WIN News to shed staff as they move to statewide news bulletins

Regional viewers are dealt another blow as the WIN Network confirms it will be moving to statewide news bulletins.

WIN TV chief executive Andrew Lancaster. Picture: Hollie Adams/The Australian

The WIN Network will shed staff across its regional newsrooms as it axes local news and moves to statewide bulletins from July 1.

Bruce Gordon’s media company is overhauling its news services and will be delivering state-based news in nearly all of its regional locations, diminishing the coverage of local news content.

The overhaul will see weeknight WIN News bulletins shift to an earlier timeslot – from 6pm to 5.30pm from the beginning of July – this is when WIN reignites its long-term relationship with Nine Entertainment.

WIN’s chief executive officer Andrew Lancaster conceded the move will result in job cuts.

“The move to state-based bulletins in Queensland and Victoria will result in a reduction in news gathering staff in these regions as well as in the news production facility in Wollongong,” he said in an issued statement.

“As is always our priority, WIN will make every attempt to redeploy, second or retrain any impacted employees to suitable, alternative employment within the WIN Group.

“We will be working through a process over the coming weeks to determine the resources, skills and experience required to continue to gather and tell local stories in the state bulletins.”

The new statewide bulletins will be broadcast into additional regional areas including Mackay, Bundaberg and Hervey Bay in Queensland and Orange, Dubbo, Wagga Wagga and Griffith in NSW, as well as Albury Wodonga in Victoria.

WIN said this would result in some new jobs being created.

WIN News is three locations – Wollongong, Canberra and Tasmania – will continue to be aired in its existing format and also moved to the 5.30pm timeslot.

But Mr Lancaster admitted the overhaul across their news services would be “impactful”.

“WIN has always prided itself on delivering local news and whilst some of these changes are impactful, the statewide WIN News bulletins will be telling local stories across regional communities with the most important stories of the day,” he said.

It is yet another hit on journalism in regional Australia – earlier this month The Australian reported Nine Entertainment had been criticised for “exceptionally poor” communication after sacking dozens of staff across regional Australia and leaving many in limbo about their futures.

Nine’s broadcast deal with Southern Cross Austereo ends on June 30 and Nine has previously announced they would be closing their regional newsrooms when the new affiliation agreement with WIN begins.

Southern Cross Austereo has not announced any plans to air local news services.

It’s not known how many jobs will be lost as a result of the changes.

Last month regional news bosses appeared at the Senate inquiry into media diversity and said they were under threat from declining advertising revenue and some even said they make “no money out of regional news”.

Prime Media chief executive Ian Audsley said the company had gone from being a $360m business to a $160m entity in the past five years.

Mr Lancaster also appeared and said WIN had suffered sharp declines in revenue and had lost about 55 staff including journalists and camera operators in the past five years.