Fears for Channel 10’s future in two huge Australian states have emerged after the network shut down in a major city over the weekend.
Ten stopped airing live in Mildura, Victoria, at midnight on Sunday in a huge blow to its media network Network 10, with the move prompting outrage from locals.
Now, fears have emerged for Ten’s future in both Tasmania and the Northern Territory amid issues with falling advertising revenue and rising costs.
After the shock Mildura news, Ten’s own show The Project shared its fears that similar shutdowns could take place around Australia in a shock ripple effect.
The chat show claimed the Northern Territory and Tasmania could be next in the firing line, alongside with areas in regional Western Australia.
‘It’s feared Mildura is just the tip of the iceberg, and similar signal shutdowns could happen across Australia, threatening jobs, and access to local content, news and sport,’ the long-running panel show said, according to Yahoo!.
‘And next in the firing line? Regional WA, the NT and all of Tasmania.’
Network 10 doesn’t own its regional stations and instead relies on distribution from joint-venture operations.
Fears for Channel 10’s future in two huge Australian states have emerged after the network shut down in a major city over the weekend (pictured: The Project hosts)
The media company called on the government’s help to prevent the switch-off, but was forced to stop broadcasting in Mildura on Sunday in a huge blow to locals.
The switch-off in the came due to the collapse of its venture operator run by Seven and the WIN Network
Locals were quick to speak out about the decision to switch off the free-to-air signal to the area, which is home to 60,000 people.
Fans who live in the regional city and its environs no longer have access to Ten or its BOLD and Peach channels, after Mildura Digital TV joint licence holders WIN TV and Seven opted to discontinue the station after 18 years.
Local viewers complained that the decision isolates fans who don’t have smart TVs or aren’t tech-savvy, since Network 10 content will only be available online via 10Play.
Meanwhile, other fans are mourning the loss of some of Ten’s hugely popular shows like MasterChef, Australian Survivor and Have You Been Paying Attention?.
‘I feel sad for the region not just myself,’ Elizabeth – a resident in the Mildura area – told TV Tonight about the switch off.
Another local, called Nikki, added: ‘On a social scale, it affects those who can’t afford smart TVs and internet connections the most.
Locals around the Mildura region on the NSW and Victoria border have spoken out about the decision by Network 10 to switch off its Free-to-Air signal to the area. Pictured: Jonathan LaPaglia, host of Network 10’s Australian Survivor
‘And those who aren’t digitally savvy. It reinforces both social and geographic disadvantage in our region.’
TV Tonight also spoke to resident Cindy, who said the ‘s decision was a ‘shame’ and pointed out that for years, Channel Nine was the only commercial station available in the area.
‘And it was only in my early 20s that we even got Channel Seven,’ she added.
From Sunday fans who live in the regional city of Mildura (pictured) and its environs will no longer have access to Channel 10 or its BOLD and Peach channels. Viewers in the area have complained that the decision will isolate fans who don’t have smart TVs and can’t afford the internet since Network 10 content will only be available via 10Play
Residents in the region will still have access to Network 10 content via 10Play.
But some locals have argued that internet speeds around Mildura, which is 541kms from Melbourne, are not always reliable and say watching live is their best option.
Last month, Network 10 called on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for ‘urgent’ assistance to help prevent the switch off.
In May, Mildura Digital Television, a Network 10 affiliate owned by Seven West Media and WIN Corporation announced they were shutting down on June 30.
Fans who live in the region told TV Tonight on Friday that they will mourn the loss of Network 10’s hits like MasterChef (pictured), Australian Survivor and Have You Been Paying Attention?
TV Tonight’s reports reveals that for years Channel Nine was the only commercial station available in the area which is home to 60,000 people. Pictured: Network 10 hit Have you Been Paying Attention?
‘We remain bitterly disappointed that the people of Mildura won’t have the same access to all free-to-air broadcast channels as people living in cities,’ a Network 10 spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia on Friday.
‘This is grossly unfair for those people but also for all regional Australians,’ they continued.
‘We continue to call on the Federal Government to intervene and ensure that every Australian, no matter where they live or how much they earn, has the same access to all local free to air TV broadcast channels and the local content they love and enjoy such as vital news and emergency information, epic sports, comedies and entertainment.
‘It’s also a reality check for the Federal Government who must listen and act now to update the impending prominence laws to ensure every connected TV in Australian homes today and in the future, has local free to air apps like 10 Play automatically downloaded and easily accessible on screens.’
Residents in the region will have access to Network 10 content like MasterChef via 10Play (pictured). But some locals say that internet speeds around Mildura, which is 541kms from Melbourne, are not always reliable
Chris Halios-Lewis, Mildura Digital Television’s chairman and WIN’s chief financial officer explained that the decision to switch off was down to commercial reasons.
‘The state of the regional advertising market means MDT is unable to justify the cross subsidy of delivering Ten programs to the Mildura television market,’ the Australian Financial Review reported in May.
He added: ‘Without the subsidy provided by the joint venture owners, MDT will be insolvent and no longer a going concern.’
Daily Mail Australia has approached WIN and Network 10 for comment.
The larger future of the embattled 10 Network is uncertain as it continues to bleed television shows, amid sliding ratings and an ad revenue crisis, reports news.com.au.
Also in May on-air talent Dave Hughes and Osher Günsberg publicly confirmed two of Channel Ten’s biggest reality TV shows, The Masked Singer and The Bachelor, have been axed from the network.
Günsberg confirmed on 2DAY FM’s Hughesy, Ed & Erin on Tuesday morning that his two programs have no plans to return to screens anytime soon.
