SES/RTS

It was originally two individual stations serving different regions. SES-8 originally planned to launch on 20 November 1965. Due to a tensioning wire being snapped on a 500-foot transmitter mast at Mount Burr, sending the tower crashing to the ground and containing 200 tonnes of steel,{{Cite news |date=5 October 1965 |title=500-foot TV mast crashes in SA |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-age-500-foot-tv-mast-crashes-in-sa/146561117/ |access-date=4 May 2024 |newspaper=The Age |publisher=John Fairfax and Sons |location=Melbourne |page=1 |via=Newspapers.com}} SES-8 instead commenced transmissions on 25 March 1966 at 7:30{{nbsp}}pm, opened by Dr. Jim Forbes, who also helped open national station ABGS-1 in December 1965, serving Mount Gambier and south-east South Australia. Its first program was a 25-minute special, Tonight's the Night, fronted by SES-8's first newsreader Lewis Hobba.{{cite news |date=24 March 1966 |title=SES.8 commercial television station opens this Friday |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article277007615 |access-date=4 May 2024 |newspaper=The South-east Kingston Leader |location=Kingston, South Australia |page=3 |via=National Library of Australia |volume=4 |issue=184}}{{Cite news |last=Hill |first=Kate |date=1 April 2016 |title=Tonight's the night: Television channel SES-8 beams out to the south east |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-04-01/television-begins-in-the-south-east/7291214 |access-date=4 May 2024 |work=ABC News |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |language=en-AU |publication-place=Mount Gambier}} It was followed by a 5-minute news service, Peter Paul And Mary In Australia and the 1958 film The Big Country. It closed for the day at 11:32{{nbsp}}pm after the Closing Thoughts. RTS-5A began on 26 November 1976 serving Loxton, Renmark and the Riverland, and opened with introductions from Julie Blyth and John Harvey. The 1965 film The Great Race started at 6:05{{nbsp}}pm, before RTS' official opening at 8:40{{nbsp}}pm. Blyth and Harvey returned to host the official opening, with the Minister for Post and Telecommunications, Eric Robinson, doing the honours by declaring RTS open. The evening's programs concluded with the 1961 film The Guns of Navarone, which was broadcast at 9:20{{nbsp}}pm.{{Cite web |date=19 May 2006 |title=RTS5a Riverland |url=http://austv.hostforweb.com/cgi-bin/cgi2/index.rb?page=RTS5a%20Riverland§ion=Television%20History%20Reference/TV%20Stations/Other%20Commercial/Defunct/South%20Australian&mode=0 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110809025749/http://austv.hostforweb.com/cgi-bin/cgi2/index.rb?page=RTS5a%20Riverland§ion=Television%20History%20Reference/TV%20Stations/Other%20Commercial/Defunct/South%20Australian&mode=0 |archive-date=9 August 2011 |access-date=4 May 2024 |website=Australian Television Archive}}{{Cite news |date=25 November 1976 |title=New TV station opens tomorrow |newspaper=The Murray Pioneer |page=7}}

On 9 November 1998, parts of the RTS-5A studio were destroyed by a fire. RTS was back on air less than seven hours later, transmitting test patterns. Station manager Wendy Mudge stated that "The old studio will be torn down to make way for a new one". By this time, RTS was bought by SES, but it continued to produce a local news bulletin, and identified on-air as 5A.{{Cite news |date=17 November 1998 |title=The show must go on - television station |url=http://www.murraypioneer.com.au/archive1998/19981117.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090501165928/http://www.murraypioneer.com.au/archive1998/19981117.htm |archive-date=1 May 2009 |access-date=4 May 2024 |newspaper=The Murray Pioneer |location=Riverland}}

In June 1999, WIN Television acquired SES and RTS and integrated them into the WIN Television network in Mount Gambier in October 1999 and Riverland in November 1999, with the branding now matching that of the Nine Network. In 2003, 24-hour transmission commenced.

