Given the recent controversy stirred up over claims of Sky News pundits being involved in the ousting of former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, it mightn’t seem like the best time to pair up with the broadcaster.
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But for WIN CEO Andrew Lancaster, the new partnership with Sky is more about regional Australia than controversial TV – though he admits controversy isn’t always a bad thing.
The results of this deal is Sky News on WIN, which is the only 24-hour commercial news channel in Australia.
The content of the channel – which started broadcasting on Sunday – largely comes from Foxtel's Sky News, with some shows from Fox Sports News and Sky Weather.
The WIN-created show All Australian News will also appear on the new channel, as will a brand new breakfast show Headline News.
“That’s a bespoke program for Sky News on WIN that we’re simulcasting on the main channel," he said.
“We’ll contribute [to it] – you’ll see we’re doing live crosses out of different locations across Australia in Sky News, as well as providing content which has got a strong regional focus.”
On free to air TV, the only other channel with a 24-hour news service is the ABC with its strong regional reach.
Sky News on WIN appears in 30 regional markets – every state and territory aside from the Northern Territory. So its reach will be large too, though Lancaster doesn’t see the ABC news channel as Sky News on WIN’s sole focus.
“I think we see ourselves in competition with any other broadcaster and indeed any other media, to attract viewers,” he said.
“The ABC have got their programming and it goes to air, much like SBS, 7, Nine and ourselves.”
WIN’s new channel is also airing Sky’s night-time content, which includes shows hosted by Andrew Bolt, Peta Credlin and Alan Jones.
These shows were a recent source of controversy, with former Prime Minster Mr Turnbull intimating some pundits on the network were involving themselves in the campaign against his government.
Mr Lancaster said he was aware of the recent controversy but added it was not the focal point for the channel.
“We just want to make sure Sky News on WIN is reaching regional Australians and providing them with a live news service," he said.
“And if some of the topics are a little bit controversial from time to time, I don’t think that’s a bad thing.
“I think each program, each television network has an audience and the audience finds the product it likes. In Sky News on WIN, we’re no different to any other channel in that people will watch what they want to watch.
“So our viewers will choose Sky News on WIN because they want to watch it.”
Glen Humphries
I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading.
I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading.
