The Tuggeranong Community Council (TCC) has called on WIN TV to reverse its decision to downgrade its Canberra newsroom. In a letter to WIN TV management in Wollongong the TCC says the decision is an insult to WIN TV’s many loyal viewers in Canberra and it accuses the Television Network as treating the National Capital as a “hick country town.” It says the TCC believes the decision will have a negative impact on local news gathering, local news coverage and the overall quality of local news in Canberra. The TCC fears under the proposed arrangements a smaller WIN TV news team will be working to tighter deadlines and heavier workloads. They will not be able to devote the time and effort they want to stories. Also, issues that fall outside the new deadline will be ignored and this will impact on the quality of the overall news service. The TCC also believes this is just the first step and that eventually WIN TV will decide to no longer employ journalists in its Canberra Newsroom. News stories will be written by journalists in Wollongong or elsewhere and who have little or no knowledge of the National Capital, do not have a feel for our city and do not have the Canberra news contacts to be able to initiate or generate stories themselves. The TCC said the decision not to replace the WIN TV News and Sports anchors is also a slap in the face for Canberra residents. Past WIN TV News and Sports Anchors have been active members of our community and ambassadors for the WIN Television Network. They have given their own time to support many community and charity organisations and events in Canberra. Click on the link for a copy of theTCC letter sent to WIN TV Management: TCC Letter to WIN TV
It won’t be long before they sack all the journalists in Canberra and produce and read the Canberra news from Wollongong. This is what happens in Queensland where the news for more than half that State is produced and presented from the Sunshine Coast. So much for “local news”