Nine, WIN in court dispute over TV content streaming


Details

Rebecca Hawkes

| 12 February 2016




Regional TV network WIN Corp is taking metropolitan operator Nine Entertainment to court in an attempt to prevent it from streaming WIN channels into regional Australia.



Nine’s affiliate broadcaster is alleging that Nine has breached the two parties’ programme supply agreement and is seeking damages.

Nine Entertainment claims that it discussed an arrangement with WIN that would have seen WIN stream Nine’s content to country areas, but that the two parties failed to come to an agreement, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.

Nine began streaming its linear broadcast channels over the Internet at the beginning of February 2016, through its 9Now live and on-demand online video service.

The final trial, to be heard on 13 and 14 April, is expected to centre on the understanding of the word ‘broadcast’.

In December, the two TV networks reached a last minute agreement for a six-month extension until June 2016 to their affiliate deal.

The owner of WIN Corp, billionaire Bruce Gordon, is also the largest shareholder of free-to-air commercial channel Nine Entertainment, with a 14.95% stake.