View source for STW

{{About|the Australian television station}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}}
{{Use Australian English|date=July 2011}}
{{Infobox television station
| callsign = STW
| city = 
| logo = Nine Network logo (2008).svg
| logo_size = 140px
| branding = Nine
| digital = 8 ([[very high frequency|VHF]])
| virtual = 9
| translators = 
| affiliations = [[Nine Network|Nine]]
| founded = 
| airdate = {{start date and age|1965|06|12|df=yes}}
| location = [[Perth, Western Australia]]
| country = [[Australia]]
| language = English
| callsign_meaning = '''S'''wan<br />'''T'''elevision<br />'''W'''estern Australia
| former_callsigns = 
| former_channel_numbers = [[Analog TV|Analog]]: 9 ([[VHF]]) (1965–2013)
| owner = {{nowrap|[[Nine Entertainment Co.]]}}
| licensee = Swan Television & Radio Broadcasters Pty Ltd
| former_affiliations = Independent (1965–1978)
| erp = 50 [[kilowatt|kW]] (digital)
| haat = 317 m (digital)<ref>[[height above average terrain|HAAT]] estimated from http://www.itu.int/SRTM3/ using EHAAT.</ref>
| class = 
| facility_id = 
| licensing_authority = [[Australian Communications and Media Authority|ACMA]]
| coordinates = {{coord|32|0|45|S|116|3|42|E|type:landmark_scale:2000}}
| website = [https://www.9now.com.au 9now.com.au]
}}

'''STW''' is an Australian [[Australian television broadcasting|television station]] owned by the [[Nine Network]] that is based in [[Perth]], Western Australia.
''STW'' broadcasts from a shared facility transmitter mast located in [[Carmel, Western Australia|Carmel]]. The station callsign, ''STW'', is an acronym of Swan Television, Western Australia.

==History==

===Origins===
In February 1964, Swan Television was awarded a licence to operate Perth's second commercial television station.<ref>[http://televisionau.com/2015/06/nine-perth-turns-50.html Nine Perth turns 50], televisionau.com, 12 June 2015</ref> The company's shareholders at the time included Ansett Transport Industries, which was also preparing to launch [[ATV-0]], the third commercial station in Melbourne, in October that year.

STW-9 began broadcasting at 5.30pm on Saturday 12 June 1965.<ref>[http://televisionau.com/2015/06/nine-perth-turns-50.html Nine Perth turns 50], televisionau.com, 12 June 2015</ref> Broadcasting from a purpose-built studio complex in the [[Perth]] suburb of Dianella, the station employed around a hundred staff.

The station was officially opened by the [[Premier of Western Australia]], [[David Brand]], following a documentary film entitled ''Montage of Perth''. Its first night programming included the film ''[[Guys and Dolls (film)|Guys and Dolls]]'', an MGM-produced tribute to [[Cecil B. DeMille]] called ''The World's Greatest Showman'' and a replay of ''TV Spells Magic'', a variety show produced for the opening of [[TEN (TV station)|TEN-10]] in Sydney the preceding April.<ref>[http://televisionau.com/classic-tv-guides/tv120665 Classic TV Guides: Saturday 12 June 1965 - Perth], televisionau.com</ref>

Upon launch, both STW and rival station [[TVW|TVW-7]] launched a joint company entitled TV Facilities to allow the two commercial channels in Perth to share access to networked programs from the east coast.

===1970s and 1980s===
Among the station's key achievements, it produced a major drama series in 1973 - ''[[The Drifter (TV series)|The Drifter]]'', starring [[Alan Cassell]]. In the run up to the launch of colour broadcasting, STW produced the first full colour TV news bulletin in November 1974.<ref>[http://televisionau.com/2015/06/nine-perth-turns-50.html Nine Perth turns 50], televisionau.com, 12 June 2015</ref> The station won its first [[Logie Award]] in 1971 for locally produced variety show ''Spotlight''.

STW remained independently owned until 1978, when it became affiliated with the [[Nine Network]], allowing direct access to its programming. In 1984, the station was bought by businessman [[Alan Bond (businessman)|Alan Bond]] for just under $50 million, becoming part of Bond Media. It became a network [[owned and operated station]] when Bond purchased the Nine Network from [[Kerry Packer]].

On 17 April 1984, STW9 became the first station in Perth to commence 24-hour broadcasting. The station also claimed the first hour-long news program in the city, beating TVW, and mirroring Ten's in SA and eastern Australia (Ten did not have a station in the city until NEW-10 launched in 1988).

