Nine (Southern Cross Austereo)
Nine Regional is an Australian television network owned by Southern Cross Austereo that is broadcast in Queensland, New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory, Victoria and South Australia. The network is the primary affiliate of the Nine Network in most regional areas.
Country | Australia |
---|---|
Broadcast area | Regional QLD, Southern NSW & ACT, Regional VIC, Spencer Gulf SA, Broken Hill NSW, Tasmania |
Affiliates | Nine Network Network 10 (Spencer Gulf and Broken Hill) |
Slogan | We Are the One |
Programming | |
Language(s) | English |
Picture format | 576i (SDTV) 16:9 1080i (HDTV) 16:9 |
Ownership | |
Owner | Southern Cross Austereo |
Sister channels | 9HD 9Gem 9Go! 9Life SBN Aspire TV |
History | |
Launched | 9 December 1961 |
Former names | Television Centre of Victoria (TCV) (GLV/BCV) (1970s-1982) North Queensland Television (NQTV) (TNQ) (1978-1990) Capital 7 - Australian Capital Television (CTC) (1981-1988) Southern Cross TV8 (GLV/BCV) (1982–1989) QTV (TNQ) (1990-1994) Southern Cross Network (GLV/BCV) (1989–1992) Capital Television (CTC) (1988-1989, 1991-1994) SCN (GLV/BCV) (1992–1994) Ten Capital (CTC) (1989-1991, 1994–2002) Ten Victoria (GLV/BCV) (1994-2002) Tasmanian Digital Television (2003-2006) TDT Ten (2006-2016) Southern Cross Ten (2002–2016) |
Availability | |
Terrestrial | |
Freeview SC9 owned (virtual) | 5/51 |
Freeview SC9 HD (virtual) | 50 |
Cable | |
TransTV Digital (virtual) | 5 |
NC Digital (virtual) | 10 |
History
Origins
Southern Cross began as a small network of three stations in regional Victoria. The Southern Cross TV8 network comprised GLV-10 Gippsland, BCV-8 Bendigo, and STV-8 Victoria.[1]
GLV was the first regional television station in the country, launched on 9 December 1961.[1] BCV-8 launched in the same year, on 23 December, while STV followed four years later, on 27 November 1965.[1] GLV-10 became GLV-8 in 1980, when Melbourne commercial station ATV-0 moved frequences to become ATV-10[1] The network began life in 1982 as Southern Cross TV8, but later changed its name in 1989 to the Southern Cross Network.[1] Soon after this, STV-8 left the network after it was bought by businessman Alan Bond, and eventually sold on to ENT Limited (owners of Vic TV and Tas TV).[1][2]
1992–2015: Ten affiliation
Regional Victoria was aggregated in 1992.[3] VIC Television, based in Shepparton and Ballarat affiliated with the Nine Network, while Prime Television, based in Albury-Wodonga became an affiliate of the Seven Network.[3] Southern Cross, therefore, took on an affiliation with Network Ten.[1] Soon after, it changed its name and logo to SCN, directly emulating the look of its metropolitan counterpart. Local news was axed six months later, while the name and logo changed once again to Ten Victoria along with new names Ten Capital, Ten Northern NSW & Ten Queensland as they carried and introduced the Network Ten logo into their brand.[1]
Canberra-based station Capital Television was purchased by Ten Group owner, Telecasters Australia, in 1994.[4] It was soon integrated into the network, taking on the name Ten Capital soon after.[4]
![](../I/Southern_Cross_Ten.svg.png.webp)
Southern Cross Broadcasting acquired Telecasters Australia in 2001.[5] As a result, Ten Queensland and Ten Northern NSW became a part of the Southern Cross Ten network, while Telecasters' other assets – Seven Darwin and Seven Central – were later integrated into the Southern Cross network.[5][6] Local news bulletins in Canberra and parts of Queensland were axed on 22 November 2001 – one of a number of moves taken by Southern Cross and competitor Prime Television that resulted in an investigation by the Australian Broadcasting Authority into the adequacy of regional news.[7]
![](../I/Southern_Cross_Ten_play-out_centre.jpg.webp)
The network expanded into the Spencer Gulf and Broken Hill areas on 31 December 2003 under a supplementary license granted to Southern Cross GTS/BKN by the ABA.[8] Southern Cross Ten moved away from generic Network Ten branding – in use since the early 1990s for most areas – with a new logo, similar to that of parent company Southern Cross Broadcasting.
