10 (Southern Cross Austereo)
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Television broadcasting |
| Predecessor | Southern Cross Network |
| Founded | 1961 |
| Fate | Sold to Network 10 and Seven West Media (2025) |
| Headquarters | Canberra , Australia |
Area served | Regional Queensland, southern New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory, regional Victoria, Spencer Gulf, Broken Hill |
| Owner | Southern Cross Austereo (until 2025) |
| Parent | Southern Cross Austereo |
10 was a regional Australian television network operated by Southern Cross Austereo (SCA), providing service across areas including regional Queensland, southern New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory, regional Victoria, the Spencer Gulf, and Broken Hill. It functioned as the main affiliate of Network 10 within these territories.
On 17 December 2024, Southern Cross Austereo revealed plans to sell its regional television licenses covering Queensland, Southern NSW/ACT, and Victoria to Network 10, with the deal finalized on 1 March 2025.
Origins
The Southern Cross network began as a collection of three regional Victorian stations: GLV-10 in Gippsland, BCV-8 in Bendigo, and STV-8 in Mildura. GLV holds the distinction of being Australia's inaugural regional TV station, launching in December 1961, followed by BCV and STV shortly thereafter. In 1980, GLV-10 changed to GLV-8 due to frequency reallocations in Melbourne. The network initially branded itself as Southern Cross TV8 starting in 1982 before rebranding to Southern Cross Network in 1989. Soon after, STV-8 departed from the network following its acquisition by businessman Alan Bond and subsequently ENT Limited.
1992–2016: 10 affiliation
The aggregation of regional Victoria in 1992 positioned VIC Television as a Nine Network affiliate and Prime Television as a Seven Network affiliate, which led Southern Cross to align with Network Ten. The network underwent several rebrands including SCN and later Ten Victoria, adopting Network Ten's branding across multiple regions such as Ten Capital, Ten Northern NSW, and Ten Queensland.
In 1994, Southern Cross Broadcasting acquired Canberra's Capital Television and rebranded it as Ten Capital. The network further expanded in 2001 by purchasing Telecasters Australia, incorporating Ten Queensland and Ten Northern NSW into its portfolio, while Telecasters' Darwin and Central Australia stations joined Southern Cross’s Seven Network affiliate. Local news bulletins serving Canberra and parts of Queensland were discontinued in 2001, which attracted regulatory attention concerning regional news provision.
On 31 December 2003, the network extended its reach into the Spencer Gulf and Broken Hill markets under a supplementary license held by Southern Cross GTS/BKN.
In 2005, Southern Cross Ten unveiled a new logo reflecting its parent company Southern Cross Broadcasting’s identity, moving away from generic Network Ten branding. In response to regulatory recommendations, brief three-minute local news updates were introduced in 2004 across seventeen license areas, produced at the Canberra production facility.
In April 2007, Southern Cross Ten launched the datacast channel MyTalk on LCN 55. Later that year, Macquarie Media Group acquired Southern Cross Broadcasting for A$1.35 billion, with the transaction completed in November 2007. Subsequently, MyTalk ceased operations in February 2008 following the acquisition.
The network embraced digital expansion by launching Network Ten’s digital channel One HD (now known as 10 Bold) on LCN 50 in July 2009; Eleven (currently 10 Peach) on LCN 55 in January 2011; and the datacast channel TVSN on LCN 54 in December 2012. Additionally, Southern Cross Ten introduced its own datacast channel Aspire TV on LCN 56 in May 2013.
2016–2021: Partnership with Nine Entertainment
On 29 April 2016, Southern Cross Austereo entered into a five-year affiliation agreement valued at close to $500 million with Nine Entertainment Co., the proprietor of the Nine Network. This arrangement replaced WIN Television as the main regional affiliate for Nine. Effective from 1 July 2016, Southern Cross transitioned its primary network affiliation from Network Ten to Nine, adopting Nine's metropolitan branding for its Queensland, Southern New South Wales, and Victoria stations, while maintaining its existing Nine affiliation in Spencer Gulf and Broken Hill. The Northern NSW station NRN was excluded from this change due to competition from NBN Television, owned by Nine.
