Potential sale of Southern Cross Television assets

Television Regional and Community Television
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Maybe the mods will decide otherwise, but figure that this might be worth a unique thread, rather than the discussion taking place across the four or five threads about the specific channels involved…

So the latest, via Mediaweek/AFR is that Seven and Ten are reportedly the interested party, that a deal is possible within the next month:

Sources said nothing had been signed and there was no guarantee any deal would go ahead, but an agreement was being negotiated and could be finalised within the next month.

Sources said SCA was negotiating with Seven and Ten around the $15 million to $20 million mark.

Southern Cross Austereo have the following television assets:

Seven Affiliates - TNT Tasmania, TND Darwin and QQQ/ITQ remote Central/Eastern/Mt Isa
Ten Affiliates - CTC Southern NSW, TNQ Queensland and GLV/BCV Victoria

Joint Ventures:
DTD Ten Darwin - 50% stake, other 50% Nine
CDT Ten Central - 50% stake, other 50% Imparja
TDT Ten Tasmania - 50% stake, other 50% WIN

Solus:
GTS/BKN - SCA own all three stations in the Spencer Gulf/Broken Hill.

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Interesting the reports says Ten would gain Broken Hill/SA Gulf solus market which would be all three streams. Surprised WIN didn’t snap that one up to add to SE SA solus streams years back but not sure if they are in the market anymore even with NRN looking to be sold.

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Wonder if 10 are looking at gaining the lapsed Mildura licence as well then?

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That and the recent downgrade of Seven services in the Riverland and Griffith also suggests WIN doesn’t have much of an appetite.

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The media week article claims that Seven would gain the SA stations:

For Seven, this means Tasmania, Darwin and South Australia.

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The source in the Media Week article for the specific stations was SCA’s coverage map, rather than any particular knowledge is my assumption.

So, Seven wanted to buy the Seven stations and Ten wants the Ten stations was the extent of the insight.

That’d leave them in theory splitting up the stations in SA, which they basically have to do as the one TV station per market rule would apply to anyone else purchasing those stations. Where that leaves the Nine affiliate I don’t know, they’d probably just have to give it away for a nominal price, either Nine itself or maybe Imparaja?

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Is it fine if someone posts the AFR report as it is behind a paywall?

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No.

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Summaries or small excerpts, but not a copy and paste job.

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The fact that Seven have had to make people redundant apparently they should not even be considering purchasing the station as they don’t have the spare money. Same can be said for Ten

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But surely buying 7Tas would be a worthy investment for them? And the rest just come with the deal.

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Especially since they would get a fair chunk of revenue due to the stations large ratings (especially news and AFL)

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One would hope that if Seven does buy 7Tas, they can finally stay up to date with the 7 News look.
Already 6+ years out of date.

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…that would go without saying.

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Not while ACMA has determined that it is still a 2 licencee aggregated market. And that a 3rd station can only be additional to one of the existing 2 licence holders or combination of (tried and failed).

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Well that’s crazy surely the Fed should step in and make an exception. Nationalise the licence ownership rules. The networks need to own all the licences now it isn’t 1987.

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Agreed. There’s far too much market-protectionism in Australia. It’s like propping up the car-industry, it may have worked for a little time, but you can’t keep clinging to it forever in the hope the good times will come back.
Let the market consolidate what’s there now, while there is something still there, it will be far-better off in the long-run.

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Lobbying SCA seems a fait accompli when Seven is set to acquire the licence, no?

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All feels a little pointless anyway - it’s hard to see that anyone of interest (be it SCA or Seven, or even someone else) will keep the status quo moving forward.

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