Senator Bridget McKenzie calls for government to intervene after WIN switches off free-to-air Seven network in regional Australia
Viewers in regional areas no longer have access to free-to-air sport and local news, after an agreement was not reached to renew the current broadcast agreement.
Sunrise host Nat Barr questioned McKenzie about the situation on Wednesday.
'Bridget, what's your message to regional voters who have lost AFL, local bulletins due to WIN's decision to turn off the signal?' Barr asked, after making the point it is everyday viewers who miss out.
McKenzie resolutely replied: 'Access on free-to-air TV for football, cricket and, I would also argue, netball, needs to be able to be seen by everyday Australians through free-to-air TV.
'Now, government regulation has meant that it's increasingly difficult for free-to-air TV to operate and be sustainable.
'The government needs to get involved, not 'Anika, sit 'em down for a little chat',' she added, referring to Communications Minister Anika Wells.
'These are commercial entities having to make commercial decisions because the environment they're operating in isn't financially sustainable — so that's what needs to be fixed because we want to watch our sport in the regions.'
Labor's Housing Minister Clare O'Neil said the denial of free-to-air TV was something she would take seriously.
'It is concerning, Nat, and you've brought football into it … and, you know, I don't think we've had a bigger footy fan in the Lodge than (Prime Minister) Anthony Albanese so I know this is really going to worry him,' O'Neil said.
'We're aware of this issue, I know our fantastic Communications Minister Anika Wells has asked the parties to work together and also is talking to her regulator about whether there's any regulatory action that can be taken here.
'So, the government is concerned about that. We want footy to flow freely across the country … the government is working with networks to try to resolve this.'
Seven West Media CEO Jeff Howard called for a deal to be made.
'We have been unable to reach a mutually acceptable commercial agreement with the WIN network to provide access to Seven via aerial transmission in Riverland, Griffith, and Mount Gambier,' Howard said.
'Seven has not turned off our signal. We continue to provide our content to WIN for broadcast into these markets and WIN has made the decision to switch off the Seven signal to these communities.'
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