The announcement by Prime7 last week to centralise its news broadcast to Canberra has put a cloud over the future of regional television across the New England.
A disappointed Member for New England Tony Windsor says he will be asking the company to reconsider its decision.
“Prime7 had its roots in Tamworth when established by the Higginbotham Family as NEN9.
“Tamworth and the New England have been very proud of the development of Prime7 as it expanded across regional Australia.
“It has been an organisation that has shown commitment to and support of regional Australia’s opportunities and has benefited itself from regional Australians.
“Its decision to centralise its news reading out of the Canberra studios removes local infrastructure and skills – something that people involved in regional development have been working hard to prevent and in fact, turn around,” Mr Windsor said.
Mr Windsor is concerned that a decision like this by an organisation so heavily involved previously with local communities may lead to other organisations doing similar.
“Whilst private companies have every right to decide how to deliver their service, what appears on the surface to justify a bottomline decision sometimes needs to be viewed in a broader context.
“Take for example the recent decision by the board of the Phoenix Foundry in Uralla, which passed up a substantial buy-out offer which would have seen the business closed and many jobs lost in a small but positive community.
“This was an amazing decision that showed a real commitment to their staff, their town and regional Australia in the face of individual gain.
“I congratulate and thank the Phoenix Foundry Board for their decision and I’m sure their staff will repay this decision through their productivity and commitment to the company.
“Prime7 may see the centralising of their news to Canberra as a good bottomline decision however I would ask that they reconsider their decision after reviewing other impacts and possibilities of maintaining their news service out of Tamworth.
“The Ramsay Group, owners of Prime7, has other business interests in regional Australia that depend on country people’s support and I would implore them to continue to support country people by continuing the Prime7 news service that is very much part of our community,” Mr Windsor said.
