Golden West Network

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Golden West Network
Type Terrestrial and Satellite television network
Country Australia
Founded 1967
Market share 65.3% (2006)
Licence Area Remote and Regional Western Australia
Owner Prime Television Limited
Callsigns BTW-3
VEW-8
GSW-9
GTW-11
WAW
Affiliation Seven Network
Website gwn.com.au

Golden West Network (GWN) is a regional television network operating in Western Australia, servicing all areas except metropolitan Perth. GWN broadcasts in competition with WIN Television WA. There are two services that GWN operates:

  • Normal terrestrial television, and
  • A free-to-air satellite service, broadcasting to remote areas that can’t receive television by normal means.

GWN is affiliated with the Seven Network, and GWN's on-air schedule follows that of Seven Perth, including Perth's editions of Seven News and Today Tonight. GWN also broadcasts a local news service, Golden West News, at 5:30pm weeknights and its own edition of the Saturday Club with GWN's mascot, Doopa Dog.

Contents

[edit] History

GWN began as several smaller, independent stations:

GWN broadcast areas: SSW (green), VEW (blue), GTW (purple), WAW (yellow)
GWN broadcast areas: SSW (green), VEW (blue), GTW (purple), WAW (yellow)

Jack Bendat purchased South West Telecasters (BTW/GSW) in the early 1980's and changed the company’s name to Golden West Network.

On 31 October 1984, the Australian Broadcasting Tribunal started looking for companies to run a commercial television service in remote Western Australia, Christmas Island and Cocos (Keeling) Islands via satellite. GWN was granted the Remote Commercial Television License (RCTS) in June 1985[1] and the service went to air on 18 October 1986 using the call-sign WAW.

GWN expanded throughout regional Western Australia. They acquired Mid-Western Television (VEW-8 Kalgoorlie) in December 1985 for AU$7 million,[2] and Geraldton Telecasters (GTW-11) in March 1987 for an undisclosed amount.[3] The takeovers gave GWN a monopoly of all television services in regional Western Australia.

Doopa Dog, GWN's Mascot.
Doopa Dog, GWN's Mascot.

In 1987, Bendat and Kerry Stokes merged their media interests into joint company BDC Investments.[4] Later that year, Northern Star Holdings purchased BDC for AU$206 million.[5] Northern Star were forced to sell GWN to satisfy existing media regulations. GWN was sold back to Stokes in December 1988 for AU$54 million,[6] who upgraded equipment throughout the network. In April 1990, BTW and GSW stations merged to become SSW.

Stokes gained control of the Seven Network in 1995 and attempted to sell GWN to Seven in return for more shares. Seven Network shareholders agreed to the trade in April 1996, which would see Seven acquire GWN for AU$72.8 million.[7] The deal came unstuck when the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) found that a 15 year exclusive programming deal GWN made with the Nine Network was anti-competitive, and opposed the acquisition. The Seven subsequently dropped their plans to purchase GWN.[8]

Prime Television purchased GWN in November 1996 from Stokes for AU$71 million[9]. WIN Television was granted the rights to a second television licence in regional Western Australia in 1997, ending GWN's monopoly. In 1999, GWN switched their affiliation from the Nine Network to the Seven Network, in-line with Prime Television in the eastern states. As a result, WIN Television WA picked up both the Nine Network and Network Ten affiliations.[10] In 2006, GWN and WIN Television made a joint proposal for a third commercial television licence in regional Western Australia.[11]

[edit] News & Current Affairs

Golden West News
Golden West News

Golden West News (also referred to as GWN News) is the a local news service operating in regional Western Australia. The main bulletin consists of 30 minutes of news affecting people in regional WA, and runs at 5:30pm weeknights in direct competition with the Perth edition of Ten News on WIN. The bulletin is highly successful, receiving a commercial audience share of 86% in the 2006 ratings survey.[12]

The Golden West News bulletin is hosted by Noel Brunning, sport presented by Troy Hynam and weather presented by Shauna Willis or Chris Mills. Alex Cullen previously presented the sport segment for Golden West News, however transferred to Seven News Perth in November 2005. Reporters for Golden West News live in major towns in Western Australia, including Bunbury, Albany, Kalgoorlie, Geraldton, Karratha and Broome, as well as the Perth metropolitan area.

