An Australian regional television service serving much of Victoria and carrying metropolitan Nine Network programming with locally targeted advertising and news.
Last updated August 24, 2026
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Overview
VTV is the callsign and broadcast identity associated with WIN Television's regional Victorian television service in Australia. It operates across a broad collection of regional markets, including Ballarat, western Victoria, Shepparton and the Goulburn Valley, Bendigo, Gippsland, Albury and, within the broader Victorian service history, Mildura. The service is best understood not as an independent national entertainment brand but as a regional commercial television platform that combines network programming with local advertising, transmission infrastructure and regional news production. The service developed from several separately licensed Victorian stations. GMV-6 Shepparton began broadcasting on 23 December 1961, followed by BTV-6 Ballarat on 27 April 1962 and STV-8 Mildura on 27 November 1965. These stations were associated with Examiner-Northern TV Ltd, a company that also owned TVT-6 in Hobart. After the acquisition of STV-8 in 1990, the three Victorian stations adopted the shared on-air identity VIC TV, or Television Victoria. The unified presentation allowed the stations to operate as a coordinated service while retaining separate regional news operations. Regional television aggregation in Victoria on 1 January 1992 significantly expanded the service's reach. VIC Television extended into the Bendigo, Albury and Gippsland markets and became the principal regional affiliate of the Nine Network across most of regional Victoria. The Mildura market followed a different path because aggregation there occurred later. Although the stations carried substantial Nine programming, their operation continued to include local news and market-specific commercial activity. The official callsigns of GMV and BTV were consolidated under VTV, while STV-8 retained its own callsign because the Mildura market was outside the initial aggregation area. In October 1994, ENT Ltd sold VIC Television to WIN Corporation, which already operated regional television services in New South Wales, Canberra and Queensland. The Victorian stations subsequently became part of WIN Television and were commonly identified as WIN Victoria. The ownership change altered the visual branding, while elements of the former VIC/Nine presentation remained for a period. VTV therefore represents both a technical callsign and a continuing regional service within the larger WIN network rather than a standalone publicly listed company. The service's network affiliation changed as part of a national regional television realignment. On 1 July 2016, VTV exchanged affiliations with GLV/BCV and moved from the Nine Network to Network 10. During this period it rebroadcast a Melbourne ATV-10 feed while retaining local advertising. On 1 July 2021, the affiliation was reversed: VTV returned to the Nine Network and began rebroadcasting a GTV-9 Melbourne feed with local advertising. The current service carries Nine's principal programming and most of its major multichannels, including 9Gem, 9Go! and 9Life; the service does not carry 9Rush according to the referenced station material. Programming includes Nine's entertainment, news, current-affairs and sports schedules, such as Today, Today Extra, A Current Affair, 60 Minutes, Nine News, Sports Sunday, Nine's Wide World of Sports and The AFL Sunday Footy Show. Local news has been an important part of the station's identity since the original services launched. WIN News has used local reporting bases in Ballarat, Bendigo, Shepparton and Traralgon, with production and presentation coordinated through WIN's broader network. The station's role is consequently defined by regional access: it delivers metropolitan network content while preserving a local advertising and news presence for communities that are not served directly by Melbourne's metropolitan transmitters.
History
VTV's history is rooted in the development of commercial regional television in Victoria. The earliest predecessor in the service group was GMV-6 in Shepparton, which began transmission on 23 December 1961 from Mount Major. BTV-6 Ballarat followed on 27 April 1962, and STV-8 Mildura launched on 27 November 1965. These stations were created to serve distinct regional markets and initially selected programming from Melbourne's commercial networks while producing local news and other regionally relevant material. The stations were operated under the ownership of Examiner-Northern TV Ltd, which also controlled TVT-6 Hobart. Over time, their programming and ownership arrangements became more coordinated. BTV developed a notable local production history, including the chat program Six Tonight, which ran from 1971 to 1983 and was later distributed beyond Ballarat and Shepparton. BTV also maintained a strong news operation, beginning with a bulletin read by Arthur Scuffins on its opening day. Its local bulletin was expanded to 30 minutes in 1980 and later branded NewsCentre 6. The three Victorian stations adopted the common VIC TV, or Television Victoria, identity after the acquisition of STV-8 in 1990. This created a statewide-style regional service with shared presentation and programming while preserving separate news operations for the individual markets. The timing was significant because Victoria's regional television aggregation was approaching. On 1 January 1992, VIC Television expanded its transmission footprint to include Bendigo, Albury and Gippsland and became the Nine Network affiliate for most of regional Victoria. Mildura remained a special case because its market was not aggregated until 1997. The official callsigns of GMV and BTV were consolidated into VTV, while STV-8 retained its own callsign. The next major transition occurred in October 1994, when ENT Ltd sold VIC Television to WIN Corporation. WIN already operated regional stations in New South Wales, Canberra and Queensland, and the acquisition brought the Victorian service into the expanding WIN Television network. The service became known as WIN Victoria. Its visual identity changed to reflect WIN ownership, although elements associated with the former VIC and Nine presentation persisted for several years. VTV's network affiliation has subsequently reflected broader structural changes in Australian regional television. On 1 July 2016, VTV swapped affiliations with GLV/BCV and moved from Nine to Network 10. It carried a Melbourne ATV-10 feed, supplemented by local advertising. On 1 July 2021, the arrangement was reversed and VTV returned to the Nine Network, using a GTV-9 Melbourne feed with local advertising. The contemporary service combines metropolitan network content with regional distribution. It carries Nine's primary channel and most of the network's associated services, including 9Gem, 9Go! and 9Life, while excluding 9Rush. Its schedule includes national and metropolitan news, current affairs, entertainment and sport. Regional news remains a central function of the WIN operation, with reporting resources in Ballarat, Bendigo, Shepparton and Traralgon and production coordinated through WIN's wider network. This model allows VTV to serve geographically dispersed communities while retaining the commercial scale of a national regional television group.
