The beginning of the end of broadcast TV in Australia
Hyperbole, sure, but reading the reports yesterday that regional Australian broadcaster WIN Network will stop broadcasting the Paramount-owned Network 10 channels into three regional markets from mid-year really feels like the beginning of the end of broadcast TV for me.
During the week I cancelled my Paramount+ subscription for reasons of late night TV solidarity. #IStandWithColbert
I’d like to think WIN are shutting down the channels for similar reasons. But no… it seems the decision was made for less altruistic, financially-motivated concerns:
The impacted markets are Riverland and Mount Gambier in South Australia, and Griffith in New South Wales.
As per Kevin Perry’s reporting at TV Blackbox:
Broadcasting authorities have historically permitted WIN to carry affiliate agreements with all three commercial networks in these regions because of their relatively small population bases. However, WIN now believes it is no longer financially sustainable to continue broadcasting 10’s services in those areas.
The shutdown across the three markets aren’t the first regional markets to stop carrying 10, with Mildura ceasing broadcast in 2024. Dropping channels from three markets at once, though, feels like a greater statement is being made.
This is ultimately how the end of terrestrial TV broadcasting begins. The least profitable, smaller markets will start to go first, eventually snowballing to subsume the larger markets. Like bankruptcy, it starts slowly then happens all at once.
As Perry notes in his article, the limited number of major sporting rights held by 10 means that the decision to drop the channels will likely see very little outcry.
Viewers in these regional areas will be able to use their spotty internet connections to continue to stream 10 channels through its app, which is great news for fans of 10 News+, Bold & The Beautiful viewers, and those who can’t get enough of the endless repeats of JAG, Bull, NCIS, and The Big Bang Theory found on the channels each and every night throughout the week.
RIP SBS VICELAND
In yesterday’s Always Be Watching I wrote a piece about SBS and within it I posed this aside about the SBS broadcast multichannel (do we still use that term?) SBS VICELAND:
is it the last remaining VICELAND channel in the world? I’m not sure why SBS hasn’t rebranded it… the volume of VICE content on there has been pretty limited for years
The answer is that yes, SBS VICELAND is the last remaining VICELAND channel, outlasting all of the rest by over five years.
SBS yesterday afternoon revealed that it is rebranding the channel. While I’d like to think it was my commentary in this newsletter that edged it off the cliff, I’d assume that the actual reason likely has more to do with last week’s appointment of Jane Palfreyman as the CEO of the pubcaster.
Like when you walk into a prison and shiv a guy that looks at you the wrong way in order to show the other inmates that you aren’t to be trifled with, a new CEO really should come in and make a bold move to clean up something glaringly messy that gets the staff on side.
Rebranding SBS2 accomplishes that. I doubt there’s a single person in the building at SBS mourning the loss of SBS VICELAND as a brand.
In terms of programming, the only programming from VICE being played out on SBS VICELAND in prime time (possibly across the channel 24/7… I didn’t look that closely at the schedule) is Soccer’s American Dream on Monday nights.
Here’s the launch sizzle reel from when SBS VIDELAND first launched in 2016:
Vice rolled its VICELAND TV channels out across the world in 2016 with deals supposedly delivering a 44 country roll-out. Vice would retain a 49% ownership of each of the channels, delivering VICE produced content.
SBS was an outlier with these deals. It retained full ownership of the channel. This is likely a contributing factor as to how the branding as lasted as long as it has.
I don’t believe that VICELAND ever reached anywhere near 44 countries… I’m not even sure it ever reached double digit global distribution. Of those channels that did launch as VICELAND, all except for SBS VICELAND either shuttered or rebranded.
The US VICELAND launched Feb 2016, but later rebranded as Vice TV in 2020. In most other territories the channel simply no longer exists. Some, like the UK service, attempted a rebrand, but most simply ceased operations. Almost universally, the channels all faced low ratings.
I was working at SBS when VICELAND launched and was driving a lot of the content marketing on the SBS site, so I saw a lot more of the SBS VICELAND content than seemingly most people did. States of Undress, a globally-minded fashion documentary series hosted by model Hailey Gates, was by far the best of the VICELAND original shows.
The first episode of the show remains online:
Expect very little change to the programming lineup when SBS2 relaunches in August. The announcement to media (which didn’t include me… SBS media releases dried up in my inbox many moons ago) was very short and to the point.
“The SBS VICELAND brand and content partnership with Vice Media will come to a close in the coming months, as SBS looks ahead to the channel’s next chapter.
Further details, including branding and programming plans, will be shared later this year.”
Usually a rebrand will have some programming announcements made with it, even if they are fairly lacklustre. This, to me, just reads like a decision was made promptly to rip the bandaid and get on with it.
News Desk
FX has ordered to series Very Young Frankenstein, a series based on the Mel Brooks comedy. It’ll star Zach Galifianakis, Dolly Wells, and Spencer House. Read: Deadline
Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival, Lollapalooza, and Austin City Limits Music Festival will stream globally on Disney+. Read: thefutoncritic
Chris Hardwick is back after a public shaming/intentional parenting hiatus with an AMC-produced video podcast series I Think You’re Overthinking It. Read: THR
Disney+ is in development on an Ella Enchanted live-action show. Read: Deadline
Exclusive Playstation Games released by Sony will no longer have a PC version. Read: The Verge
Marvel chief of chief of television and animation Brad Winderbaum will now also oversee the comic book division with former comic chief Dan Buckley departing. Read: THR
David Burke has died at the age of 92. The British actor is best known for playing Dr Watson in the 80s ITV series The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. Read: The Mirror
May 27 marks 30 years since the Doctor Who movie aired, effectively ending the first incarnation of Doctor Who (so to speak). Sylvester McCoy looks back at his small role in the kids film, handing the role over to Paul McGann. Read: Radio Times
Matt Brittin’s official first day as BBC director general was on Monday, but he has spent recent weeks meeting with staff across the UK. He has warned that “tough choices are unavoidable” as the beeb reorientates itself for digital distribution and cuts of around 10% to expenditure. Read: The Guardian
Trailer Park
The action and superhero elements of HBO Max’s upcoming Lanterns TV show is on display in the new second trailer. This show looks pretty neat.
#AreYouAfraid
Oasis debuts on Netflix June 19.
The series follows the guests and staff of an exclusive resort where appearances are deceptive and every character hides secrets that could change the course of the investigation.
That’s the newsletter for the today.
Consider becoming a paid supporter of Always Be Watching.
Connect with Dan on Bluesky. Connect with Dan on Letterboxd. Connect with Dan on Linkedin. Challenge him on the NYT word game Crossplay. Email Dan @ alwaysbewatching.com or just reply to this email.
