Originally published May 23, 2015
MILDURA is now the largest regional centre in Victoria without a local TV news service after WIN Television aired its final Mildura-based bulletin last night.
Network management this week made the shock decision to cut the service and end the long-running Mildura-based news service which covered the entire Sunraysia district and the northern Mallee.
The networks’ general manager met staff on Thursday to notify them of the decision, with all staff except the bureau chief offered redundancies.
Staff were told to apply for vacancies at other WIN bureaus in regional Victoria, with network management saying it remained committed to its regional news services.
WIN Network chief executive Andrew Lancaster said a need to cut costs forced the network to axe its local service in Mildura, as well as the service in the central Queensland city of Mackay.
“In a media environment that has its challenges and is faced with constantly increasing program supply and infrastructure costs as well as a lack of regulatory reform, we need to continue to review our operating model to ensure the ongoing success of WIN as a business,” he said.
“Our first priority will be working with the staff impacted by the closures to redeploy them into other roles across the network.”
The network pulled the local news social media profiles yesterday before the final bulletin was broadcast at 7pm.
Federal Member for Farrer Sussan Ley said in Wentworth yesterday she was shocked to hear the fate of the local bulletin and would discuss the decision with the network’s top brass.
“I will be talking to WIN management and making my displeasure known,” she said.
Ms Ley said NSW communities in Sunraysia would be hit hard by the loss, as the Sunraysia WIN bureau catered for the community, while any other Victorian news service would present content largely irrelevant to those on the northern side of the border.
Mildura Mayor Glenn Milne said he was concerned the loss of the region’s only localised TV news service could impact on events held in Sunraysia and the local economy.
“It’s almost as if somebody’s decided to cut us off the map. If anything happens here, are Channel 9 going to send a cameraman to cover it?” he said.
“I really feel for the staff because they’re fantastic young people who work really hard.”
A spokesperson was unaware what programming would replace the Mildura news bulletin in the 7pm slot, and did not know whether the network had plans for its Deakin Avenue premises.
STV8 was the first television station to open in Mildura, back in 1965.
The Sunraysia station later linked up with VIC-TV and later Wollongong-based regional broadcaster WIN Television.
The station broadcast the region’s only local news service , with journalists and a camera crew based at the Deakin Avenue office.
New anchors and the weather presenter were based at the network’s regional Victorian head office at Ballarat.