Prior to 2004, SES/RTS were the only commercial television stations broadcasting in Mount Gambier and the south east of South Australia, respectively. The stations broadcast a mixture of programs derived from the Seven Network, the Nine Network and Network Ten. However, in 2004, WIN Television introduced a sole Network Ten affiliate, WIN Ten (MGS/LRS), becoming the second commercial television station in the region.{{cite web |date=21 July 2001 |title=ABA determines simulcast start dates for regional digital TV services |url=http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD/1001/pc=PC_91167 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071023052906/https://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD/1001/pc%3DPC_91167 |archive-date=23 October 2007 |access-date=18 August 2007 |work=Australian Communications and Media Authority}} Following this, SES/RTS became sole Nine Network affiliates, only sport programs (particularly AFL matches) being acquired from the Seven Network.

In October 2007, SES/RTS became a sole Seven Network affiliates as the main WIN stations in South Australia.

SES and RTS, along with GTS/BKN, switched off its analogue signal on 15 December 2010 at 9am. SES and RTS planned to start providing the digital multi-channels GO!, GEM, 7TWO, 7mate, One and Eleven, expanding to the south east area from 11 November 2011, with other areas completed by early 2012.{{Cite web |last=Knox |first=David |date=3 September 2011 |title=Multichannels coming to regional South Australia |url=https://tvtonight.com.au/2011/09/multichannels-coming-to-regional-south-australia.html |access-date=4 May 2024 |website=TV Tonight |language=en-AU}}

On 1 July 2016, WIN Seven (SES/RTS) and WIN Nine (SDS/RDS), continued to align with the Seven Network and the Nine Network respectively, at the same time of the start of its affiliation with Network Ten on WIN Ten (MGS/LRS).

On 1 July 2021, the TV channels Seven SA (SES/RTS), Nine SA (SDS/RDS), and WIN SA (MGS/LRS) underwent a rebranding to align with their new program supply agreement with the Seven Network, the Nine Network, and Network 10, respectively. As of that date, Seven SA and Nine SA continued their affiliation with the Seven Network and the Nine Network, respectively, and there were no changes to their network affiliations. WIN SA (MGS/LRS), however, changed its name to 10 SA and remained affiliated with Network 10. Additionally, SDS/RDS became the main WIN station in South Australia once again.

On 30 June 2024, WIN ended their advertising agreement with the Seven Network, ending the ability for local advertisers to book advertising on Seven through WIN and ending local transmissions of SES Mount Gambier after 58 years, and RTS in the Riverland after 47 years.{{cite news |last1=Jacques |first1=Oliver |title=WIN Network pulls plug on Griffith Sky News coverage, upsets local advertisers |url=https://regionriverina.com.au/win-network-pulls-plug-on-griffith-sky-news-coverage-upsets-local-advertisers/65277/ |access-date=18 November 2024 |work=Region Riverina |date=4 July 2024 |language=en}} Both stations are now full-time dirty feeds of SAS-7 Adelaide complete with Adelaide commercials. SDS/RDS (Nine) and MGS/LRS (10) continue to insert local commercials into their ad breaks.

WIN in South Australia, like its services in other states, was primarily an affiliate of the Nine Network. However, in September 2007, WIN Television announced plans to convert the station into a sole Seven Network affiliate, due to a disagreement with the Nine Network's owner, PBL Media, over affiliation advertising revenue.{{cite news |last=Tabakoff |first=Nick |date=5 September 2007 |title=WIN turns to Seven |url=http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,22364267-7582,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070907011603/http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,22364267-7582,00.html |archive-date=7 September 2007 |access-date=5 September 2007 |newspaper=The Australian |publisher=News Limited |location=Sydney}} As a result of the switch, alongside the local news updates, WIN SA began broadcasting Seven News and Today Tonight from SAS in Adelaide rather than Nine's, as well as Seven's national newscasts and Sunrise.

