South East free-to-air TV viewers suddenly deprived of Sky News Regional – as of last week – “deserve better”, a state MP says.

People across the South-East and the state’s Riverland – plus sections of NSW – lost access to Sky News Regional on Monday 1 July after Sky’s affiliation agreement with WIN Television ended.

It means popular opinion programs like Outsiders, The Bolt Report, Sharri, The Kenny Report and Paul Murray Live are no longer available to viewers in these areas, along with the raft of news offerings on Sky.

One Nation MLC Sarah Game said her office received calls from the South East about the blackout last week. She said the decision was a slap in the face to locals looking for some political balance in their everyday viewing.

“I consider Sky News one of the most important news and opinion services across Australia’s media landscape, providing crucial balance to the rest of our media,” said Ms Game, an SA-based politician in the state’s upper house.

“I have heard my supporters in the regions impacted by this decision, including the South East, are most upset about losing the Sky free-to-air service.

“Not everyone can afford to pay for their news service, whether that be via streaming subscriptions, Foxtel, or other means.”

The [Naracoorte Community] News understands WIN Television’s decision was made for economic reasons, including a Federal Government spectrum tax, which industry figures say is outdated and unjustified.

“Firstly I would encourage WIN Television to explore every option available that might enable them to reverse this decision, though I understand commercial enterprises exist to make money,” Ms Game said. “Also, I call on SA Labor to amp up pressure on their federal counterparts to open their eyes to the plight of regional media.”

The withdrawal of Sky News Regional coincided with two free-to-air TV channels being switched off in Mildura as of July 1.

The closure of the Mildura Digital Television service will now be the subject of a Senate inquiry.

“I am well aware of the financial challenges facing the regional broadcast landscape, including the cessation of Mildura Digital Television earlier this year, resulting in the Victorian town of Mildura now being without a Ten signal,” Ms Game said.

“However, only last week the Albanese government unexpectedly threw a last-minute lifeline to keep Network Ten on air for half a million Western Australians.

“I’m calling on the Federal Government to display similar empathy for the thousands and thousands of regional South Australians impacted by the sudden loss of the Sky News channels.”

Ms Game has appeared on several Sky News shows since being elected in 2022, including being interviewed by Sky News stars Andrew Bolt and Rita Panahi.

Free TV Australia said regional television in Australia had “hit a crisis point”.

The group called for the introduction of a new plan to make regional TV broadcasting sustainable and also urged the Albanese Government to step in.

“With content spend going up, and revenue going down, the costs of providing regional TV services across the wide Australian land mass are a serious concern – particularly when you consider the excessive spectrum tax they pay every year,” said Free TV CEO Bridget Fair.

“The tax was introduced as a temporary measure in 2017 and should have been abandoned years ago.

“The solutions to keeping the lights on for regional TV are squarely in the hands and control of the Albanese Government.”

Free TV is calling on the government to abolish the spectrum tax and amend the Prominence and Anti-Siphoning Bill to ensure that “all Australians can watch their live and free sport no matter how they get their free TV, and can find their local TV services on their current TV sets without needing to buy a new one”.

Free TV also wants the government to review regulatory imposts on commercial TV stations that do not apply to digital competitors that sell advertising against them – such as licence area restrictions and rules that limit ownership arrangements.

Sky News recently introduced its own streaming service, which is available for $5 per month (SkyNews.com.au).

Sky’s website is free to access for stories and some videos, while Sky News Radio also provides free audio of its TV shows.

Responding to questions from The [Naracoorte Community] News, Federal Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said the Australian Government recognised the importance of a diverse and sustainable media sector, and the key role that news media outlets played in keeping communities informed.

“This is a commercial decision for Sky News and WIN TV, and the Government does not seek to intervene,” Ms Rowlands said.

The [Naracoorte Community] News understands that the Federal Government’s seven-year extension of the agreement to provide the taxpayer-funded Viewer Access Satellite Television (VAST) service is why funding was provided to carry the Network 10 signal in Western Australia.

This article appeared in the Naracoorte Community News.