The affiliation switch led to a reorganization of channel lineups: Nine was assigned to channels 5 and 51, 9HD to channel 50, 9Gem (standard definition) to channel 52, 9Go! to channel 53, 9Life to channel 54, and Aspire TV to channel 56. The Spencer Gulf and Broken Hill stations preserved their current channel allocations. On 1 August 2016, TVSN was replaced by the New Zealand-based home shopping channel Yesshop.
Southern Cross initially postponed the rollout of digital channels 9HD and 9Life due to delays in equipment installation but succeeded in broadcasting 9HD from launch day and reinstated 9Life by mid-July 2016. This ensured viewers could access high-definition coverage of major events such as the State of Origin series.
On 25 July 2016, Southern Cross announced that Yesshop would be introduced as a datacast channel on channel 55 across Queensland, Southern NSW, ACT, and Victoria starting from 1 August. However, Yesshop ceased operations on 29 September 2016 following financial losses exceeding $20 million.
Following protracted negotiations, Southern Cross sold its Ten-affiliated Northern NSW station NRN to WIN Television for $55 million on 28 March 2017; the transaction was finalized on 31 May 2017. WIN commenced broadcasting its branding in the NRN region on 1 September 2017. This sale marked the end of Southern Cross’s ownership of any Ten-affiliated stations outside its exclusive presence in Spencer Gulf and Broken Hill.
On 17 July 2017, Southern Cross introduced the American religious broadcaster SonLife Broadcasting Network (SBN), owned by evangelist Jimmy Swaggart, as a datacast service. SBN was made available across regional Queensland, Southern NSW & ACT, regional Victoria (channel 55), Tasmania (channel 64), Spencer Gulf SA & Broken Hill NSW (channel 54), and Darwin (channel 74) on Southern Cross’s Nine- and Seven-affiliated stations.
2021–2024: Reverting to Network Ten Affiliation
On 12 March 2021, Nine declared it would renew its affiliation with WIN Television across most regional markets starting from 1 July 2021 under a contract extending for at least seven years. This announcement concluded Southern Cross Austereo’s five-year partnership with the Nine Network. Subsequently, on 25 June 2021, SCA and Network Ten revealed a two-year affiliation agreement covering regional Queensland, Southern New South Wales, and regional Victoria. This deal facilitated the debut of 10 Shake in regional markets on Channel 54 and launched Sky News Regional on Channel 56 beginning from 1 August 2021. To make room for Sky News Regional’s introduction, Aspire TV discontinued broadcasting on 31 July 2021.
The affiliation between SCA and Network Ten was extended until 31 December 2023 as announced on 27 June 2023. Starting from 1 July 2023, SCA commenced transmission of Ten’s datacast channel Gecko on LCN 57.
2024–present: Divestment of television stations
On 17 December 2024, Southern Cross Austereo declared its intention to sell regional television licenses in Queensland, Southern NSW/ACT, and Victoria to its affiliate, Network 10. Under this agreement, SCA is entitled to a profit share for five years following the sale. The deal was finalized on 1 March 2025.
Subsequently, on 26 February 2025, Southern Cross Austereo announced plans to divest its remaining regional television licenses, which included Nine and 10 affiliates in the Spencer Gulf and Broken Hill regions, to Australian Digital Holdings. However, after negotiations with this party did not succeed, SCA reached a new agreement with Seven West Media, owner of the Seven Network, for the acquisition of these stations. This transaction was completed on 1 July 2025, signifying Southern Cross Austereo's complete withdrawal from television broadcasting.
Programming
Southern Cross's content largely aligns with that of its metropolitan partner, Network 10, albeit with certain distinctions.
From February 2004 until January 2009, the channel broadcasted State Focus at noon on Sundays—a magazine-style program featuring interviews from regional areas. Hosts included Guy Sweeting (Southern NSW and Canberra), Mike Frame (regional Queensland), Judi Hogan (regional Victoria), and Amy Bainbridge (Northern NSW). The channel also airs infomercials that replaced Judge Judy during daytime slots until 2009 and continue to occupy some overnight hours. Additionally, locally produced shows such as Hook, Line and Sinker, Country Matters, The Hit List TV, Landed Music, The Benchwarmers Oz Made, and The Hit Rater.com have been part of the programming lineup.
