Network 10 licensee warns of TV’s future as regional audiences face cuts

MOUNT GAMBIER (SOUTH AUSTRALIA), RIVERLAND (SOUTH AUSTRALIA), GRIFFITH (NEW SOUTH WALES), MURRUMBIDGEE IRRIGATION AREA (NEW SOUTH WALES), MILDURA (VICTORIA), AUSTRALIA, 4 OCTOBER 2026 —

Regional Australia’s free-to-air TV landscape shrinks further as Network 10 exits Mount Gambier, Riverland and Griffith after WIN Network pulls the plug on Friday, October 9, leaving audiences in three key markets without terrestrial access to the commercial broadcaster’s main channels.

WIN Network confirmed in a statement that it will cease broadcasting Network 10’s three channels—10, 10 Drama, and 10 Comedy—in Mount Gambier (South Australia), the Riverland region (SA), Griffith (New South Wales), and the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area (NSW) at midnight on October 9. The decision comes after WIN and Network 10 failed to reach a new commercial agreement despite months of talks, ending a temporary arrangement that had kept the channels on air since July.

Under that deal, Network 10 had provided its feed to WIN free of charge while both parties explored a sustainable model.

WIN’s spokesperson framed the shutdown as an unavoidable business reality, citing the "high transmission and infrastructure costs" of regional broadcasting alongside "digital disruption" that has eroded audiences and advertising revenue. "These economics will continue to make it challenging to maintain services across regional Australia," the statement read, adding that the company recognised the disappointment for viewers and thanked them for their understanding.

Network 10’s response echoed WIN’s assessment, with a spokesperson acknowledging that the licensee held the broadcast licences for the affected regions and that "continuing to operate them is no longer commercially viable." The network directed viewers to alternative access via its online streaming platform and mobile app, though terrestrial loss in these markets means many rural audiences—particularly those without reliable broadband—will lose local broadcast access entirely.

This is not the first time regional viewers have faced such disruptions. In 2024, audiences in Mildura, Victoria, lost Network 10 channels when Mildura Digital Television (MDT), the local broadcaster carrying the network’s signal, was shut down by co-owners Seven and WIN. The networks cited "unprofitability" as the reason, with MDT operating at a loss since its inception.

Similarly, Seven’s channels in the same regions were briefly pulled last year after WIN and Seven failed to renew their agreement, leading to a multi-day blackout where viewers saw red screens announcing the channels were "no longer available" before they were later restored.

The Australian government has framed the issue as a commercial matter, with a spokesperson stating that broadcasters must explain the decisions to their communities. However, the government has signalled support for the sector through measures like the deferral of the Commercial Broadcasting Tax, which is expected to deliver $111.3 million in savings for broadcasters. Public consultation is currently underway to explore "sustainable ways" to preserve free-to-air TV, though no concrete policy changes have been announced.

For now, the immediate impact is clear: Mount Gambier, the Riverland, Griffith, and the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area will lose terrestrial Network 10 from Friday, adding to the growing list of regional markets where free-to-air options are disappearing. The shutdown underscores the broader challenges facing Australia’s broadcasting industry, where declining revenues and rising costs are forcing networks to prioritise profitability over universal coverage.