Network Ten wavers on turning off broadcast across swath of WA

Sam Buckingham-JonesMedia and marketing reporter

Jul 3, 2024 – 5.00am

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The Albanese government has thrown a last-minute lifeline to keep Network Ten on air for 500,000 people in Western Australia, after a joint venture between Seven West Media and WIN Corporation came within days of turning off the signal.

In May, Seven and WIN announced they would shut down a loss-making broadcast signal airing in Mildura, in north-western Victoria. The company, Mildura Digital Television, broadcast the Ten signal to an area the size of Belgium – an audience of about 70,000 people – and was “unable to justify” the expense.

Robert Irwin and Julia Morris on Ten’s I’m a Celebrity, one of the shows that was being broadcast on the signal across Western Australia.

But a far larger area covering the entirety of regional WA was also due to go dark on July 1. Western Digital Television, run by Seven and WIN, airs Ten shows like MasterChef Australia, I’m a Celebrity and Gogglebox across a swath of the state from Kalgoorlie and Esperance, to Broome and Carnarvon. Viewers can still stream Ten via its internet-connected app, 10 Play, but the aerial signal would have ceased.

The enormous area is covered by dozens of broadcast towers as well as a satellite system known as Viewer Access Satellite Television service. With days left on Western Digital Television’s agreement with Ten, the government approved an increase to its funding for its satellite contract, which allowed it to continue broadcasting.

Last week, Communication Department officials quietly approved $32.9 million in funding the satellite contract for the seven years – a rise of some $500,000 a year.

Regional media has been under even greater strain than the rest of the media market, which is suffering as advertisers tighten their belts in a cost of living crisis. Meanwhile, Seven West, controlled by the billionaire Stokes family, has been cutting costs, retrenching executives and staff as it attempts to save $150 million.

WIN chief executive Andrew Lancaster said it was inevitable that, without help, some regional services would shut down.

“Regional broadcasters want to be able to continue to provide a voice to regional Australia through local news, local advertising opportunities and supporting local community groups and charities,” he said.

“But faced with reduced revenues and increased infrastructure and content costs as well as escalating competition from unregulated streaming companies, there is no doubt that some regional services will, like Ten Mildura, cease to exist.”

Last week, Labor introduced new laws with short-term measures in response to the closure of the Mildura station. They would allow people in Mildura to pay up to $800 to install a new satellite dish to get Ten’s free-to-air signal.

This was heavily criticised by Free TV, the industry lobby group that also represents the likes of WIN and Seven. “This is simply not realistic for many Australians just to access the television services that are available for free to everyone else,” Free TV chief executive Bridget Fair said. “Without urgent substantive action by government more licence areas are likely to follow.”

Broadcasters want the government to abolish the fees they pay for spectrum, directly fund markets where TV services are not commercially viable, and change media ownership laws to allow more consolidation.

“If the government is serious about ensuring that regional Australians continue to receive the same free to air content as their metro friends, they will remove the Commercial Broadcasting Tax, and relax outdated regulations like content and media ownership rules in Regional Australia,” Mr Lancaster said.

A spokesman for Communications Minister Michelle Rowland confirmed it funded a new contract for the satellite broadcast.

“The closure of [Mildura] was a disappointing commercial decision. In response, the government has introduced legislation to expand access to [the satellite service],” the spokesman said. “The government is aware of the need for broader media reform, and has a program of work underway to address structural challenges facing the sector.”