Channel 10 switch-off tonight in Griffith, Riverland and Mount Gambier – Network 10, 10 Drama and 10 Comedy are in their final scheduled hours on terrestrial television in Griffith and the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area, South Australia’s Riverland and Mount Gambier. WIN Television has named Friday 9 October as the last broadcast day. The channels are expected to leave local aerial services as the clocks turn to midnight, after 11.59pm tonight.
At the time of writing, TV Central is not aware of a further agreement or extension that would keep the broadcasts running beyond tonight. The announced switch-off concerns WIN’s carriage of these three Network 10 services in the named licence areas. It is not an announcement that WIN’s other channels there are closing, and viewers elsewhere should not assume their Network 10 service is affected.
That distinction matters to households facing a real loss of free-to-air choice. Streaming may keep programmes available to some viewers, but an internet connection, suitable device and the ability to use the service cannot be assumed for every regional home. As the deadline arrives, the question is no longer only whether two broadcasters can reach a commercial deal. It is how smaller communities retain practical access to free television when the economics of carrying it fail.
How tonight’s deadline was reached
WIN had initially planned to end its Network 10 carriage on 30 June, with the channels disappearing from 1 July. A short-term deal between WIN and Network 10 kept the signals on air while the parties sought a lasting arrangement. Network 10 supplied its programming free of charge and met transmission costs during the reprieve. That bought the affected regions more time, but no durable replacement deal emerged.
In its 2 October announcement, WIN said it and Paramount had concluded that continuing the arrangement was no longer commercially viable. It pointed to regional transmission and infrastructure costs, alongside viewers and advertising moving to digital platforms. WIN described the decision as one that reflects the realities of regional broadcasting and acknowledged that viewers would be disappointed.
Network 10, meanwhile, has said it worked with WIN to maintain local access to its content. WIN holds the relevant broadcast licences and transmission infrastructure; Network 10 supplies programming. The difference is important because neither a TV app nor a decision by Network 10 alone automatically restores an aerial signal operated under WIN’s licences.
What happens for viewers
If the announced timetable holds, a television aerial in the affected areas will no longer deliver 10, 10 Drama or 10 Comedy after tonight. ABC News reported today that the channels are expected to go off air at midnight. It also documented the different effects on regional residents: some already watch entirely online, while older viewers who rely on conventional television fear being left behind.
Network 10 points viewers with internet access to its online service and app. That is a useful option where broadband, data, equipment and digital confidence are available. It is not, however, a like-for-like replacement for a free signal received through a rooftop antenna. WIN has not announced another terrestrial provider or a return date for the three services.
A wider regional television warning
These markets have seen a similar shock before. Channel 7’s services briefly disappeared in Griffith, the Riverland and Mount Gambier in 2025 before Channel 7 and WIN reached a new agreement. That episode shows a last-minute or later deal can change the outcome. It does not establish that one exists for Network 10 tonight.
The problem also extends beyond these three licence areas. Mildura lost its over-the-air Network 10 service in 2024 when Mildura Digital Television closed after years of losses. TV Central has previously argued that one-off affiliation deals cannot by themselves guarantee long-term access in smaller markets, particularly for households without dependable internet or the means to switch to streaming.
The federal government has acknowledged the wider challenge. Its consultation on future free-to-air television delivery asks what mix of broadcast and online technologies can serve Australians over the medium and longer term. Submissions remain open until 24 November. That policy process may help shape the future, but it does not itself keep the three Network 10 signals on air tonight.
For now, Friday 9 October remains the announced final broadcast day. TV Central will update readers if WIN, Network 10 or the government announces a change. Until then, the approaching midnight deadline is a stark example of how fragile free-to-air access can be in regional Australia.
Read TV Central’s original report and full background here. Viewers who can stream can check Network 10’s public site for current viewing options.