A brand new look was launched for Golden West News on July 25, 2005. This relaunched involved new graphics, opening music and a brand new set. The new look Golden West News is modelled on a red and blue theme, similar to its metropolitan news partner Seven News. The current look of Golden West News was later phased into Prime News bulletins in the eastern states.

Golden West News updates are aired in conjunction with Seven News updates on weekdays until 8:30pm, after which time only Seven News updates are aired. GWN also air a repeat of their 5:30pm bulletin at later that night at 12:30am.

Golden West News insert a minor update in to the GWN broadcast of Seven News Perth whilst Seven News airs the Speed Camera Locations for the following day. The Speed Camera Locations on Seven News only list Perth regions, and hence are not relevant to GWN viewers.

[edit] Identity

Since 1998, GWN's on-air presentation is almost identical to that of Prime, only differing in the Prime/GWN logo itself.

GWN uses the slogan "Bringing it home," as seen at the end of station IDs. The IDs are based around programs which air on GWN, and consist of a combination of 3D computer graphics and video footage from selected popular programs.

GWN also uses 'Tonight' signposts (program menu) and rating advisory screens which match the style of station IDs.

In early April 2005, GWN's on-air presentation control was moved from their Bunbury office to their multi-million dollar digital broadcast facility in Canberra. The programming is delivered to regional Western Australia via a satellite feed.

[edit] Logos

GWN has used many logos throughout its history.

Used from circa 1986 to 1991 Used from 1992 to 1994 Used from 1995 to 2001 Used from 2001 to the present
1986 - 1991 1992 - 1994 1995 - 2001 2001 - present

[edit] References

  1. ^ Earl, Greg. "Golden West wins licence for remote TV by satellite", Australian Financial Review, 1985-06-13, p. 5.
  2. ^ Lawson, Mark. "Media portfolio sells 86pc stake in Mid-Western", Australian Financial Review, 1985-11-28, p. 24.
  3. ^ Earl, Greg. "Bendats buy fourth TV station", Australian Financial Review, 1987-03-17, p. 5.
  4. ^ Power, Julie. "This week... The market", Australian Financial Review, 1987-04-21, p. 25.
  5. ^ Peers, Martin. "Stokes makes a loss on TV deal", Australian Financial Review, 1987-08-10, p. 1.
  6. ^ Frith, Damon. "Northern Star finalises re-sale of Golden West", Australian Financial Review, 1987-12-30, p. 11.
  7. ^ Jones, Megan. "Seven yes to Golden West deal", The Age, 1996-04-17, p. 3.
  8. ^ Anderson, Simon. "Seven drops plan to buy Golden West", Australian Financial Review, 1996-06-05, p. 19.
  9. ^ Kidman, Matthew. "Prime buys Golden West", Sydney Morning Herald, 1996-11-13, p. 29.
  10. ^ Schulze, Jane. "Prime signs with Seven so WIN joins Nine, Ten", The Age, 1999-01-12, p. 2.
  11. ^ Cairns, Samantha. "Joint TV service", Kalgoorlie Miner, 2006-11-14, p. 1.
  12. ^ Golden West Network (2006-01-15). 7 Years on and GWN is still at the top!. Press release. Retrieved on 2007-01-16.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links


 v • d • e Free-To-Air Television Channels in Australia

ABC TV | ABC2 | Channel Seven | Channel Nine | Channel Ten | SBS TV

Regional Affiliate Networks: Prime (GWN) | Southern Cross | Imparja | NBN | WIN | Southern Cross Ten
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