WIN Wollongong Symphony Orchestra
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Television broadcasting |
| Founded | March 18, 1962 in Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia |
| Founder | Television Wollongong Transmission Limited (TWT) |
| Headquarters | Wollongong , Australia |
Area served | Regional Australia |
Key people | Bruce Gordon (owner of WIN Corporation) |
| Products | Television broadcasting, WIN News |
| Owner | WIN Corporation |
WIN Television is an Australian TV network owned by WIN Corporation, headquartered in Wollongong, New South Wales. The network commenced broadcasting on 18 March 1962 as a single station serving the Wollongong area. Since then, the WIN Network has grown significantly to serve a wide range of regional Australian markets. Its name, WIN, originates from its initial station, Wollongong's WIN-4.
WIN maintains a content supply agreement with metropolitan broadcaster Nine Network, covering regional stations across Queensland, southern and western New South Wales, Griffith, regional Victoria, Mildura, Tasmania, eastern South Australia, and regional Western Australia. Additionally, WIN produces and airs local half-hour weeknight news bulletins in Queensland, southern New South Wales, Victoria, and Tasmania under the brand WIN News.
Regional services
WIN retransmits metropolitan network programming into numerous regional Australian areas through its broadcast licences, detailed as follows:
| Licence area | Affiliation | Call sign |
|---|---|---|
| Southern New South Wales Australian Capital Territory |
Nine Network | WIN |
| Griffith | Seven Network | MTN |
| Nine Network | AMN | |
| Network 10 | MDN[lower-alpha 1] | |
| Regional Queensland | Nine Network | RTQ |
| Eastern South Australia | Seven Network | SES/RTS |
| Nine Network | SDS/RDS | |
| Network 10 | MGS/LRS | |
| Tasmania | Nine Network | TVT |
| Network 10 | TDT[lower-alpha 2] | |
| Mildura | Nine Network | STV |
| Network 10 | MDV (Ceased transmission on 30 June 2024.)[lower-alpha 3] | |
| Regional Victoria | Nine Network | VTV |
| Regional Western Australia | Nine Network | WOW |
| Network 10 | GDW, SDW, VDW, WDW[lower-alpha 4] |
Founding years in Wollongong
Television Wollongong Transmission Limited (TWT) was established on 4 October 1955 by a group of local entrepreneurs. Five years later, it secured a broadcasting licence for the Illawarra and South Coast regions on VHF channel 4 under the callsign WIN, representing "Wollongong Illawarra New South Wales."
1980–1999: Growth through aggregation and acquisitions
Throughout this era, WIN expanded its reach by acquiring stations across Victoria, Queensland, and New South Wales. In 1984, it became the first regional broadcaster to offer stereo sound transmission. The network’s strong affiliation with the Nine Network ensured its role as the southern New South Wales affiliate during aggregation in March 1989. This phase included launching new stations in Canberra, Orange, Bathurst, Dubbo, and Wagga Wagga alongside the development of studios in strategic locations. Aggregation also introduced competition from Prime7 and Southern Cross Ten.
In 1990, WIN acquired Star TV in Queensland, which operated stations in Rockhampton (RTQ) and Darling Downs (DDQ and SDQ), shortly before aggregation took effect. Although Star TV had initially intended to affiliate with Network Ten, WIN capitalized on its existing relationship with the Nine Network to secure that affiliation instead.
The acquisition of ENT Limited in 1994 extended WIN’s presence into regional Victoria and Tasmania. Stations previously known as Television Victoria and TasTV were rebranded under the WIN Television banner. In 1998, WIN further expanded by purchasing Griffith’s MTN-9 and AMN-31 stations; due to prior affiliations, this integration proceeded smoothly.
On 26 March 1999, WIN became the second commercial network in regional Western Australia after winning a rights tender in 1997. Before this, GWN7—affiliated with the Seven Network—held a monopoly in that market. WIN offered programming from both Nine and Ten networks but trailed GWN7 in ratings; a survey conducted in 2006 showed WIN capturing a 34.7% share of prime-time viewers compared to GWN’s 65.3%.
Also in 1999, WIN acquired South Australian stations SES-8 Mount Gambier and RTS-5a Riverland, branding them as WIN SA. In 2002 supplementary licences facilitated the launch of WIN Ten services in these regions using MGS and LRS call signs. This arrangement allowed SES/RTS to maintain exclusive affiliation with Nine until a supply deal with Seven commenced in 2007.
