Regional Australians are set to lose access to Channel 10 services after WIN confirmed the closure of broadcasts in three key markets.
Regional broadcaster WIN Network will stop broadcasting Network 10 services in three regional television markets from mid-2026, a move set to further reduce the reach of 10’s free-to-air television services across Australia.
The decision will affect viewers in the Riverland and Mount Gambier regions of South Australia, along with the Griffith market in New South Wales, where WIN currently operates as an affiliate broadcaster for all three metropolitan commercial television networks.
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A spokesperson for WIN Network confirmed the decision to TV Blackbox stating,
“As of the 30 June, 2026, WIN Network’s Program Supply Agreement with Network 10 for the Riverland, Mount Gambier and Griffith markets will end.
WIN has made the Communications Minister and the Department of Communications aware of this”
From 1 July 2026, WIN will cease free-to-air transmission of Channel 10, 10 Drama, 10 Comedy and Nickelodeon in the affected regions.
The closure follows ongoing financial pressures facing regional media outlets, with declining advertising revenue continuing to impact the economics of maintaining commercial services in smaller markets.
Broadcasting authorities have historically permitted WIN to carry affiliate agreements with all three commercial networks in these regions because of their relatively small population bases. However, WIN now believes it is no longer financially sustainable to continue broadcasting 10’s services in those areas.
The move mirrors a similar decision made in 2024, when broadcasts of Network 10 programming were withdrawn from the Mildura market.
The latest withdrawal is also likely to reignite debate over the future of free-to-air television access in regional Australia, particularly following the high-profile dispute between WIN Network and the Seven Network in 2025.
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That standoff resulted in Seven programming being removed from screens in the same regions for two days after the parties failed to reach agreement on new affiliate terms. The blackout prompted political concern and intervention directly by the AFL amid fears regional Australians could lose access to major sporting events, news services and Australian programming.
During the dispute, federal politicians including Clare O’Neil and Bridget McKenzie publicly raised concerns about the impact on regional viewers, particularly in communities with limited internet connectivity.
Federal Barker MP Tony Pasin also argued at the time that streaming services could not fully replace traditional free-to-air broadcasting in regional Australia because internet coverage remained inconsistent in some areas.
Unlike Seven, however, Network 10 does not currently hold major national sporting rights that would be expected to trigger broader political or commercial pressure to restore the affected services.
Viewers in the impacted markets will still be able to access 10 programming through the network’s free streaming platform. However, previous regional broadcast closures have highlighted challenges for some viewers — particularly elderly audiences living in nursing homes and rural households with unreliable internet access — who continue to rely on traditional television transmission.
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