Worner: Regionals running “scare campaign”
Tim Worner says regional media holding local news to ransom is a smokescreen for impending sales.
- Published by David Knox
- on
- Filed under News
Seven CEO Tim Worner has hit back at regional broadcasters pushing for the Reach Rule to be put back on the table with the government, saying talk of regional news cuts are nothing more than a ‘scare campaign.’
“Regional broadcasters are holding their viewers and the political process to ransom with these threats to cut local news services,” he said in a statement.
“I reckon MPs will see it for what it is — a carefully calculated campaign to try to scare them into making legislative change.
“This is nothing more than a strategy to enable them to sell out at the highest price.”
Recent reports have suggested the government shelved media reform plans was effectively kowtowing to Rupert Murdoch and Kerry Stokes.
Prime Media boss John Hartigan said, “This is the Prime Minster’s bloody-minded captain’s pick to look after a couple of media mates.”
But Tim Worner issued strong words in response.
“We expect our regional affiliate to live up to its obligations to provide local news. Prime’s most recent results were the fourth consecutive period of growth for them and came off the back of Seven’s market-leading programming and support,” he said.
“We expect them to live up to their side of the bargain and continue to provide local news as a key element in driving revenue for us both.”
Source: AFR, West Australian
7 Responses
Why does 7 not want to buy up Prime7 and be a truly national network?
Because it is less profitable to run all the messy transmitters and local news programs than to sell programming to a company that does. Though Seven still bothers with Seven Queensland.
That sounds like a smoke screen from Tim Worner. Total BS. Why was it ever taken off the table?? WIN and PRIME are the ones being held to ransom. Its not just talks of cuts it has already started.
cuts have been happening for twenty years. where has regional TV improved anything for the communities they are meant to serve?
what Tim says is absolutely true. But he is holding back. Regional should be responsible for a lot more programming than just news. 20 years ago they would produce live sports coverage, boost tourism, have kids programs, cater for regional Australia. in turn a whole generation of television people were groomed for the “big time”. but now they are just a lobby group. If they dont like what the government is doing then they can disappear and allow someone else to do a proper job.
That’s all well and good @Spectrum warrior but you still have to pay for it. The money is no longer there in regional TV to have all the bells and whistles.
the money was there and still can be, but years of mis management and following old business models has left regional TV in a mess. @Observer you cant defend regionals, unless you are part of the problem