Beyond its flagship weeknightly WIN News bulletin, the network has produced locally relevant content including former current affairs programs such as Roving Eye and Sunday Review. During the mid-1990s, it also covered rugby league matches featuring teams like the North Queensland Cowboys during their inaugural ARL season in 1995.
2000–2016: Affiliation with Nine
Shortly after the metropolitan launch of digital television in January 2001, WIN Television commenced the rollout of digital broadcasting. Pursuant to Section 38A of the Broadcasting Services Act, WIN collaborated with other broadcasters to establish additional digital-only affiliates for Network Ten. This included Tasmania's Tasmanian Digital Television (TDT) in 2003, a joint venture with Southern Cross Broadcasting, and Mildura Digital Television (MDV) in 2006, formed alongside Prime Media Group.
On 30 May 2007, WIN finalized the acquisition of NWS from Southern Cross Broadcasting for A$105 million. This was followed by the purchase of STW Perth from Sunraysia Television on 8 June 2007 for A$163.1 million. Although WIN owned Nine Perth, it continued airing Ten Perth's news programming until August 2007 when Ten West commenced operations.
Mid-2007 saw tensions arise between WIN and the Nine Network after PBL Media, Nine's parent company, sought to claim 40% of WIN’s advertising revenue in exchange for programming rights. Under Bruce Gordon’s leadership, WIN Corporation resisted this demand, proposing a payment rate of 29%, consistent with arrangements held by competitors such as Prime7 and Southern Cross Ten. Gordon, leveraging his experience with Paramount Pictures, even threatened to terminate the affiliation and pursue independent programming. Consequently, on 16 August 2007, WIN removed major Nine shows including Mornings with Kerri-Anne and National Nine News: Morning Edition. Subsequently, WIN secured a content agreement with the rival Seven Network for its regional South Australian station starting October 2007. This was complemented by locally produced programs like Alive and Cooking, Susie, and syndicated content such as The Ellen DeGeneres Show. Additionally, WIN developed original local content including Fishing Australia. Two years later, Nine programming returned to regional South Australia through the supplementary channel WIN SA, which relayed NWS Adelaide.
On 9 August 2009, WIN launched the digital channel GO! on channel 88 across Southern New South Wales, Regional Victoria, Tasmania, and Regional Queensland. The channel expanded its reach to Mildura in 2010 and regional South Australia in 2011.
In June 2010, WIN transferred its playout facilities from Wollongong to a newly established Media Hub in Ingleburn, a site co-owned with ABC Television.
Starting on 26 September 2010, WIN began transmitting the HD digital channel GEM (now known as 9Gem) on channel 80 throughout its primary markets.
On 1 May 2012, the company introduced Gold, an SD infomercial channel on channel 84. This was followed by the launch of Gold2, a timeshift service for Gold, on 13 July 2013.
After Nine launched its own channels 9HD and 9Life in November 2015, WIN commenced test transmissions on channels 85 and 86 in February 2016. Both channels officially went live on 1 March 2016. The channel lineup was then reorganized to mirror Nine’s metropolitan schedule: with 9Gem moving to channel 82, followed by 9Go! on channel 83, then 9Life on channel 84, Extra on channel 85, and Gold occupying channel 86.
Throughout its partnership with Nine, WIN consistently maintained its regional news service under the banner WIN News across most regions despite ongoing financial pressures from Nine’s demands that threatened its viability. By the year 2016, only twelve news bulletins were being produced and presented.
2016–2021: A Decade of Affiliation Changes
In January 2016, following the launch of Nine's online catch-up and live streaming platform 9Now, WIN initiated legal action against Nine, claiming that streaming content into regional markets violated their exclusive affiliation contract. However, the NSW Supreme Court dismissed this lawsuit in April 2016, determining that the agreement did not extend to internet streaming and thus did not prohibit Nine from offering such services.
After this judicial setback, Nine secured a substantial five-year, $500 million program supply contract with Southern Cross Austereo, the affiliate of Network Ten. As a result, Southern Cross-operated stations across Southern NSW, ACT, Victoria, and Queensland transitioned to Nine affiliation starting 1 July 2016, effectively ending WIN’s 27-year relationship with Nine. Subsequently, WIN negotiated a new affiliation deal with Network 10, in which Bruce Gordon held a significant interest, finalizing the arrangement by May 2016. Beginning July 2016, WIN began broadcasting Network Ten content across regional Queensland, Southern NSW, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia, and Western Australia.