Southern Cross news updates (2004–2017)
Until 2017, Southern Cross broadcast brief local news segments across its seventeen licence territories in regional Queensland, New South Wales, the ACT, and Victoria. These updates lasted between one and three minutes and aired hourly during daytime and prime time under various titles including Southern Cross News, Southern Cross Ten News, and Local News Headlines. Created at Southern Cross Austereo's Canberra studio, the segments utilized material from SCA-owned local radio stations and occasionally incorporated weather and sports reports. These updates accompanied bulletins from either 10 News First or, starting in 2016, Nine News, with each segment researched, produced, and presented by a single journalist.
Prior to the establishment of Southern Cross Ten, stations in Canberra (CTC) and North Queensland (TNQ) provided hour-long local news bulletins nightly but discontinued them in late 2001 due to budget reductions. Regional content briefly returned in March 2011 with Weeknights, a half-hour regional news magazine serving Shepparton and the Goulburn Valley; however, it was cancelled in May 2015.
Nine News Regional (2017–2021)
Following the 2016 affiliation agreement between Nine Network and Southern Cross Austereo, the previous Local News Headlines on Nine-affiliated stations were replaced by comprehensive one-hour local bulletins produced directly by Nine under the banner of Nine News. In August 2016, Nine appointed Queensland news director Mike Dalton to oversee the newly formed Nine News Regional division that launched this service in 2017.
The Nine-affiliated stations under Southern Cross receiving these bulletins included TNQ in Queensland, CTC covering Southern New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, as well as GLV/BCV in Victoria. These bulletins were created by Nine News from established studios located in Brisbane, Sydney, and Melbourne. The format resembled that of the Nine-owned NBN News bulletin by integrating international, national, and local news stories.
On 17 March 2020, production of these combined bulletins was suspended indefinitely. Correspondingly, reporters were reassigned to metropolitan newsrooms in Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane.
10 News First Local Bulletins and Sky News Partnership (2021–2025)
Upon reestablishing its affiliation with Network 10 on 1 July 2021, Southern Cross recommenced the production of local news bulletins under the 10 News First banner, marking the end of a five-year break. These segments are created at studios located in Launceston for Queensland updates and Hobart for Southern New South Wales and Victoria updates. The presenting team includes Will Boddy (covering Southern NSW and Canberra), Stacey Eldridge (Regional Queensland), and Sarah Bennallack (Regional Victoria). Typically, a single journalist produces the updates without incorporating video footage or soundbites. Substitute presenters comprise Zeke Gaffney, Stephanie Dalton, and Madeline Kerr.
In May 2021, Southern Cross Austereo (SCA) entered into a content distribution agreement with Sky News Australia to launch the free-to-air channel Sky News Regional beginning 1 August 2021. This new channel replaced the former Sky News on WIN service that was previously distributed by SCA.
Availability
Southern Cross delivers content in both standard definition and high definition, including a 1080i HD simulcast option. The network is mainly accessible through free-to-air terrestrial transmitters, with additional subscription cable availability via TransACT in the Australian Capital Territory and Neighbourhood Cable in Ballarat.
Southern Cross Austereo manages stations broadcasting Network 10 programming across significant regional areas:
- GLV and BCV serving regional Victoria
- CTC covering southern New South Wales
- TNQ in regional Queensland
- SGS located in the Spencer Gulf region of South Australia
- SCN based in Broken Hill
Logos
The initial network-wide logo introduced by Southern Cross in 2002 displayed Southern Cross beneath the Network Ten emblem. In 2005, a redesigned logo featured a blue and yellow star alongside Ten next to Southern Cross, harmonizing with branding used on its Seven-affiliated stations and other Southern Cross Broadcasting properties.
Following the change to Nine Network affiliation on 1 July 2016, the network adopted complete Nine branding. After reverting to Network 10 affiliation on 1 July 2021, it reinstated full 10 branding.