Probably still Nine branded for the same reasons NBN News still has dotty (since WIN doesn’t have a control room for that either).
Tonight’s news
Update #1:
Update #2:
Update #3:
Weather Update:
A total of 9 local stories featured as 1x PKG, 1x Look-Live and the rest VOs + In Front segment.
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I have noticed that over the past few days they have stopped airing the noodle news updates from 9 news Darwin facebook page. Could it be a transition to news updates from WIN or not?
Hopefully not unless they introduce 5:30 news. Those 9 News Darwin updates posted above are actually really decent quality compared to some of the rubbish regional updates that are shown around the rest of the country on various networks.
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They are still going to air on TV as normal.
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If the economics make sense to do this level of news content for an ad market with 130,000 people then they would make sense for every other noodle market in the country.
The question is - if they can do this and make money, why are markets of 300,000 or 550,000 like Canberra not getting this?
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You do realise Darwin is smaller in land size and is closer to being a city than other markets. Point is you are wrong when you imply the costs are the same as other markets.
Plus Nine don’t have to subsidise other regional markets like the other operators do.
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I’m not sure I follow your argument.
When you say Darwin is “smaller in land size and is closer to being a city”, what does that have to do with the economics? My point is about advertising revenue and audience size. Newcastle (~800k), Canberra and Wollongong (~500k each), and Townsville and Cairns are all substantially larger markets than Darwin, so I’d expect the commercial case for higher-quality local news to be stronger, not weaker.
You also said I’m wrong to imply the costs are the same. I don’t think I implied that. Could you explain which costs you think are materially different, and by how much?
Likewise, what do you mean by “Nine don’t have to subsidise other regional markets like the other operators do”? Can you expand on that? I’m not sure what you’re referring to.
My original question still stands: if Nine can justify producing this standard of local journalism in a market the size of Darwin, why aren’t significantly larger markets receiving a similar product?
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Talking noodle market areas so that the discussion is apples for apples, Darwin has a lower maintenance cost compared to WA and SA who broadcast over larger areas with more transmitters and translators, therefore the cost base in that regard is lower like for like.
Darwin has the benefit of traditionally receiving a bulletin. That no longer worked for Nine so Darwin ended up with these bite sized quasi-noodle updates from one journalist a few times a day.
It will be up to WIN to determine whether they can make this achievable within their existing budgetary tolerances.
Newcastle Canberra Wollongong Townsville cairns etc are all noodle update areas.
I understand the point about transmission costs and Darwin inheriting an existing local newsroom. But those explain why Darwin has the service, not why larger markets don’t.
My question is about editorial economics. If a tiny market can fund reporters, packages, graphics and multiple polished local updates each day in a market of around 150,000 people, why wouldn’t the business case be at least as strong in Newcastle (~800k), Canberra and Wollongong (~500k each), where the potential audience and advertising base are substantially larger?
Not with Nine it isn’t, Ten has even worse economics with a fraction of the eyeballs - it is lucky to still be around in many markets. Traditionally, Ten worked to reach younger demographics but this has practically evaporated - they aren’t there anymore while Nine and Seven already have the more mature demographics tied up.
So keeping apples for apples, WIN produces localised but statewide bulletins across its Queensland regional markets. Nine regional as a whole remains profitable, but only because of the work WIN has been pushed to do in slicing into its news and maintenance operations over the years because of A) the hefty affiliation rates it pays in most markets which is nearly double what it was two decades ago and B) the decreased market revenue from movement of eyeballs from linear onto social media.
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I hear you on all that. But my question remains:
If Darwin (around 150,000 people) can justify producing multiple polished local news updates each day—with reporters, packages and graphics—why can’t much larger markets like Newcastle (~850,000), Canberra and Wollongong (~500,000 each) on Seven and Ten?
Those markets have significantly larger populations and advertising bases, so why is the commercial case weaker rather than stronger?
Because each network has its own commercial imperatives based on their pre-existing assets and commitments. As I have already alluded to, there is no point bringing up Ten, its only purpose is to maintain affiliation revenue for the metro network which will probably become worthless within 10-15 years by which point you’ll be lucky to either have a third party news service or noodle updates everywhere for those stations. Ten’s role is to remain cashflow positive for the Paramount conglomerate and that is one of Bev’s key indicators for success.
I think you’re giving Darwin too much credit there, it is no different to other regional output, just the format is cut down covering spare airtime rather than actually being on the network schedule which makes it difficult to see it as a success when no advertising can be sold within it.
Looks like they were selling sponsorship slots on rotation weekly. Each weeknight has a different sponsor for the updates.
Admittedly the QLD 6pm news is jam packed with local advertisers when watching the Darwin feed so looks like a win for Nine HQ if the relay service has revenue still
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So it’s a race to the bottom and owners would rather pocket the savings than invest in underfunded regional news divisions, even if a better product could generate a bit more revenue… If cash flow only, to your corporate overseas overloads, is the goal then there is probably some sense in focusing most dollars on metro where the advertising prize is greater.
Probably doesn’t help that Governemnt regulation requires quantity and not quality in regional areas.
The local advertising dollars theory is also an interest one. 9 only really has competition from 7 for advertising dollars in Darwin so probably benefits from keeping some of its legacy reputation alive to maintain a larger share of local advertising (or did until the WIN sale). Bigger eastern states regional markets have more completion for advertising dollars with three network owners and perhaps less local advertisers and more national ones.
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