in regional communities and the importance of providing news, sport, entertainment, and a voice to regional Australians.”
Earlier in the week, Seven CEO Jeff Howard pointed the finger at WIN for the removal of the stations, saying Seven did not turn off its broadcast signal.
“We continue to provide our content to WIN for broadcast into these markets and WIN has made the decision to switch off the Seven signal to these communities,” he said.
Howard also said that Seven had called in the Federal Government and communications watchdog ACMA “to help resolve this matter as quickly as possible.”
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Nathan Jolly is the Features Editor at Mumbrella. He joined the team in July, 2023.
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