The sudden backflip on withdrawing Channel Seven programming from South-East free-to-air TV screens is a testament to the community’s determination, a local MP says.

Channel Seven stations were locked out from local TVs on Tuesday last week, following news that WIN and Network Seven had been unable to broker a broadcasting deal beyond July 1 for SA’s Limestone Coast and Riverland, plus Griffith in NSW.

However, fierce backlash to the move which meant AFL was set to be unavailable locally, other than via Seven’s streaming service saw a deal thrashed out by Thursday afternoon, much to the relief of many locals, particularly those with connectivity issues or without a smart TV.

“I am livid that communities across the Limestone Coast and the Riverland were used as pawns in a commercial negotiation and I have made my disappointment clear to the chief executive officers of both organisations,” said Liberal member for Barker, Tony Pasin.

“As I made clear during the course of this dispute, the actions of WIN and Seven were not just unconscionable, they were unlawful.

“Ultimately, a win is a win and as a community, we should be so proud of how we pulled together and achieved an outcome that many thought impossible or at least improbable.”

Mr Pasin said he believed the decision to cease broadcasting the Seven programs was a breach of WIN’s obligations under the Commercial Broadcasting Licence issued to it pursuant to the Broadcasting Services Act 1992.

“And Seven is contractually obligated under (the) agreement with the AFL and Cricket Australia, to name just two,” Mr Pasin said.

“Both parties in my assessment were in breach and it was these breaches that provided the leverage the community needed to ensure this matter was resolved expeditiously.

“However it occurred whether it was my correspondence to the Australian Communications and Media Authority calling on that Authority to cancel WIN’s broadcasting licence, my engagement with the AFL and Cricket Australia calling on them to force Seven to meet their contractual obligations, the countless discussions with the CEOs of WIN and Seven, or the upwelling of community sentiment as evidenced by the petition the good news is Channel 7 programs have been switched back on.”

The Seven Network and WIN revealed the news in a joint statement issued last Thursday.

“Both Seven and WIN acknowledge the significant impact of free-to-air television in regional communities and the importance of providing news, sport, entertainment, and a voice to regional Australians,” they said.

Meanwhile, independent member Murray, Helen Dalton, took credit for the reversal, claiming she had “brokered” the deal between WIN and Network Seven.

A media release issued by the NSW member’s office said:

“The change in programming is due to Mrs Dalton’s (sic) intervention, having met with executives from WIN TV and Seven West Media to help resolve the dispute…”

This article appeared in The Naracoorte News, 9 July 2025.
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