Regional WA loses Nine in broadcast standoff

Regional television viewers in Western Australia have lost Channel Nine coverage after negotiations between the national TV player and a broadcast joint venture between PRIME Media Group and WIN Network failed to reach an agreement last night.

It appears regional viewers will instead receive a suite of channels from Channel Ten on the West Digital Television joint venture, the holder of the third commercial television broadcasting licence in regional WA.

Nine Entertainment said it was disappointed that audiences in regional WA would be unable to receive its programing after the licenceholders in that region, WIN and Prime, rejected all offers to find a reasonable negotiated agreement.

Nine said this was despite the national broadcaster concluding new program supply agreements for all other regional licence areas across the country.

“The only beneficiaries of this situation are Prime and WIN, who will now broadcast their signals in Regional WA with no real competition from West Digital Television,” Nine stated.

“This is at odds with the purpose of the licence, which West Digital Television has been granted and a terrible disservice to their audience.

PRIME Media Group and WIN Corporation issued a joint statement regarding the matter. They said they had worked in good faith over the past couple of weeks with the Nine Entertainment Company to negotiate the terms of a program affiliation agreement for West Digital Television from today onwards.

“Unfortunately, the parties were not able to reach an agreement by the deadline,” they said.

“As a result all Nine, GEM and GO programming will cease to be broadcast in regional Western Australia from midnight tonight (June 30).

“PRIME Media Group and WIN Corporation will endeavour to work with Nine Entertainment Company over the coming days to reach an agreement to resume the broadcast of Nine, GEM and GO as soon as possible for the viewers of regional Western Australia.”