Three-minute local news updates were introduced in 2004, following recommendations put into place following the ABA's report.[7] The brief bulletins, produced out of the network's Canberra production centre, are made for the network's seventeen license areas.[7]
It was anticipated that the network would be acquired by the Macquarie Media Group, following a A$1.35 billion takeover recommendation made to shareholders by Southern Cross Broadcasting to shareholder on 3 July 2007,[9] and on 5 November 2007 this purchase was completed.[10]
Southern Cross Ten began broadcasting Ten's digital channel, One HD (now 10 Bold) on 2 July 2009.
Southern Cross Ten began broadcasting Ten's digital channel, Eleven (now 10 Peach) on 11 January 2011.
2016–present: Nine affiliation
On 29 April 2016, Southern Cross Austereo announced that it had signed a five-year affiliation deal with Nine Entertainment Co., owner of the Nine Network, for almost $500 million, taking the place of WIN Television as the primary regional Nine affiliate. On 1 July 2016, Southern Cross switched its primary affiliation from Network Ten to the Nine Network and Nine's metropolitan branding was introduced across Southern Cross' television assets in Queensland, Southern NSW and Victoria,[11] joining its existing Nine affiliate station in Spencer Gulf, SA and Broken Hill, NSW. Southern Cross' Northern NSW station, NRN, was not part of the deal as the Nine-owned NBN Television already operated in the region.[12][11]
Upon the affiliation change, the channel listing for Southern Cross' Nine-affiliated stations was reshuffled with Nine on channel 5 and 51, 9HD on channel 50, 9Gem on channel 52 in standard definition, 9Go! on channel 53, 9Life on channel 54 and Aspire TV on channel 56.[13] GDS/BDN Spencer Gulf/Broken Hill remained unchanged with Nine on channel 8, 9Gem on channel 80 and 9Go! on channel 88.
Due to the need to import and install the required equipment, Southern Cross originally stated that it would not immediately offer Nine's digital services 9HD and 9Life upon the transition; the broadcaster stated that they planned to begin transmitting them by mid-August—a delay which would have caused the third match of the 2016 State of Origin series on 13 July to not be transmitted in high definition in the affected regions—which includes parts of the New South Wales and Queensland regions who play the series.[14] However, on 24 June 2016, Southern Cross announced that it had been "working tirelessly to get HD to air as quickly as possible", and 9HD became available from launch day on channel 50.[15] The same approach also prompted 9Life to return early on 17 July 2016.[16][17]
Southern Cross announced on 25 July 2016 that it would broadcast New Zealand-based home shopping channel Yesshop as a datacast service. The channel became available on 1 August 2016 in Queensland, Southern NSW, ACT and Victoria on LCN 55.[18] However, Yesshop's owner (Yes Retail) made the decision to cease trading on 29 September 2016 citing lack of funds to pay wages and the company's current losses of approximately 20 million dollars.[19] Employees were terminated the same day, and the channels were removed on Freeview later that day.[20]
Following months of negotiations, Southern Cross finalised an agreement on 28 March 2017 to sell their Ten-affiliated Northern NSW station, NRN, to WIN Television for a total of $55 million,[21][22][23] with the sale taking effect on 31 May 2017.[24][25] Due to operational logistics, WIN did not commence broadcasting their identity to the NRN market until 1 September 2017. This sale relieved Southern Cross of their only sole Ten-affiliated station, with their remaining Ten affiliate, SGS/SCN operating in the Spencer Gulf/Broken Hill region where Southern Cross holds monopoly ownership of all three network affiliates.
On 17 July 2017, Southern Cross launched American religious channel SonLife Broadcasting Network (SBN), owned by evangelist Jimmy Swaggart, as a datacast service. The channel is broadcast in regional Queensland, Southern NSW & ACT, and regional Victoria on channel 55 via Southern Cross' Nine-affiliated stations, and in Tasmania on channel 64, Spencer Gulf SA & Broken Hill NSW on channel 54, and Darwin on channel 74 via Southern Cross' Seven affiliate remaining stations.[26][27]
Programming
Southern Cross's programming schedule is almost identical to that of its metropolitan counterpart, Nine Network, with some differences.
