WIN News

WIN News
Division of: WIN Corporation
Founded: 1960s
Area served: Regional Australia
Parent: WIN Television

WIN News is a local television news service in parts of regional Australia, produced by WIN Television. 18 regional bulletins (along with two state-wide bulletins and one national program) are presented from studios in Wollongong, Ballarat, Maroochydore and Hobart. Heading the news operation is Network Director of News Stewart Richmond.

History

As well as its flagship nightly bulletin, WIN Television has, in the past, produced a number of public affairs programmes at its original Wollongong station, WIN-4, such as community affairs program Roving Eye and Sunday Review, a weekly review of international, national and local stories.[1]

On 30 January 2006, the network's Tasmanian news bulletins were moved from separate local and national bulletins to a single, half-hour bulletin featuring local, national and international news. This was reported by The Hobart Mercury as being due to the previous arrangement's poor ratings. WIN's main competitor in the area, Southern Cross Nightly News, had at the time a 64.9% share of the 6.00pm news audience during the 2005 survey period.[2] In June 2011, WIN axed its Tasmanian weekend bulletins - they were replaced by simulcasts of the Melbourne edition of Nine News - but were reintroduced a year later.

On 18 August 2006, WIN Television announced that Griffith's locally produced news bulletin would be axed and merged with Wagga Wagga's half-hour bulletin.[3][4] The decision was criticised by the local council and chamber of commerce, who stated that the isolation of the area increased the need for local content and information.[5] The amalgamated Wagga Wagga bulletin is presented and produced from Wollongong.

In April 2009, two regional bulletins were introduced in Queensland serving Mackay & the Whitsundays and the Wide Bay area.

In March 2012, WIN announced it would axe its weeknight Western Australia bulletin with regional news coverage incorporated into a localised edition of Nine Afternoon News at 4:30pm, produced and presented from Perth.[6] The last edition of WIN News Western Australia aired on 9 March 2012.

On 18 February 2013, WIN axed its pan-regional bulletin for the Mount Gambier and Riverland areas of South Australia.[7] The program had been broadcast since the merger of separate bulletins for the two areas in October 2010.[8] Ten staff at newsrooms in Mount Gambier and Loxton were made redundant.

In June 2013, WIN announced it would move studio presentation of its Canberra bulletins to Wollongong - the company's studios in Kingston continue to operate as a newsgathering base.[9]

Regional services

New South Wales and the ACT

Regional bulletins for southern New South Wales & the ACT are broadcast from WIN's Wollongong headquarters with newsgathering teams and camera crews based in Canberra, Dubbo, Orange, Griffith and Wagga Wagga.

All bulletins are pre-recorded. The Central West and Riverina bulletins are presented by Geoff Phillips. Kerryn Johnston anchors the Canberra bulletin and co-anchors the Illawarra edition alongside Phillips, with Amy Duggan presenting sport on all four programs.

The head of news for New South Wales and the ACT is Stella Lauri.

Victoria

WIN News produces six separate editions for regional Victoria, broadcast from VTV's studios in Ballarat, with newsrooms also based in Bendigo, Shepparton (Goulburn Valley & Northern Victoria), Traralgon (Gippsland), Mildura (Sunraysia) and Albury.

The bulletins are presented by Bruce Roberts with sport presenter Wes Cusworth and weather presenter Britt Ditterich, with the Ballarat edition broadcast live.

The chief of staff for all WIN News Victoria services is Jeff Sly.

Queensland

WIN News's Queensland services cover all seven regional markets of the Sunshine Coast, Rockhampton & Central Queensland, Wide Bay, Cairns & Far North Queensland, Toowoomba, Mackay & the Whitsundays and Townsville & North Queensland. All seven bulletins are broadcast from WIN's studios in Maroochydore.

The state news manager is Steve Marshall and the state news sub-editor is Corinne Maxwell. The production manager is Carl Bulwinkel.

Tasmania

WIN News Tasmania is presented by Peter Hughes on weeknights and Georgia Love at weekends from TVT's studios in Hobart. Sports news is presented on weeknights by Brent Costelloe and at weekends by Virginia Lette.

Weekend bulletins were previously axed in July 2011, when they were replaced with a simulcast of Nine News's 6pm Melbourne bulletin,[10] but were reinstated a year later.[11]

South Australia

90-second news updates are broadcast on weekday evenings in the Limestone Coast and the Riverland. The updates, presented by Victoria chief of staff Jeff Sly (a former anchor of WIN's Mount Gambier news programs), are produced in co-operation with the The Border Watch and The Murray Pioneer. They air on all three WIN-owned network affiliated stations during the 6pm timeslot.

All Australian News

WIN also produces All Australian News, a 60-minute national program airing on weekdays at 12pm and 12am in all broadcast areas served by WIN Television. The program features a compilation of stories aired on WIN's regional news bulletins in Queensland, New South Wales, Tasmania and Victoria.

All Australian News is produced from WIN's Wollongong headquarters and presented by Amy Duggan.

This program replaced individual state-wide regional late news bulletins in Queensland, New South Wales/ACT and Victoria.

Schedule

WIN News airs at several different times on weekday evenings depending on state.

State Bulletins
New South Wales Wollongong, Wagga Wagga, Orange
Victoria Albury, Ballarat, Bendigo, Gippsland, Goulburn Valley and Northern Victoria (Shepparton), Sunraysia (Mildura)
Australian Capital Territory Canberra
Queensland Sunshine Coast, Rockhampton, Townsville, Cairns, Toowoomba, Mackay, Wide Bay
Tasmania State-wide covering local, national & international news

References

  1. ↑ "WIN4 Company Records and News Film". University of Wollongong. 2007-07-10. Retrieved 2007-08-18.
  2. ↑ Lower, Gavin (5 January 2006). "Jobs on the line as WIN axes local news". The Mercury.
  3. ↑ "Griffith disappointed at loss of local WIN service". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 18 August 2006.
  4. ↑ Rowe, Tim (19 August 2006). "Local news hit hard in merger". The Daily Advertiser.
  5. ↑ "Griffith - No WIN News". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 25 September 2006.
  6. ↑ WIN cancels WA news bulletin, WAtoday.com.au, 12 March 2012
  7. ↑ WIN cuts regional news and staff, ABC News, 19 February 2013
  8. ↑ Riverland and South East share TV news, The Murray Pioneer, 29 October 2010
  9. ↑ WIN TV to move Canberra news bulletin to Wollongong, Canberra Times, 26 June 2013
  10. ↑ WIN's Tassie turn off, The Mercury, 25 June 2011
  11. ↑ Local bulletins return, The Mercury, 12 July 2012