Southern Cross Austereo (SCA) has announced that it has entered into a deal to sell its remaining TV assets to conservative online media outlet Australian Digital Holdings (ADH).

The deal, expected to be completed in the coming weeks, will see SCA’s regional television outlets including Seven Tasmania, Seven Darwin, Seven Central (including Mount Isa) and GTS/BKN Spencer Gulf/Broken Hill sell for approximately $6.35 million.

Also included are SCA’s half-share in Network Ten relay outlets covering Tasmania, Darwin and remote Eastern and Central Australia.

The sale to ADH marks the online outlet’s first entry into free-to-air television. The company, which launched in 2021 and previously hosted streaming content headlined by Alan Jones, is planning to launched an Australian version of the American cable news channel, Newsmax.

The ADH deal follows SCA selling off its Ten affiliated outlets in Southern NSW/ACT, Victoria and Queensland to Network Ten. That deal is expected to be completed by 1 March.

Once the ADH deal is completed, it will mark the end of SCA’s 50+ year interest in television, which started as the Victorian Broadcasting Network owning BCV8 Bendigo and GLV10 Gippsland. Through the aggregation of regional markets and some strategic purchases, SCA’s regional television interests expanded to every state and territory in Australia, except Western Australia, and included Hobart, Canberra and Darwin.

The company, later named Southern Cross Broadcasting, was bought out by Macquarie Media Group in 2007. The company then bought the Austereo radio network in 2011.

SCA will now focus on its radio and audio businesses, including the Hit and Triple M networks and LiSTNR online platform.

SCA intends to apply the proceeds of the sale of its television assets towards reducing its net debt.

Source: Southern Cross Austereo