Seven cements regional dominance with Southern Cross acquisition

Seven West Media has finalised its acquisition of Southern Cross Media Group’s regional TV licences, expanding its reach across Tasmania, Darwin, Spencer Gulf, Broken Hill, Mount Isa and remote parts of Central and Eastern Australia.

The move positions Seven as the country’s largest regional commercial broadcaster, reaching 5.7 million regional Australians and claiming a 44.5% commercial audience share in those markets.

Seven West Media CEO Jeff Howard said the acquisition would enable deeper investment in regional news and stronger integration with communities.

“SWM is pleased to have completed this small but strategically important acquisition that solidifies our position as Australia’s leading regional commercial television broadcaster," Howard said.

“Ownership of these licences will allow us to connect directly with these regions moving forward. Following the acquisition of Southern Cross Media’s television assets, 7NEWS has unparalleled breadth and depth across regional Australia.”

Seven said it would continue Tasmania’s one-hour nightly bulletin and introduce updates in Spencer Gulf, Darwin and Broken Hill. The company already produces half-hour 6pm bulletins across major regional centres in Queensland, NSW and WA, with a total audience of nearly 440,000 this year.

Seven said it was committed to regional jobs in regional communities, with regional news hubs in Maroochydore, Bunbury, Launceston and Canberra.

SWM will release its financial results for the year ended 30 June 2025 on Tuesday 12 August 2025.