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TV station swap on the cards

Viewers in Darwin and Mildura are about to get some new proprietors in regional television.

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Macquarie Media Group has struck a deal to swap stakes in television stations with Prime Media Group, having lost a court challenge late last year against an order by the media regulator to sell its interests in digital TV stations in Darwin and Tasmania.

The Sydney Morning Herald reports that the media group has advised the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission that it wants to buy Prime’s half-stake in Mildura Digital Television, a Network TEN affiliate in regional Victoria. It will hand Prime its 50 per cent stake in the Darwin Digital Television joint venture in return, allowing Mr Ramsay to expand his television business to the Northern Territory.

But the move has raised questions over whether PBL Media, which runs Darwin Digital with Macquarie Media and has also been ordered to sell part of its operations in the Top End, will seek a similar arrangement, giving Prime full control of the digital station.

The Federal Court upheld a finding by the Australian Communications and Media Authority in November, ordering Macquarie Media to sell its digital TV interests in Darwin and Tasmania by January 19. The media regulator found the group was in breach of rules banning companies from controlling more than one commercial TV station per market.

Source: SMH.com.au

2 Responses

  1. The Darwin issue interests me. It will cause a issue when Darwin is asked to switchoff analogue TV in late 2013, if Prime successfully buys PBL’s stake in Darwin Digital Television, where the newer station may become a 7 not 10 affiliate, with Southern Cross Darwin becoming a 10 affiliate as a result…

  2. Argh… I guess that means that our station here – which is kind of locally branded… The only guy they have working for them – Daryl Bevan – has done some of those ‘seriously’ idents on the white background, and then ten mildura at the end.

    That means we become Southern Cross Ten I guess?? Although doesn’t Win handle the playout anyway?

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