The channel previously broadcast State Focus at 12pm Sunday, a magazine program featuring interviews from people across the regions where the channel broadcasts.
Southern Cross News Updates (2004–2017)
Prior to 2017, short local news updates were aired throughout the day for each of the seventeen licence areas served throughout regional Queensland, New South Wales, the ACT and Victoria. These updates broadcast throughout the network's daytime and primetime programming, hourly and lasting from one to three minutes, branded variously as Southern Cross News, Southern Cross Ten News, Southern Cross Ten Local News (2014–16) and Local News Headlines (2016–17). The updates were produced from Southern Cross Austereo's studio in Canberra, and made use of news content from local radio stations owned by SCA in each market. Local sport and weather reports also air on a sporadic basis. Short updates were also aired throughout the day and evening alongside updates from Ten News First, or from 2016, Nine News. The bulletins are researched, produced and presented by a single journalist.
Prior to the formation of the Southern Cross Ten network, the Canberra and north Queensland stations broadcast one-hour nightly localised news bulletins. However, both were axed in late 2001 due to cost-cutting measures.
Regional programming was reintroduced in March 2011 with the launch of Weeknights, a 30-minute regional news magazine program broadcast in Shepparton and the Goulburn Valley, only to be axed in May 2015.[28]
Nine News Regional (2017–present)
As part of the new affiliation deal between the Nine Network and Southern Cross in 2016, the Local News Headlines were phased out on their now-Nine affiliated stations and were replaced by full one-hour local Nine News bulletins produced by Nine.[29] In August 2016, the director of Nine's news & current affairs division, Darren Wick announced that Queensland news director Mike Dalton had been appointed to head the new Nine News Regional division to initiate Nine and Southern Cross Austereo's new regional news service in 2017.[30]
Southern Cross' Nine-affiliated stations that receive the bulletins are TNQ Queensland, CTC southern New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, and GLV/BCV Victoria.[29] The bulletins are produced by Nine News, presented from Nine's existing studio facilities in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne respectively.[31][32]
The bulletins' formats are similar in style to the Nine-owned NBN News bulletin in northern New South Wales, as a composite of international, national and local news.[33] On 17 March 2020, production on the composite bulletins were suspended indefinitely, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with reporters deployed to the metropolitan bulletins in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.[34]
Southern Cross also broadcasts Today, Today Extra, all national Nine News programs and A Current Affair.
Availability
Southern Cross is available in standard definition and high definition digital format. In all areas, an additional 1080i high definition simulcast is also available. The network is available primarily through free-to-air terrestrial transmitters, with subscription cable also provided by TransACT and Neighbourhood Cable in the Australian Capital Territory and Ballarat, respectively.[35][36]
The network's owned-and-operated stations include:
Logos
Southern Cross's first networked logo produced and used across its regional stations was in 2002, featuring the word Southern Cross below Network Ten's logo.[4] This logo was used across the network until 2005, when a new logo was introduced featuring a blue and yellow star with the word Ten added beside Southern Cross. This logo has been used since, and was launched concurrently with similarly designed logos on Southern Cross' Seven-affiliated stations and across Southern Cross Broadcasting's other assets.[4]
Once Southern Cross switched affiliation to Nine, the channel started using Nine branding.
References
- Brooklyn Ross-Hulands. "Southern Cross Ten: Victoria". AusTVHistory. Retrieved 10 September 2007.
- Bruce Arnold. "WIN, Gordon and ENT: chronology". Caslon Analytics. Archived from the original on 21 June 2007. Retrieved 10 July 2007.
- "television.au AGGREGATION". television.au. Retrieved 10 September 2007.
- Brooklyn Ross-Hulands. "Southern Cross Ten: Sth NSW". AusTVHistory. Retrieved 10 September 2007.
- Bruce Arnold. "Southern Cross: landmarks". Caslon Analytics. Archived from the original on 30 August 2007. Retrieved 10 September 2007.
