non-program content I don’t think is limited to advertising?
I’m wondering if all these manoeuvrings will either directly or indirectly lead to some more government support for regional/remote broadcasting.
No but there is a quite tight definition of non-program matter and this is not it.
fair enough though it’s a stretch to call this programming/content
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That could be fixed WIN could invest in a new television drama to air on the former Seven channels in these regions.
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Looks too high quality and not enough mappy for WIN 
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If they made something like this, and they released it across all platforms, then I’d watch it. 
It’s missing Crawfords and Eaton Films credits, St George Illawarra Dragons references, and yes, needs more Mappy™.
I’m guessing someone from the Adelaide newsroom asked for that question to be asked since they finally did a report on the issue tonight - was only a short RVO claiming Seven were providing content, but WIN is blocking it, that Seven had asked the Government for assistance (accompanied by a snippet from the interview), and a mention that viewers in the affected areas could watch Seven’s content on 7Plus.
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I understand and know this might seem nonsensical and I might be talking up some theory here but does anyone reckon WIN may block Seven from entering these monopoly markets? As to protect their Nine/10 affiliate stations’ viewership and local advertising revenue?
The way things are going now, if Seven was to set themselves up in Griffith they would be very inclined to take the Wagga Wagga feed 24/7. The main consequence of that being they’d have Griffith advertisers complaining about Wagga Wagga, Central West and Illawarra ads airing into their TV1 license area.
In Mount Gambier/Loxton (Riverland), Seven would take the now ex-SCA Spencer Gulf feed (probs Whyalla), but then they’d have Mount Gambier/Riverland/Loxton advertisers complaining about Spencer Gulf ads airing into their TV1 license area.
The only way forward? If WIN doesn’t want to switch Seven back on (and would rather hand that license back to the ACMA), and Seven is about pushing viewers to streaming, then the Government needs to (in an emergency situation like this) grant affected viewers in these regions access to VAST free of charge. That would allow residents in these regions to not pay anything (not even for a satellite dish and equipment + installation of it) and they could still get access to Seven signals for free. Will have to wait and see what happens regarding the whole WIN/Seven scenario.
They could also just ignore the complaints. I bet the complainants have changed their tune now that Seven has closed.
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Immovable Object V Unstoppable Force.
That’s my two cents here
WIN at it again, glad I no longer live in their broadcast area. The sooner they are out of the industry, the better. There was talk about how Seven would go having to operate Nine and Ten stations in the Spencer Gulf and whether they would want to keep running them. I think they will handle operating 3 networks better than WIN.
I agree with previous posts, merge these smaller unprofitable markets into the larger Remote Central and Eastern licence area.
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That’s nothing compared to Western Australia. You could be in Broome having a Matsos beer in 32 degree heat in the middle of July while it’s freezing in the South West of WA and you see an ad for Sports Power Bunbury’s winter warmer sale.
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Why should the Fed Govt keep propping up a failing business?
Television in Australia has never been treated purely as a commercial enterprise—it’s always carried a strong public service component. From mandatory local news bulletins in regional areas to the anti-siphoning list that ensures Australians can watch major sports events for free, there’s a clear recognition that free-to-air TV serves the national interest. When regional services become commercially unsustainable, the public good they deliver doesn’t disappear—it just becomes inaccessible. That’s where government has a role.
In today’s world, free access to news, emergency information, and cultural events isn’t a luxury—it’s a fundamental part of participating in society. For many regional Australians, broadcast television remains their only reliable source of this information. Government support in this context isn’t about subsidising failing businesses; it’s about ensuring equitable access for all Australians, regardless of postcode.
The government places specific obligations on broadcasters—like providing local news and adhering to the anti-siphoning list—that are unique to this sector. These obligations are in the national interest, but they come at a cost. If commercial networks can’t bear that cost in small regional markets, it’s reasonable for the government to step in—because it’s the government that sets the rules.
When regional TV services disappear, communities lose more than entertainment. They lose local news, emergency broadcasts, and a sense of connection to the broader national conversation. The societal cost of that disconnection can far exceed the financial cost of keeping those services alive with targeted, accountable government support.
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Well advertisers in Regional WA are used to that because it’s a statewide license. Seven still chooses to operate 3 specific feeds for their main channel (one feed is Bunbury/South West WA, another is Wheatbelt/Albany/Kalgoorlie-Esperance, and another is for everywhere else (Geraldton, Pilbara, etc). You’ll still see ads from other parts of WA on these seperate feeds still so it’s not purely local, if you’re in Albany you may still see an ad for Bunbury, in Bunbury you may still see an ad for Narrogin and so on.
Now advertisers in Griffith and Mount Gambier/Riverland/Loxton aren’t used to having advertisers from places like Wagga and the Spencer Gulf invading their TV1 license areas, and that’s only because Griffith isn’t in the Riverina TV1 license area servicing Wagga Wagga and surrounds. Regional SA isn’t one statewide TV1 license area (though it could’ve been just like Regional WA) and so advertisers there are used to advertising on their local channel only. Longtime advertisers on TV in Mount Gambier e.g would probably say no to advertising outside of their home market, even for Limestone Coast businesses also serving parts of Western Victoria.
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So WIN have pulled the channels completely rather than just the 7 content - not that they’d have the content to fill the hours themselves.
WIN seem to very much be a linear broadcaster lost in a digital world. Not even having their own streaming service where they could potentially push content direct to the entire country (as Scottish broadcaster STV do across the UK) in this day and age is just amateurish, along with WIN News not even having a website (never mind app!).
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WIN does two things - operates its regional network and is a major shareholder in Nine which benefits directly from WIN. Their vote in Nine will increase over the next few years.
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They own a playout centre, produce hours of local news, and hold the rights to pretty valuable classic Australian content. Yet they don’t even have a little dabble in FAST to make some coin on the side. They’re firmly staying in the past.
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