- 2021
Affiliation returns to Nine
[1]VTV reverses the 2016 change and resumes its Nine Network affiliation using a GTV-9 Melbourne feed with local advertising.
- 2016
Affiliation changes to Network 10
[1]VTV exchanges affiliations with GLV/BCV and begins carrying Network 10 programming through a Melbourne ATV-10 feed.
- 1994
WIN Corporation acquires VIC Television
[1]ENT Ltd sells VIC Television to WIN Corporation, after which the Victorian stations become part of WIN Television and are commonly identified as WIN Victoria.
- 1992
Regional Victorian aggregation expands coverage
[1]VIC Television extends into Bendigo, Albury and Gippsland and becomes the Nine Network affiliate for most of regional Victoria. GMV and BTV are consolidated under the VTV callsign.
- 1990
VIC TV identity is introduced
[1]Following the acquisition of STV-8, the three Victorian stations adopt a coordinated VIC TV, or Television Victoria, on-air identity.
- 1965
STV-8 Mildura launches
[1]STV-8 begins serving the Mildura market and later becomes part of the broader Television Victoria history.
- 1962
BTV-6 Ballarat launches
[1]BTV-6 begins broadcasting on 27 April and develops local news and locally produced programming for Ballarat and western Victoria.
- 1961
GMV-6 Shepparton begins broadcasting
[1]The Shepparton station begins transmission on 23 December, establishing one of the principal predecessors of the later Victorian regional service.
Products and positioning
A regional television platform combining the reach and programming of the metropolitan Nine Network with local Victorian advertising, transmission and news coverage.
Broadcast television
Regional television service
VTV provides commercial free-to-air television distribution across regional Victorian markets. Its service combines network programming supplied by Nine with local advertising and regional transmission arrangements. The footprint has historically included Ballarat, western Victoria, Shepparton, Bendigo, Gippsland, Albury and the separate Mildura service area.
Regional news
WIN News Victoria
WIN News supplies regional news coverage for Victorian markets served by the WIN operation. Reporting resources have been based in Ballarat, Bendigo, Shepparton and Traralgon, with the service using a coordinated production model rather than relying solely on a single metropolitan newsroom.
Network programming
Nine Network programming
The service carries Nine programming across news, current affairs, entertainment and sport. Examples include Today, Today Extra, Nine News, A Current Affair, 60 Minutes, Sports Sunday, Nine's Wide World of Sports and The AFL Sunday Footy Show.
Digital television
Nine digital multichannels
VTV carries most of Nine's principal multichannel services in its regional footprint, including 9Gem, 9Go! and 9Life. The referenced station material identifies 9Rush as an exception.
Brand decisions
2021
Return to Nine Network affiliationStrategyBackground
The regional affiliation arrangement introduced in 2016 was reversed as part of another change affecting VTV and GLV/BCV.
Action taken
VTV resumed carrying Nine Network programming and rebroadcast a GTV-9 Melbourne feed with local advertising.
Aftermath
The service again became associated with Nine's primary programming and its regional multichannel lineup.
2016
Switch from Nine Network to Network 10StrategyBackground
A national realignment of regional television affiliations changed the network relationships of several Victorian stations.
Action taken
VTV exchanged affiliations with GLV/BCV and moved to Network 10, rebroadcasting a Melbourne ATV-10 feed with local advertising.
Aftermath
The arrangement lasted until 2021, when VTV returned to the Nine Network.
Sources2 sources
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