On 7 August 2009, WIN recommenced broadcasting Channel Nine as a digital only service (callsign SDS in Spencer Gulf and RDS in the Riverland), would be starting on 4 October 2009.{{cite web |date=7 August 2009 |title=WIN Launches Third Digital Channel! |url=http://www.wintv.com.au/renmark_loxton/media/item/15491 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091029165247/http://www.wintv.com.au/renmark_loxton/media/item/15491 |archive-date=29 October 2009 |accessdate=23 February 2010 |publisher=WIN Television}}{{cite web |date=10 August 2009 |title=WIN to return Nine programming to Riverland and South East SA |url=http://www.mediaspy.org/report/2009/08/10/win-to-return-nine-programming-to-the-riverland/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100218063909/http://www.mediaspy.org/report/2009/08/10/win-to-return-nine-programming-to-the-riverland/ |archive-date=18 February 2010 |accessdate=26 August 2009 |publisher=Media Spy}} The channel is a direct feed of NWS-9 Adelaide, but with local commercials.

After SES's and RTS's analogue signal was switched off, the three services were rebranded as Seven SA, WIN and Ten SA. On 1 July 2016, they rebranded as Seven SA, Nine SA, and WIN respectively, to represent a change in affiliation within the WIN Network. On 1 July 2021, they rebranded as Seven SA, Nine SA, and 10 SA respectively, to represent a change in affiliation within the WIN Network.

Seven SA broadcasts programs from the Seven Network, including the Adelaide edition of Seven News while Nine SA broadcasts programs from the Nine Network, including the Adelaide edition of Nine News and A Current Affair. The station also carries the Adelaide feeds of 7two, 7mate, 9Go!, 9Gem and 9Life.

Up until October 2010, two separate bulletins were produced for the Mount Gambier and Riverland areas.{{Cite news |last=Martin |first=Christie |date=29 October 2010 |title=Riverland and South East share TV news |url=http://www.murray-pioneer.com.au/news/7489-riverland-and-south-east-share-tv-news |url-access=subscription |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110303000501/http://www.murray-pioneer.com.au/news/7489-riverland-and-south-east-share-tv-news/ |archive-date=3 March 2011 |access-date=4 May 2024 |work=The Murray Pioneer |publisher=Taylor Group |location=Riverland}}

Then until February 2013, WIN News produced and broadcast a regional news bulletin for the combined SES/RTS region each weekday evening. Reporters and camera crews were based within the area at newsrooms in Mount Gambier and Loxton with the bulletin latterly broadcast from NWS-9's studios in Adelaide.

The last regional program was broadcast on Friday 15 February 2013 with the news service ceasing operations after the weekend, and ten staff at the Mount Gambier and Loxton newsrooms made redundant.{{Cite news |date=19 February 2013 |title=Pasin to fight WIN TV cuts |url=http://murray-pioneer.com.au/news/20662-pasin-to-fight-win-tv-cuts/ |url-access=subscription |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130420052825/http://murray-pioneer.com.au/news/20662-pasin-to-fight-win-tv-cuts/ |archive-date=20 April 2013 |access-date=4 May 2024 |newspaper=The Murray Pioneer |publisher=Taylor Group |location=Riverland}}

In 2014, WIN introduced short local news updates for the two areas, produced in co-operation with The Border Watch and The Murray Pioneer. The updates, presented by Britt Ditterich, air on all three WIN services during the 6pm timeslot (during Seven News for Seven SA, 10 News First and The Project for 10 SA and Nine News for Nine SA). All 3 WIN channels also carry the SA and national editions of news programs of their respective partner networks, plus state and national updates from the latter as well as The Project (10 SA only).

{{Portal|Television|Australia}}

• WIN Television
• Seven Network
• Nine Network

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.wintv.com.au/ WIN Television]
• [http://7plus.com.au/ Seven Network website]
• [http://www.9now.com.au/ Nine Network website]
• [http://www.austvhistory.com/win/winsa.htm ausTVhistory | WIN SA]

{{WIN Corporation}}

{{South Australia TV}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ses Rts}}

Category:WIN Television