- Brooklyn Ross-Hulands. "Southern Cross Ten: Queensland". AusTVHistory. Retrieved 10 September 2007.
- "ACMA: ABA – NR 10/2004". Australian Communications and Media Authority. Archived from the original on 4 September 2007. Retrieved 10 September 2007.
- "ACMA: Section 38A register". Australian Communications and Media Authority. Archived from the original on 13 September 2007. Retrieved 10 September 2007.
- "Southern Cross Broadcasting sold for $1.35b". abc.net.au. 3 June 2007. Retrieved 3 June 2007.
- "Southern Cross falls to Mac and Fairfax". The Australian. 3 June 2007. Archived from the original on 9 November 2007. Retrieved 3 June 2007.
- Hayes, Alex (29 April 2016). "Nine Entertainment and Southern Cross Austereo sign 'landmark' affiliate agreement". mUmBRELLA. Retrieved 29 April 2016.
- White, Dominic (29 April 2016). "Nine and Southern Cross in multi-year affiliation deal". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 29 April 2016.
- "Nine on 5". Southern Cross Austereo. 11 June 2016. Archived from the original on 14 June 2016. Retrieved 14 June 2016.CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
- Joyce, James (15 June 2016). "State of Origin III won't be in HD as Channel Nine changes channels on regional TV". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
- "HD won't go off-air in Channel Nine switch for regional viewers". Junee Southern Cross. 24 June 2016. Retrieved 27 June 2016.
- "SCA Affiliation Agreement with Nine Entertainment Co., FAQ". Southern Cross Austereo. 5 May 2016. Retrieved 8 May 2016.
- "Nine On 5 FAQ". Southern Cross Austereo. 12 June 2016. Archived from the original on 11 June 2016. Retrieved 12 June 2016.
- "YESSHOP coming to SCA regional viewers August 1". Southern Cross Austereo. 25 July 2016. Retrieved 25 July 2016.
- "YesShop shopping channel shutting down". The New Zealand Herald. Aukland. 29 September 2016. Retrieved 4 October 2016.
- "YesShop tells employees it must close immediately". Stuff.co.nz. 29 September 2016. Retrieved 30 September 2016.
- Burrowes, Tim (28 March 2017). "SCA sells northern NSW television assets to WIN for $55m". Mumbrella. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
- Bingemann, Mitchell (28 March 2017). "Southern Cross Media sells northern NSW TV operations to WIN". The Australian. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
- Mason, Max (28 March 2017). "Southern Cross to sell northern NSW TV business to WIN". The Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
- "Southern Cross Austereo: Agreement of Sale of NNSW TV Operations and Trading Update" (PDF). Australian Securities Exchange. Retrieved 20 May 2017.
- Knox, David (20 May 2017). "WIN completes deal for Southern Cross Northern NSW". TV Tonight. Retrieved 20 May 2017.
- Knox, David (15 July 2017). "Religious channel coming to Southern Cross network". TV Tonight. Retrieved 15 July 2017.
- "Australia & New Zealand". SonLife Broadcasting Network. Retrieved 15 July 2017.
- SC Ten goes local in Shepparton, TalkingTelevision.au, 8 March 2011
- "Nine News To Launch 15 Regional News Bulletins". Southern Cross Austereo. 7 November 2016. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
- "Nine names TV news man to battle WIN, Prime local bulletins in regions". The Sydney Morning Herald. Sydney. 16 August 2016. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
- "Vanessa O'Hanlon revealed as Nine's Canberra news bulletin host". The Canberra Times. Canberra. 8 November 2016. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
- McIlwain, Kate (8 November 2016). "Three new faces of Nine's regional news revealed". Illawarra Mercury. Wollongong. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
- "Southern Cross Austereo and Nine to start regional TV bulletins". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 7 November 2016. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
- Knox, David (17 March 2020). "Nine News suspends regional bulletins". TV Tonight. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
- "TransTV Channel Lineup". TransACT. Archived from the original on 20 August 2007. Retrieved 19 August 2007.
- "Neighbourhood Cable Channel Lineup". Neighbourhood Cable. Retrieved 19 August 2007.