Yep, I agree. Pretty much the only things people are watching via terrestrial TV these days are news, sport and maybe a few of the reality shows - most other things tend to be viewed online.
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TC25 has had a little Wacky Tobaccy me thinks.
clearly you know better, then?
It’s all speculation my friend. I’d probably leave it at that.
… you remind me of the phrase created by the Woodstock generation “If you remember the sixties, you weren’t really there” just advanced by about twenty years or so … and no, I don’t have to ask any of your “former work colleagues what went on” because, obviously unlike you who was only “around during the very early days of Aggregation”, I was making many of the decisions for Prime in the early days of aggregation and they differ rather remarkably from your recollections … never mind, the twenty-first century appears to be full of “alternative facts”, particularly as they relate to the actual history of the twentieth century, so if you’re happy to stick with your version of events it won’t really matter to anyone else 
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Good for you.
Why deflect with what happened in the past and deny what the future beckons. Typical atrack the messenger and not debate the topic to deny the real reality.
Rdgional TV in its cuurent form is dead clinging on/trapped to an analogue era business model. Is time the regional TV companies were put down humanely. As the metros have nil interest in buying them as going concerns. As such when they finally go bust and switch off, resulting in market failure leaving all concerned in debt etc. When that happens, the metro affiliate may be invited to restart transmision in the affected areas at greater cost to the Govt than what I proposed, if at all. I propose an all emcompassing solution where the existing regional TV licensees are paid out not the one of market failure which is sadly rapidly approaching. Allowing the regionals to merge and run monopoly license areas goes against so many competition and consumer protections and may end up being struck down if it went to the High Court and in the end could be self defeating in the long run.
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this comment is also suited to the metro thread
Last week, I saw the 7, 7Two, 7mate and 7flix (metro) ones commence right before the beginning of the 7:30pm (or thereabouts as per EPG) programs. Is Prime Media the same? For Saturdays (movie) and Sundays (earlier BB start) it’d be 7pm.
And right before the beginning of the 8:30pm (or thereabouts) program, they use that 15sec line-up transition thing on the main channel, not sure if the use the new short 7Two, 7mate and 7flix IDs again though for those channels?
And with the new IDs, they’re also not attached to the lead-in or lead-out programs, but separate play-out (as the Live Stream cuts out to 7Plus embedded ad breaks for a few seconds) and you also see the watermark fade-in/out (just like when HD fades in/out with “CC” when live sport changes programs on EPG or when the end of a movie cuts to the red bar split-screen or on a multi-channel the studio logo).
So that’s nought dollars for Southern Cross Austereo.
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Some industry insiders join the forum to share their knowledge and build conversations. They genuinely enjoy what they do and they don’t berate or talk down media hobbyists like us.
Then there are some who don’t.
This thread is a great example of both kinds.
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Absolutely; well said.
Everyone has a point of view, and most people don’t have all the details behind decisions, including many who work in the industry (or any worker anywhere), so I hope people won’t be too harsh when others may miss a piece of picture or misunderstand.
Also, memory is fallible. Almost nobody remembers everything with precise details (what’s the saying about eyewitnesses?).
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Possibly some kind of independent valuation process where a combination of foregone business, valuation of owned (if any) transmission/studio/production plant and average of local advertising revenue for past 2 to 5 years is formulated? Who knows.
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Some industry insiders join the forum to share their knowledge and ensure that the facts are preserved rather than false and/or mistaken claims - however well-intended … unfortunately there are many more examples of the latter rather than the former which is why there is so much misinformation floating around when so many people want to know what actually happened.
This thread is a great example of both kinds.
And yet here we are, 3 posts later and no facts being spoken of. Just a dick measuring contest with one contestant.
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OK some facts for you …
FACT - Prime Canberra was the SNSW hub from the start airing all market material with “black holes for local spot insertion” in Wollongong, Orange and Wagga
FACT - Wollongong only did their own presentation for six months in 1989 at which time I had to sack all the on-air staff I had just hired a few months earlier
FACT - Prime Gold Coast was an office … it didn’t have a studio or production facilities and never had a local presentation playout facility … we did a deal with Brisbane production house VIP to open an edit suite in our premises and we had a Panasonic VTR to record/play material down the line
incorrect as stated above
incorrect as stated above
incorrect as stated above
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I suspect that @AustralianAerial’s comment was tongue-in-cheek - but I did ponder how you would “fairly” value the regionals under your plan - it would definitely be a challenge, but I think you’ve identified a few key inputs here.
Your proposal also gives the Government an avenue to actively pursue their spectrum consolidation proposal they released earlier in the year
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Thankyou for your constructive contribution. Unlike someone with an axe to grind about whatever may or may not have happened in the past.
I am no accountant, nor would want to be. An orderly transition of what little staff the regionals still have to metro employment would surely be much better for all concerned with the alternative of market failure with no employment and possible loss of entitlements? The metros would still need regionally based journos, camos, technical staff and bureaus.
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ViacomCBS & Nine Entertainment have shown zero interest in buying regional TV stations. Seven West tried to merge with Prime7 but that was denied and they abandoned.
TV networks have no real interest in acquiring assets that are fast declining in value (TV stations)
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They are allowed by law, but they are not interested. The are focusing on streaming and BVOD where revenue is actually growing and is the future, not buying TV stations - which is in decline both in terms of revenue and audience.
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Correct, as FTA DVB transmission will not continue longterm. The continued expansion of mobile devices requiring spectrum will be too lucrative for any Govt to refuse further spectrum sales proceeds. As such, the regionals will be conpletely bypassed, sadly.
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Saying they abandoned is a little disingenuous - they acquired 14.9% the day the deal was voted down
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