Sky News Australia and Southern Cross Austereo sign content agreement

Sky News Australia and Southern Cross Austereo (SCA) today announced a new multi-year free-to-air program supply agreement to broadcast Sky News content across SCA’s largest regional markets on a new dedicated 24-hour news channel.

Launching on Sunday 1 August, Sky News Regional will broadcast on Channel 56 in 17 of SCA’s regional markets across Victoria, Southern NSW and Queensland including Cairns, Townsville, Sunshine Coast, Canberra, Wollongong, Wagga Wagga, Orange, Bendigo, and Ballarat.

The new regional free-to-air news channel will feature news, weather, national affairs and sport from the Sky News Australia and Fox Sports News teams.

The on-air schedule will feature flagship political programs including AM Agenda and Afternoon Agenda as well as evening programs Credlin, The Bolt Report, Alan Jones and Paul Murray Live.

Sky News Regional will also feature a live breakfast program on weekdays with news from across Australia and the world, as well as sport and weather updates.

Paul Whittaker, Sky News Australia chief executive said: “We have established a strong and dedicated free-to-air audience in regional Australia and we are pleased that, through this new multi-year agreement with Southern Cross Austereo, we can now provide viewers on the SCA network with the opportunity to discover Sky News content through a new dedicated channel, Sky News Regional.

“As we celebrate 25 years of broadcast in Australia, we look forward to introducing new television audiences to our unrivalled news coverage, together with informed analysis and context from our leading journalists and commentators.”

Southern Cross Austereo CEO, Grant Blackley said: “Our commitment to provide news and entertainment to regional Australia is core to our charter. We are delighted to be able to ensure regional Australians will have access to the high calibre and diverse programming this new partnership with Sky News delivers.” 

Southern Cross Austereo reaches more than 95% of the Australian population through its radio, television, and digital assets.

Sky News also reaches millions of Australians each month.