The network is in talks with Southern Cross Austereo (SCA), who is interested in picking up the station.

At the same time, WIN is looking to purchase SCA’s northern NSW TV assets.

The two companies have entered into talks with a view to effectively trading media assets.

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According to an SCA statement to the Australian Stock Exchange, it owned 68 regional radio stations but didn’t have a presence in the Wollongong area.

“The proposed transaction would create a multimedia market for SCA with the ability to cross-sell radio and television in this market,” the statement said.

For WIN, selling i98FM would see it lose the cross-promotional advantage it now enjoys by being able to promote its TV shows on radio.

The acquisition of the TV assets by WIN would give it reach from Newcastle all the way up to the Gold Coast in Queensland.

In terms of programming it would seem a good fit as SCA is already broadcasting Ten programming in this area, under an affiliation agreement with Network Ten.

That deal is not due to run out until June 30, 2021.

Stations owned by WIN have been broadcasting Ten shows since July 1 last year, when its supply deal with Nine ended.

At the same time other SCA channels in regional Victoria, southern NSW and regional Queensland switched over to Channel Nine shows in a new supply deal.

The completion of the proposed transaction with WIN would be subject to consent from Network Ten.

Were the TV stations to become the property of WIN, it would see a shake-up of the advertising market.

At present, SCA provides a national sales service from Nine’s NBN channel in northern NSW “providing advertisers with a centralised port of call for their regional advertising on Nine’s content along the eastern seaboard”.

It would be unclear whether WIN would continue that arrangement, given the acrimonious nature of its split from Nine in terms of program supply.