NWS (TV station)

NWS is an Australian television station based in Adelaide, Australia. It is owned-and-operated by the Nine Network. The station callsign, NWS, is an acronym of The NeWs South Australia.

NWS
Adelaide, South Australia
ChannelsDigital: 8 (VHF)
Virtual: 9
BrandingNine
Programming
AffiliationsNine (O&O)
Ownership
OwnerNine Entertainment Co.
(Channel 9 South Australia Pty Ltd)
History
First air date5 September 1959 (1959-09-05)
Former channel number(s)Analog: 9 (VHF) (1959-2013)
Call sign meaningThe NeWs South Australia
Technical information
ERP50 kW (digital)
HAAT505 m (both)[1]
Transmitter coordinates34°58′57″S 138°42′30″E
Links
Website9now.com.au

History

Origins
NBN Limited (1981)[2]
Entity Share
Lamb Family35.02%
Wansey Family30.14%
Hadjoin Pty Ltd19.88%
Others14.96%

NWS-9 was the first television broadcaster in Adelaide, beginning on 5 September 1959 from their Tynte Street studios. It was owned by Rupert Murdoch's News Limited (a subsidiary of his holding company News Corporation) through Southern Television Corporation Ltd who also owned city newspaper The News. Popular programs produced in its early days included the live variety shows Adelaide Tonight and Hey Hey It's Saturday (on-location specials), science show The Curiosity Show, The Country and Western Hour, and children's shows Channel Niners, Here's Humphrey and Pick Your Face. NWS also Broadcast SANFL Matches from 1989 to 1992.

In early 1980, NBN Limited became NWS's owner for A$19 million.[2] In 1981, Hadjoin Pty. Ltd., a subsidiary of Parry's Esplanade Limited (later Parry Corporation), purchased 19.88% of NBN Limited for $6.7 million.[2]

Following this, Parry then attempted to buy the Wansey family's stake in NBN, but was blocked by the Supreme Court of New South Wales, after which Parry revealed that he wanted to take over NBN (and thus NWS). Parry and the Lamb family then formed a deal - NBN would transfer NWS to the Lambs in exchange for their share of NBN which went to the Parrys. This ended NBN Limited's ownership of NWS.

Recent history

The Lamb family sold NWS to Southern Cross Broadcasting for $96 million in 1999, leading to redundancies among almost half of the station's staff.[3]

On 30 May 2007, Southern Cross announced its sale of NWS-9 to WIN Corporation for $105 million.[4] WIN took control on 1 July 2007.

It was reported on 3 June 2013 that Nine Entertainment Co. would immediately purchase Nine Adelaide (NWS) from WIN Corporation as part of a deal to secure international cricket television rights. Nine officially gained control of NWS on 1 July 2013.[5] This move saw Nine Adelaide join Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne as Nine Network owned-and-operated metropolitan stations leaving only Perth which was purchased only months later in September.

Managing Director of Nine Adelaide, Sean O'Brien, announced in late 2014 that within two years, the station would move from their Tynte Street location of over fifty years to new studios in the CBD.[6]

The final broadcast from the Tynte Street studios was on 18 September 2015, followed a day later by the first transmission from the new street-level studios on Pirie Street.[7]

Programming

Current in-house productions

Previous in-house productions

News and Current Affairs

Nine News Adelaide is presented from the studios of NWS Adelaide by Kate Collins and Brenton Ragless on weeknights with Will McDonald presenting on weekends. Sport is presented by Warren Tredrea on weeknights and Tom Rehn on weekends, with weather hosted by Jessica Braithwaite on weeknights.

News history

Between 1988 and 2007, the weeknight bulletin was presented by Rob Kelvin and the late Kevin Crease. They were one of the longest serving news duos in Australia.

Throughout the 1990s, Deanna Williams was the main fill-in presenter and state political reporter. Following her resignation in March 2002, either Kelvin or Crease would fill in for McGuinness on weekends, but in 2005 the situation arose where all three presenters were unavailable - leaving weekend sports presenter Mark Bickley to read the news.

Also during this time, the weekend bulletins consistently rated higher than its rival Seven News Adelaide in its timeslot, however, the weeknight bulletins continue to languish in second position behind Seven.[8]

In late 2008, NWS-9 launched its own local version of the Nine Network's flagship current affairs program, A Current Affair, hosted by Adelaide journalist Kate Collins. It was axed only one year later.[9]

On 26 November 2009, one day after the axing of the local A Current Affair was announced, Kelly Nestor announced live on air that her contract as Kelvin's weeknight co-anchor would not be renewed and she would finish on 18 December 2009.[10]

On 22 February 2010, it was announced that senior reporter Michael Smyth would be joining Rob Kelvin at the newsdesk.

On 31 October 2010, Rob Kelvin announced that he would retire from the newsdesk after 32 years on the air. He would present his last bulletin on 31 December 2010 after 27 years anchoring the news. However, News Director, Tony Agars announced that Kelvin would continue to present the occasional special report and fill-in a few times a year when required. Kate Collins replaced Kelvin, joining Smyth at the news desk.

In October 2011, it was announced that Michael Smyth and Georgina McGuinness would not have their contracts renewed.[11] From the end of November 2011 until December 2013, Kate Collins presented the bulletin solo on weeknights and Will McDonald replaced McGuinness as presenter for weekend bulletins at the end of December 2011.

Presenters and Reporters

Notable Past Presenters

News Bulletin Titles
  • NWS-9 News, Sport and Weather (1959–1965)
  • Channel 9 News (1960s-early 1970s)
  • National Nine News (early 1970s, 1976–1980, 1987–2008)
  • Nine Eyewitness News (1974–1976)
  • Nine Action News (1981–1986)
  • Nine News (2008-)
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References
  1. HAAT estimated from http://www.itu.int/SRTM3/ using EHAAT.
  2. "Annual Report" (Press release). NBN Limited. 1980.
  3. "Can Southern Cross clean up dodgy 2UE ethics?". Crikey. crikey.com.au. 18 March 2001. Retrieved 15 August 2015.
  4. "WIN buys Channel 9 Adelaide". AAP. theage.com.au. 30 May 2007. Retrieved 30 May 2007.
  5. "Nine signs news cricket deal, buys Adelaide affiliate". David Knox. tvtonight.com.au. 3 June 2013. Retrieved 3 June 2013.
  6. "NWS9 Adelaide to exit North Adelaide home". David Knox. tvtonight.com.au. 3 June 2013. Retrieved 15 August 2015.
  7. "Nine News Adelaide studio". David Knox. tvtonight.com.au. 22 September 2015. Retrieved 22 September 2015.
  8. Kelly on cloud Nine
  9. "A Current Affair gets the chop". The Advertiser. News Limited. 25 November 2009. Retrieved 9 January 2010.
  10. Harvy, Ben; Helene Sobolewski; Paul Starick (27 November 2009). "Channel Nine wrong to sack newsreader Kelly Nestor". The Advertiser. News Limited. Retrieved 9 January 2010.
  11. "WIN sacks Nine News Adelaide presenters". David Knox. tvtonight.com.au. 19 October 2011. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
  12. "Adelaide Crows coach Phil Walsh found dead". YouTube. 2 July 2015. Retrieved 8 June 2016.
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