NWS (TV station)

NWS-9 was the first television broadcaster in Adelaide, beginning on 5 September 1959 from their Tynte Street studios. It was owned by Rupert Murdoch's News Limited (a subsidiary of his holding company News Corporation) through Southern Television Corporation Ltd who also owned city newspaper The News. Popular programs produced in its early days included the live variety shows Adelaide Tonight and Hey Hey It's Saturday (on-location specials), science show The Curiosity Show, The Country and Western Hour, and children's shows Channel Niners, C'mon Kids, Here's Humphrey and Pick Your Face. NWS also broadcast SANFL game matches from 1989 to 1992, earlier it had produced the first ever colour broadcast of that league's Grand Final in 1973.

In early 1980, NBN Limited became NWS's owner for A$19 million.^[2] In 1981, Hadjoin Pty. Ltd., a subsidiary of Kevin Parry's Esplanade Limited (later Parry Corporation), purchased 19.88% of NBN Limited for $6.7 million.^[2]

Following this, Parry then attempted to buy the Wansey family's stake in NBN, but was blocked by the Supreme Court of New South Wales, after which Parry revealed that he wanted to take over NBN (and thus NWS). Parry and the Lamb family then formed a deal – NBN would transfer NWS to the Lambs in exchange for their share of NBN which went to the Parrys. This ended NBN Limited's ownership of NWS.

The Lamb family sold NWS to Southern Cross Broadcasting for $96 million in 1999, leading to redundancies among almost half of the station's staff.^[3]

On 30 May 2007, Southern Cross announced its sale of NWS-9 to WIN Corporation for $105 million.^[4] WIN took control on 1 July 2007.

It was reported on 3 June 2013 that Nine Entertainment Co. would immediately purchase Nine Adelaide (NWS) from WIN Corporation as part of a deal to secure international cricket television rights. Nine officially gained control of NWS on 1 July 2013.^[5] This move saw Nine Adelaide join Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne as Nine Network owned-and-operated metropolitan stations leaving only Perth which was purchased only months later in September.

Managing Director of Nine Adelaide, Sean O'Brien, announced in late 2014 that within two years, the station would move from their Tynte Street location of over fifty years to new studios in the CBD.^[6]

The final broadcast from the Tynte Street studios was on 18 September 2015, followed a day later by the first transmission from the new street-level studios on Pirie Street.^[7]

• 9News (Adelaide edition)
• Hello SA (2022 - Present)
• Building Ideas (Adelaide edition)

 

• Adelaide Tonight
• The Curiosity Show
• C'mon Kids
• The Country and Western Hour
• Channel Niners
• Here's Humphrey
• Pick Your Face
• Postcards
• Out of the Blue
• Garden Gurus SA
• Building Ideas
• Feeling Good
• Out of the Ordinary

9News Adelaide is presented from the studios of NWS Adelaide by Kate Collins and Brenton Ragless on weeknights with Will McDonald presenting on weekends. Sport is presented mostly in the studio by Tom Rehn on weekdays and by Corey Norris on weekends, with the weather presented by Jessica Braithwaite on weeknights and Chelsea Carey on the weekend.

John Doherty was the station's first news presenter.

Between 1988 and 2007, the weeknight bulletin was presented by Rob Kelvin and the late Kevin Crease. They were one of the longest serving news duos in Australia.

Throughout the 1990s, Deanna Williams was the main fill-in presenter and state political reporter. Following her resignation in March 2002, either Kelvin or Crease would fill in for McGuinness on weekends, but in 2005 the situation arose where all three presenters were unavailable – leaving weekend sports presenter Mark Bickley to read the news.

Also during this time, the weekend bulletins consistently rated higher than its rival Seven News Adelaide in its timeslot, however, the weeknight bulletins continue to languish in second position behind Seven.^[8]

In late 2008, NWS-9 launched its own local version of the Nine Network's flagship current affairs program, A Current Affair, hosted by Adelaide journalist Kate Collins. It was axed only one year later.^[9]

On 26 November 2009, one day after the axing of the local A Current Affair was announced, Kelly Nestor announced live on air that her contract as Kelvin's weeknight co-anchor would not be renewed and she would finish on 18 December 2009.^[10]

On 22 February 2010, it was announced that senior reporter Michael Smyth would be joining Rob Kelvin at the newsdesk.

On 31 October 2010, Rob Kelvin announced that he would retire from the newsdesk after 32 years on the air. He would present his last bulletin on 31 December 2010 after 27 years anchoring the news. However, News Director, Tony Agars announced that Kelvin would continue to present the occasional special report and fill-in a few times a year when required. Kate Collins replaced Kelvin, joining Smyth at the news desk.

In October 2011, it was announced that Michael Smyth and Georgina McGuinness would not have their contracts renewed.^[11] From the end of November 2011 until December 2013, Kate Collins presented the bulletin solo on weeknights and Will McDonald replaced McGuinness as presenter for weekend bulletins at the end of December 2011.

Despite the national dominance of Nine News for many years, the Adelaide bulletin has failed to match the same ratings success seen in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, and remains the lowest-rating news program in its market, formerly trailing rival Seven News Adelaide by around 100,000 viewers. This is reflected in the frequent position changes that have taken place at NWS over the years since it last won the local ratings in 2007.

• NWS-9 News, Sport and Weather (1959–1965)
• Channel 9 News (1960s–early 1970s)
• National Nine News (early 1970s, 1976–1980, 1987–2008)
• Nine Eyewitness News (1974–1976)
• Nine Action News (1981–1986)
• Nine News (2008–present)

• Official Site