Dr Anne Webster MP has written to the CEO of Skydance urging that they acquire the Sunraysia Ten broadcast licence and put it back on air. The Member for Mallee’s Save our Signal (SOS) went out this morning after news broke that the American media giant had acquired Paramount and, therefore, Australian channel Ten operations.

“I was heartened by the news of new investment in Paramount and therefore Channel Ten overnight. I hope that as they review the Ten operations they can take up the Sunraysia broadcast licence that Mildura Digital Television Pty Ltd surrendered, and reinstate the signal,” Dr Webster said.

Skydance is the studio behind Top Gun: Maverick, Mission Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One and Terminator: Dark Fare and successful television shows such as Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan and Reacher.

“Getting Ten back on the air in Mildura isn’t mission impossible. I acknowledge this is a long shot but if there is an avenue for even the faintest hope, I will go down it as the Member for Mallee,” Dr Webster added.

“I have asked for a video meeting with Skydance to at least have the conversation about what might be possible.

Dr Webster spoke in Parliament about the Ten shutdown last sitting fortnight (see the video here) and a Senate inquiry has been moved into the Albanese Labor Government’s sudden bill to make VAST available for Ten viewers in Sunraysia, at an individual cost of approximately $800.  The deadline for submissions to the inquiry is 17 July.

“I urge Sunraysia residents to make a submission, as I am also lobbying Senators through my Coalition colleagues on the Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee to stage a hearing in Mildura about the local impact of this shutdown.”