SAS (TV station)
| Company type | Television broadcaster |
|---|---|
| Industry | Broadcasting |
| Predecessor | SA Telecasters (SAS-10) |
| Founded | July 26, 1965 in Adelaide, South Australia, Australia |
| Headquarters | Hindmarsh, Adelaide , Australia |
Area served | South Australia |
Key people | Mark Mooney (news director) |
| Products | Television broadcasting, news production |
| Owner | Seven Network (implied affiliation) |
| Parent | Seven Network |
SAS, previously known as SAS-7 and SAS-10, operates as a television broadcaster based in Adelaide, South Australia, affiliated with the Seven Network.
History
Initially launched as SAS-10 on 26 July 1965 under the name SA Telecasters, the station was originally linked to the network that evolved into Network Ten. During the early 1970s, ownership transferred to Perth's TVW-7, resulting in shared promotional campaigns between the two stations. In 1982, both SAS and TVW were acquired by the Bell Group.
A significant change occurred on 27 December 1987 when SAS-10 and the Seven Network’s original Adelaide partner ADS-7 exchanged their channel numbers and network affiliations: ADS transitioned to channel 10, while SAS moved to channel 7, thereby standardizing network alignment across Australia. At that time, ADS was under the ownership of Kerry Stokes, who also controlled NEW-10 and Capital Television. Following this switch, SAS adopted the slogan On the Move, accompanied by a bespoke music video celebrating the change.
In 1988, SAS was divested by Bell Group and purchased by Qintex, bringing it into a consolidated group with other Seven stations in major cities. The station commemorated its 40th anniversary in 2005 with a special broadcast titled "Made in Adelaide 40 Years of Television".
During its SAS-10 period, the station produced notable children’s programming such as Fat Cat and Friends, The Early Bird Show, Crackerjack, and Romper Room. Music shows included Time, Trax, and Simulrock, while local variety talent programs featured Adelaide’s versions of New Faces and Pot Luck. The daytime series Touch of Elegance also enjoyed popularity. Actor Hedley Cullen gained recognition as horror host Deadly Earnest, a character familiar to audiences in Western Australia as well.
Between 1973 and 1989, SAS organized annual Christmas Appeal telethons. For the inaugural Bay to Birdwood vintage car event, SAS provided promotional coverage and produced a documentary following the run. Additionally, SA Telecasters created the documentary On location with Robbery Under Arms, which was included as a DVD extra for the film featuring Sam Neill.
The game show Wheel of Fortune began production at ADS-7 studios in July 1981 on the Seven Network. After the 1987 channel swap, production moved to SAS studios until July 1996 when it relocated to Sydney’s ATN-7, continuing there until its cancellation in 2006. Other programs retained post-switch included Fat Cat and Friends, which ran until 1992, and Trax, which continued until 1990.
As of June 2022, SAS is responsible for producing Discover alongside its local edition of Seven News. From 1995 through to 2019, it also produced a regional version of Today Tonight, which consistently achieved higher ratings than its national competitor, A Current Affair.
The final broadcasts of both Seven News and Today Tonight from the Gilberton studios in North Adelaide took place on 14 December 2007. Subsequently, operations were relocated to new facilities situated at Hindmarsh on Port Road and Adam Street.
In 2015, SAS-7 marked its Golden Jubilee celebration.
Current in-house productions
- Seven News (Adelaide edition)
- Seven Afternoon News (Adelaide edition)
Previous in-house productions
- Control Freaks (2001–2003)
- The Book Place (1991–2003)
- Wheel of Fortune (1988–1996)
- Fat Cat and Friends (1972–1987 on SAS-10, 1988–1991 on SAS-7)
- Simulrock (1980s, in partnership with SAFM)
- Christmas Telethon
- You Don't Say (1982)
- The Today Show (1960s)
- Romper Room (1965–1974)
- Bobo The Clown (1960s)
- Earlybirds (1970s)
- Touch of Elegance (1968–1990s)
- AM Adelaide
- Today Tonight (1995–2019)
AFL season
Throughout the Australian Football League season, Seven News maintains its usual Saturday or Sunday time slot during Fox Footy broadcasts of twilight matches featuring the Adelaide and/or Port Adelaide teams. In earlier years, the bulletin was scheduled at half-time, substituting the match analysis segment from Fox Footy. Additionally, SAS televises South Australian National Football League games during the football season.
News and current affairs
Under the direction of Mark Mooney, Seven News Adelaide is anchored by Rosanna Mangiarelli and Will Goodings on weeknights, with Mike Smithson presenting on weekends from Seven’s studios located in Hindmarsh. Weeknight sports coverage is delivered by Mark Soderstrom, while Bruce Abernethy handles weekend sports segments. Weather updates are provided by Amelia Mulcahy during weekdays and Gertie Spurling on weekends.
The Adelaide news bulletin is simultaneously broadcast to regional areas of South Australia through Southern Cross Television’s GTS/BKN stations serving the Spencer Gulf and Broken Hill, as well as via WIN South Australia in the Riverland and Mount Gambier/South East districts.
From 1989 until 2004, weeknight bulletins were presented by Graeme Goodings, who retired after a distinguished 34-year tenure. Before 27 December 1987, the production team was responsible for Ten News Adelaide, but a realignment of networks and affiliations in Adelaide led to channel changes.
In December 2007, operations shifted from Gilberton to a newly constructed studio facility in Hindmarsh designed specifically for broadcasting needs.
During AFL twilight matches involving Adelaide or Port Adelaide, weekend news editions are either shortened at half-time or scheduled after the conclusion of the game.
In 2014, Seven News Adelaide dominated every weeknight ratings slot against competitor Nine News Adelaide. However, starting in 2015, it experienced some losses amid an overall decline in viewership. By March 2019, it had recorded an impressive streak of 500 consecutive weekly ratings victories dating back to August 2006.
Jane Doyle celebrated three decades as a presenter in August 2019. Following John Riddell’s retirement in December 2019, Doyle continued as the sole anchor.
In June 2020, Jessica Adamson and Tim Noonan were made redundant; concurrently, the weekday 4pm bulletin was cancelled but later reinstated within the year. Rosanna Mangiarelli took over weekend presenting duties from Adamson. These adjustments impacted ratings performance, allowing Nine News to narrow the gap significantly.
In September 2022, Will Goodings from FIVEAA succeeded Mike Smithson as weekend co-anchor.
Jane Doyle retired in November 2022 after more than thirty years with the network; subsequently, Will Goodings and Rosanna Mangiarelli assumed co-presenter roles starting January 2023.
Relief presenters for news include Mike Smithson, Andrea Nicolas, and Elspeth Hussey; sport fill-ins are Bruce Abernethy and Andrew Hayes; weather stand-ins include Gertie Spurling and Casey Treloar. News updates are delivered either by main presenters or their substitutes.
As of , Seven continues to hold its position as South Australia’s premier news provider based in Adelaide.
Presenters
| Position | Broadcast Days | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday | |
| News | Will Goodings (2023–present) Rosanna Mangiarelli (2023–present) |
Mike Smithson (2021–22; 2023–present) | |||||
| Sport | Mark Soderstrom (2020–present) | Bruce Abernethy (2020–present) | |||||
| Weather | Amelia Mulcahy (2013–present) | Gertie Spurling (2021–present) | |||||