Delays in finalizing additional station agreements occurred due to payment disputes with Nine but were resolved shortly before deadlines for regions including South Australia, Griffith, Tasmania, and Western Australia. These developments led to a restructuring of WIN’s channel numbering and programming schedules.
In early 2017, discussions for WIN to acquire Northern NSW station NRN from Southern Cross Austereo in exchange for Wollongong’s radio station i98FM were unsuccessful. Nevertheless, WIN proceeded to purchase NRN outright for $55 million in March 2017; the transaction closed in May 2017. By September 2017, NRN was rebranded under the WIN banner, aligning its operational practices and channel numbering with WIN’s other outlets.
May 2018 saw WIN announce a content supply partnership with the Australian News Channel to launch a free-to-air channel featuring Sky News Australia programming. This channel debuted in September 2018 as Sky News on WIN, blending Sky News and Fox Sports News (Australia) content alongside WIN’s regional news offerings.
Ahead of this launch in August 2018, WIN transitioned TVSN to MPEG-4 standard definition format. In October 2018, coinciding with Network Ten’s rebranding efforts, WIN refreshed its logo and renamed its multi-channels One and Eleven to WIN Boss (later WIN Bold) and WIN Peach, respectively.
In March 2021, WIN trialed upgrading its Illawarra broadcast to MPEG-4 high definition but reverted to MPEG-2 standard definition by May due to viewer feedback concerning reception difficulties.
2021–Present: Reestablishing Nine Affiliation
On 12 March 2021, Nine secured a new seven-year program supply agreement with WIN Network covering regional Australia from 1 July 2021 onward. This replaced Southern Cross Austereo’s affiliation with Nine and saw Southern Cross revert to broadcasting Network Ten content. Under this contract, WIN remits approximately half of its broadcast advertising revenue to Nine Entertainment Co., along with providing advertising slots across WIN’s television and radio platforms. Additionally, WIN assumed responsibility for advertising sales on Nine’s owned regional stations NBN and NTD. Nine CEO Hugh Marks emphasized the strategic importance of extending premium content reach through WIN and collaborating on both national and local news services. For the first time under this agreement, WIN broadcasts Nine programming under Nine branding conventions; multichannel lineups were adjusted with 9Gem on channel 81, 9Go! on 82, and 9Life on 83; meanwhile TVSN and Gold remained on channels 84 and 85. Despite this return to affiliation, the iconic "nine dots" logo was not reinstated. Notably, WIN continues airing Network Ten programming in northern New South Wales.
On 18 March 2022, WIN Television celebrated six decades of broadcasting service in Wollongong and the Illawarra region.
By 16 June 2022, WIN upgraded Nine’s multichannels 9Gem and 9Go! to MPEG-4 SD format in Tasmania through its TVT station.
On 22 March 2023, WIN announced intentions to transition all remaining MPEG-2 channels to MPEG-4 within that calendar year. By May and June of 2023, most regions had completed upgrades for channels 9Gem and 9Go! to MPEG-4 SD except Tasmania, Western Australia, and Northern NSW. On 27 July 2023, most areas saw an upgrade of channel 9Gem to MPEG-4 HD excluding Northern NSW and Western Australia. In November 2023, Northern NSW experienced upgrades of channels 10 Bold and 10 Peach from MPEG-2 to MPEG-4 formats. On 6 December 2023, channel 9Go! was elevated to MPEG-4 HD in most WIN markets except Western Australia and Northern NSW.
On 13 February 2025, following its acquisition of Southern Cross Austereo’s Ten-affiliated stations, Network Ten announced the purchase of WIN’s NRN station serving Northern NSW and the Gold Coast. This transaction was finalized on 1 May 2025.
Programming
WIN Television holds affiliations with all three primary Australian commercial networks. It operates as the exclusive Nine Network partner throughout its broadcast regions, while also maintaining affiliations with the Seven Network in areas such as Griffith, New South Wales, and eastern South Australia. Additionally, it partners with Network 10 in Griffith, eastern South Australia, Mildura (through a joint venture), and regional Western Australia. Alongside network content, WIN enhances its schedule by offering regional programming, prominently featuring its signature local news service, WIN News.
