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Nine, WIN sign last-minute agreement

Affiliation agreement is extended by six months, avoiding regional TV screens going black at midnight.

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Nine and WIN have agreed to extend their current affiliation agreement by six months, avoiding regional TV screens from going black at midnight.

A Nine statement said:

Nine Entertainment Co. (ASX:NEC) and WIN Corporation (WIN) have today agreed to extend their affiliation agreement for 6 months to 30 June 2016, on terms that provide for additional payments to Nine over that period. NEC and WIN have also agreed to work together on a range of opportunities relating to their content and to the mutual growth of their respective businesses. The agreement continues the 27 year partnership between the two networks, and ensures continuing carriage of Nine Network’s programming to all Australian homes.

Hugh Marks, CEO of NEC, said “Broadcast television is evolving, but the role of the affiliate and its relationship with the local community remains important. This extended deal with WIN ensures Nine’s premium content continues to be available to all Australians for free, 24 hours a day.”

A WIN statement said:

WIN Network and Nine Entertainment Co. have today extended their affiliation agreement for 6 months to 30 June, 2016.

The relationship between WIN and Nine dates back to the early days of Television with Bruce Gordon having held a seat on the Nine board in the 1960’s. WIN has been a Nine affiliate since the late 80s and is now Nine’s largest shareholder owning 14.95% of NEC.

“WIN understands the importance of Free to air Television to regional viewers and advertisers and we will always work to broadcast the best programs in our 23 markets across regional Australia. The 6 month agreement extension provides a continuing program supply for our viewers and advertisers as we explore business opportunities,” said Andrew Lancaster, CEO, WIN Network.

29 Responses

  1. I don’t watch much free to air any more , but Bruce Gordon is a very smart operator, and a very rich one at that , one of the richest men in the world .the time frame gives him enough time for the govt to change the rules so win can then merge or takeover nine or ten , To those critics at least win does provide regional viewers with local news because prime and capital do not provide a half hour weeknight news service never have , a takeover will kill that . In some regional centres it’s the only local content they have .

    1. If Bruce Gordon is mega rich, he could even buy both 9 and 10!

      10 would be the easiest to get. Share price is only 14 cents.
      9 would be a little bit harder. Share price is $1.90.

        1. It’s probably a good thing that Bruce can’t have a controlling shares of both commercial networks.
          Not because he would stuff up two tv stations but competition would be heavily reduced if that was allowed.

          What network do you think David should Bruce get a controlling share of.
          Nine who has the better ratings and worth more or Ten who can be bought for the cheapest price.

          I would say Bruce should get a controlling share of Nine because he should be able have more of an opinion. Murdoch would still have more of a say even if Bruce got a controlling share in Ten.

          I will also make a long term prediction. By 1st January 2030, free to air TV in its entirety will be gone. Pay TV will be closely followed or even gone by this date as well.

          Netflix would be 75%+ the reason why this will happen. Other % will be a combination of YouTube and bad TV network decisions.

    2. Capital/CTC-7 (now TEN Canberra) produced their own nightly News from 1962 (6pm Australian Capital News. John Bok, Laurie Wilson). From 31 March ’89 both WIN & Prime produced a 30-mins local news followed by 7/9 network news. TEN maintained their one-hour locally-produced news but eventually dropped their news completely. Now we get a ridiculous 3 items, 1 sentence per item, taken from yesterday’s ‘Mercury’ and radio websites, 20-secs “news” repeated ad-nauseam to make up their ‘news quota minutes’. Similarly with Prime, WIN being the sole remaining Canberra commercial news, albeit now read from Wollongong. The “Save Our Voices” campaign, supposedly promising local TV news will be lost unless the reach rules are changed, is up and running again on WIN.

  2. We will just have to wait and see what happens with the regional TV landscape and Tasmania as the TV networks class Tasmania as regional. Last time I checked Hobart is a Capital city.

