Australian-Media.com.au News

• Nine and WIN reach agreement on licensing fees

  September 7 2007 2:52pm (UTC+8)  -  Article by Kevin

  The Nine Network and WIN Corporation today announced that agreement had been reached on licensing fees for the regional stations in the WIN National Network and STW-9 Perth. There is no change to the arrangements for NWS-9 in Adelaide.
  
  Ian Law, Chief Executive Officer of PBL Media said "the new agreement is a good compromise reflecting the higher costs of our content and our need to invest in the network at the same time ensuring WIN National Network has capacity to invest and grow its business."
  
  "Our focus now is to build the position of both Nine Australia and the regional and metropolitan stations in the WIN National Network. It is a positive outcome for our viewers and advertisers. The overarching principle of the new 5 year agreement is that stations in the Nine Australia and WIN National Network will broadcast the same content and schedules, with minor variations for time zones."
  
  "We are in the middle of a rebuilding phase of Nine Australia and it was important for us to conclude the arrangements to allow us to work with the management and staff of WIN National Network to build our audiences and also grow our collective revenues and profits."
  
  Bruce Gordon, Deputy Chairman of WIN Corporation, said he was delighted with the outcome and the fact that arrangements had been settled. He said on the basis of the new arrangements the WIN National Network could focus on developing its business on a sustainable basis.
  
  "We believe the outcome on licence fees is a reasonable compromise and will allow us the margin to invest in our content and the Network in a broader sense."
  
  "Perth has moved from a share of costs under the previous owners to a share of revenue and we think this is good for us. We also think it will be good for Nine Australia. We intend to invest heavily in the business to grow our audience in Perth and WA, and we believe that we can grow the revenue. We are already planning a number of changes in the local news and current affairs content to take us forward.
  
  "The outcome for the regional stations in the WIN National Network is also reasonable and we are confident that we can work with Nine Australia to find operational synergies. The new arrangements do not at this stage apply to the regional stations in SA, Mildura and Griffith.
  
  Mr Gordon said he and Nine would review the situation with Mornings with Kerri-Anne once the new arrangements were settled. The regional sales operations of WIN National Network and NBN would continue to present a total integrated marketing solution, Mr Gordon said.
  
  "Our focus now is to work with Nine to make the two networks, Nine Australia, and WIN National Network, a powerful and united force."
  
  Australian-Media.com.au

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