Over the years, WIN has been responsible for producing significant programs including Sportsview and Sportsworld, which focused on sports coverage at multiple levels. Its early lineup featured children’s shows like The Channel 4 Club and Stopwatch, as well as educational series such as You Say the Word, aimed at assisting non-English-speaking immigrants. Entertainment offerings included Variety Italian Style and the briefly aired Tonight Show. To celebrate its 21st anniversary in 1983, WIN created a retrospective special and later co-produced the telemovie Last Chance in 1986. The children’s program Goodsports was broadcast from 1991 until 2000.
Current Australian productions on WIN include titles like Fishing Australia and Alive and Cooking. In 2007, WIN introduced the midday show Susie, which was subsequently shifted to a morning slot before concluding in 2009. The network also airs exclusive international and domestic programs such as The Ellen DeGeneres Show. Since 2021, WIN has provided a direct feed from the Nine Network, excluding local WIN News content.
By 2023, local programming within the WIN Network has been reduced to half-hour editions of local WIN News bulletins for Nine-affiliated stations serving Regional Queensland, Southern New South Wales, Griffith, Regional Victoria, and Tasmania.
News and current affairs
WIN News serves as WIN Television’s primary local news operation, producing fourteen regional bulletins along with updates from studios located in Wollongong and staffed by reporters stationed across various regions. It competes in numerous markets against rivals such as Seven News and Nightly News.
Since its inception in 1962 at the Wollongong station, WIN has consistently provided independent news coverage. Beyond its nightly bulletins, the network has developed current affairs programs including the community-oriented Roving Eye and the weekly summary show Sunday Review. Previously, WIN broadcasted WIN's All Australian News, a highlights compilation drawn from regional bulletins that aired on weekdays at 7am and late at night; this program was discontinued in June 2021 following modifications to WIN’s affiliation agreement with Nine.
Sport
On stations affiliated with Nine in Southern NSW, Griffith, Regional Queensland, Victoria, Mildura, Tasmania, Eastern South Australia, and Regional Western Australia, WIN transmits sports content from Nine's Wide World of Sports. Stations linked to Network 10 in Griffith, Mildura, Regional WA, and Eastern South Australia carry 10 Sport. Meanwhile, Seven-affiliated stations located in Griffith, Mount Gambier, and the Riverland air Seven Sport coverage.
Availability
WIN Television delivers its content through free-to-air terrestrial transmitters located in key regional hubs, as well as via free-to-view satellite on the Viewer Access Satellite Television (VAST) platform covering regional and remote areas of Western Australia. Additionally, WIN News is accessible on VAST for isolated regions in Central and Eastern Australia, including terrestrial blackspots.
Subscription cable services are supplied by TransACT within the Australian Capital Territory and by Neighbourhood Cable in the cities of Ballarat and Mildura.
WIN operates a broad network of owned-and-operated stations that serve extensive parts of regional and remote Australia. These include RTQ in Queensland, WIN covering Southern New South Wales and the ACT, VTV in Victoria, TVT in Tasmania, MTN Griffith, STV Mildura, as well as SES Mount Gambier, RTS Riverland, and WOW in Western Australia.
WIN HD
WIN HD, the high-definition channel operated by WIN, was initially launched on 17 March 2008 as a companion channel to Nine Network’s 9HD. It broadcasts in 1080i HD quality across regional stations such as RTQ Queensland, WIN Southern NSW & ACT, VTV Victoria, and TVT Tasmania. At first, it featured separate programming until 3 August 2009 when it transitioned into a full simulcast of the standard-definition channel in HD. This service was discontinued on 26 September 2010 with the introduction of the HD multi-channel GEM, now known as 9Gem.
On 10 February 2016, WIN declared plans to revive its own HD simulcast following Nine Network’s reestablishment of 9HD. WIN HD recommenced broadcasting on 1 March 2016; however, technical difficulties caused delayed rollouts in four areas: Griffith, Mildura, Eastern South Australia, and Regional Western Australia.
After WIN entered into a new programming supply agreement effective from 1 July 2016—coinciding with changes to its network affiliations—the channel’s lineup was revised accordingly. The WIN HD service ceased transmission on 30 June 2021 following the renewal of WIN’s contract with Nine Network. Since then, WIN has been retransmitting Nine Network’s 9HD across its affiliated stations.
External links
Cite error: <ref> tags exist for a group named "lower-alpha", but no corresponding <references group="lower-alpha"/> tag was found