  3. Unfortunate. Like other readers have said WIN are a let down and treat their viewers very poorly. The sooner the networks can merge with affiliates and are forced to offer the same service nationwide the better. But unfortunately who knows how long that’ll take. Until then, I will happily keep the majority of my viewing to Foxtel – premium, on time, HD content with no fuss.

  4. The portent for the future of TV is the potential of Smart TV, most FTA channels provide internet accessible catch up sites, I suspect that in time most viewing will be done through this method. Of course this is not going to go down well with those unable to afford unlimited Broadband and so the debate will begin as it did when analog TV broadcasts ceased and ridiculously expensive Government subsidies were offered to provide pensioners with set top boxes plus installation.

  5. We in Tas do not get the HD signal from Nine, and after talking to people in the know very unlikely. It really does not bother me as I hardly watch any Nine or Win programs….watching more ABC News 24 then anything else at present. ABC News 24 coverage of Comanche taking Line Honours in the Sydney to Hobart was fantastic…and the only one.

      1. True but when Comanche crossed the line, from what I saw nothing was said on the other channels. I admit most of what I saw was after the event as I was watching the yacht cross the line live courtesy of my field glasses. So something may have flashed across the bottom of the screen, but I would not think so as most of the play outs are automated……no humans involved.
        The after finish interviews were played the next day on most of the channels, as they were there, or shared from ABC. Never mind it was good coverage by ABC News 24 on the night after she finally berthed.

  6. I am so glad this happened for 1 reason. SBS 2 continues their programing and cricket doesn’t interfere with it. Other then that I wouldn’t have cared what happened. I don’t watch any 9/WIN programing.

  7. Wouldn’t surprise me if the reach rules are relaxed and WIN Corporation invests more money into either Nine or Ten. Could find that come June 30 that WIN are one of the ‘big 3’. Nothing really would surprise me really.

  8. Shame. I was looking forward to watching the cricket in some kind of legible picture even if it was on SBS 2. I hope some network buys out WIN when the reach rule goes. WIN are just pathetic.

  9. Six months. Just enough time until Malcolm changes the rules to allow a merger. But then, June is when TEN’s agreement with Southern Cross TEN expires, and they would much rather have Nine’s programming than TEN’s. June could be an interesting month,

    1. ‘And they would much rather have Nine’s programming than Ten’s’.
      So if WIN swaps with Ten and SC swaps with Nine. What is the point with swapping affiliations? E.g. In Regional WA, Ten West runs under Prime and WIN. What if WIN swaps with SC in WA?

      1. Then TEN West will become Nine West, with Nine & Prime programs. The point of swapping affiliations is because TEN is #3 regionally, Nine is #1 or #2 regionally. And there’s a big difference in $$$$$$$$$.

  10. “The agreement continues the 27 year partnership between the two networks”. Actually had an agreement in place from mid-60s. TCN9 had a “WIN” button on their PC/MCR intercom via a 24/7 Telecom line from late 60s. More like 47 – 50 years.

      1. Such “buddies” that Murdoch flew to the US in 1963 when the two Sydney stations denied WIN4 and NBN3 programs, not only those produced by 7 & 9, but also those from America. American distributors were told TCN and ATN would boycott any distributors that sold programs to WIN 4 and NBN3. Rupert went off to the United States buying ‘new season’ rights for Australia to most of the programs running on TCN and ATN, as well as some new programs. He also bought controlling interest in WIN 4, a substantial interest in NBN and significant interest in TCN. Consequently 7 & 9 had to then deal with Murdoch in the purchase of broadcast rights for new American programming. Murdoch reserved country broadcast rights which he sold through ATF to regional stations, including WIN 4 and NBN. (NFSA website)
        Part of the deal was access to 7 & 9 local programs by WIN4. News, sports, variety shows, dramas,…

  11. I hope in the deal Nine forced WIN to deliver HD and Life to regional viewers, I can only just get the Nine Brisbane’s Life channel on good weather days on the SC.

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