The flipside is they are sitting on those licenses in time to be the one to sell them back to the Government to do a second digital dividend, the issue is just being able to hold onto them for that time.
Ten themselves would be basically the only owner who could find significant enough efficiencies in broadcasting a regional Ten to make it worth it. It seems like they will be doing so for a nominal expense, which would already be somewhat offset by taking 100% of regional revenue rather than ~35%.
The only other buyer I could think of in television outside the metro networks is if Imparja tried to make a play. They are losing money as is, but scale might help them.
Everything pointed at SCA trying to sell their television division, not just the Ten stations, something I’m certain there is no buyer for, given how much the Ten affiliates weigh down the overall. This is seemingly the first time they’ve hinted at splitting it up.
It most commonly happens in regional WA when AFL on 7mate beats everything, even Nine. But those shares are upside down a lot of the time - 10 Bold beats 10 in some survey weeks, so it’s hard to believe. Review the regional tam Weekly Shares…