Channel 10 has urged the Prime Minister to “urgently intervene and save these regional TV broadcasts” after the news that Mildura Digital Television will be shut down on 30 June. The decision means that people living in the regional Victorian town will lose access to Channel 10 , 10 BOLD, and 10 Peach on free to-air. On Thursday, Mildura Digital Television said that while the joint venture owners, Seven and WIN, have continued to fund MDT despite the station running at a loss since its inception, the financial position “is no longer tenable”.
Chris Halios-Lewis , chair of Mildura Digital Television said: “It is a regrettable position we find ourselves in. We have had ongoing discussions with government but this has not provided us with any certainty that continuing MDT is viable. “Whilst we understand this will be a surprise to the local community, the challenging nature of the regional television market has led to this action.
” A Network 10 spokesperson said the team were “bitterly disappointed that regional TV operators are being put in a position that they need to take this action. “It’s the people of Mildura and the surrounding region that will be hurt by this decision and it’s unacceptable that tens of thousands of Australians will see some of their favourite free-to-air broadcast channels go to black. “The federal government must act urgently to ensure the Network 10 affiliated channels can continue to be available via broadcast transmission.
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