In 1989, Bond Media sold STW to [[Sunraysia Television]] for [[Australian dollar|A$]]95 million. The deal also involved Bond Media purchasing the Sunraysia owned [[STV (TV station)|STV-8]] for [[Australian dollar|A$]]18 million. Bond Media was forced to sell due to the Federal cross-media ownership laws, which restricted the level of national reach for media owners.<ref>{{cite news | author = Webb, Richard | title = Sunraysia settles STW-9 purchase | work = [[Australian Financial Review]] | date = 20 April 1989}}</ref>

===2000s===
STW commenced digital television transmission in January 2001, broadcasting on VHF Channel 8 while maintaining analogue transmission on VHF Channel 9.
In January 2007, Sunraysia Television posted a profit warning, from an expected 12% drop in revenue over the previous six months, citing a weak local advertising market and low ratings, despite a strong state economy.<ref>{{cite news | author = Canning, Simon | title = STW profits hit by ad drop | work = [[The Australian]] | date = 1 October 2007 | url = http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,21016898-7582,00.html | archive-url = https://archive.today/20121215182155/http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,21016898-7582,00.html | url-status = dead | archive-date = 15 December 2012 | access-date = 1 October 2007 }}</ref> The profit warning led to speculation of a potential takeover of STW-9, with [[Publishing and Broadcasting Limited|PBL]] and regional network [[WIN Television]] indicated as potential bidders.<ref>{{cite news|author=Murray, Lisa |title=WIN, Packer seen as rival bidders for Perth Channel 9 |work=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]]|date=10 January 2007 |url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/articles/2007/01/09/1168104982234.html |accessdate=10 January 2007 }}{{dead link|date=June 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> [[PBL Media]] announced in February 2007 that it would purchase STW-9 for [[Australian dollar|A$]]136.4&nbsp;million, with the deal to be completed in late March or early April subject to shareholder approval.<ref>{{cite news
  | title = PBL Media buys Channel Nine Perth
  | work = [[The Age]]
  | date = 21 February 2007
  | url = http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2007/02/21/1171733813368.html
  | accessdate = 21 February 2007 }}</ref>
However, major long-term shareholder, WIN, was also interested in the station. In June 2007, shareholders approved a revised bid from WIN.

===2010s===
On 1 May 2012, STW launched [[Gold (Australian TV channel)|Gold]], a [[datacasting]] channel owned by WIN.

In 2013, [[Nine Entertainment Co.]] purchased the station from WIN. With control from 30 September, the station returned once again as an [[owned-and-operated]] station, although Nine Network now owned all five of its flagship metropolitan stations.

On 19 September 2016, STW began broadcasting from new studios located at 253–267 [[St Georges Terrace]] in Perth's CBD, after 51 years at its original location in [[Dianella, Western Australia|Dianella]].<ref>{{cite news | author = Claire Abraham | title = 9NEWS Perth paves the way with Australia's most modern news studio | work = [[Nine News]] | date = 19 September 2016 | url = http://www.9news.com.au/entertainment/2016/09/19/09/18/9news-perth-paves-the-way-with-australia-best-news-studio/ | accessdate = 19 September 2016 }}</ref>

===2020s===
On 12 June 2025, STW-9 in Perth celebrated its 60th anniversary.

==Programming==

===News and current affairs===

9News national services broadcast on STW include ''[[Today (1982 TV program)|Today]]'', ''[[Today (1982 TV program)|Weekend Today]]'', ''[[Nine News#Today Early News|Today Early News]]'', ''[[Nine News#9News Morning|9News Morning]]'', ''[[Nine News#9News Afternoon|9News Afternoon]]'', ''[[A Current Affair (Australian TV series)|A Current Affair]]'' and ''[[60 Minutes (Australian TV program)|60 Minutes]]''.

Since May 2020, ''[[Nine News#9News Late|Nine News Late]]'' has been broadcast from STW on Mondays &ndash; Thursdays, presented by Michael Thomson.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://tvtonight.com.au/2020/05/today-show-drops-local-perth-news-inserts.html|title=Today Show drops local Perth news inserts|publisher=[[TV Tonight]]|first=David|last=Knox|date=22 May 2020|accessdate=22 May 2020}}</ref>

====9News Perth====
[[File:Nine Plaza, Perth - Studio.jpg|thumb|The set of ''9News''.]]
''[[Nine News|9News]] Perth'' is produced and broadcast live from STW's studios in [[Perth]]. ''9News  Afternoon'' is presented by [[Monika Kos]] and the flagship newscast every night at 6pm by [[Michael Thomson (journalist)|Michael Thomson]] on weeknights and [[Natalia Cooper]] on weekends, with sport presenters TBD (Monday – Thursday) and Paddy Sweeney (Friday – Sunday) and weather presenters Scherri-Lee Biggs (weeknights) and Natalia Cooper (weekends) from across Perth and regional Western Australia.

[[Natalia Cooper]] is the main fill-in presenter for [[Michael Thomson (journalist)|Michael Thomson]] on weeknights while Natalia Cooper is the main fill-in presenter for [[Natalia Cooper]] on weekends. Paddy Sweeney is the main fill-in sport presenter for Dean ‘Clairsy’ Clairs  on weeknights.

Despite the national dominance of ''9News'' for many years,<ref name="2015-ratings">{{cite web|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/media/broadcast/tv-ratings-nines-the-one-again-when-it-comes-to-news/news-story/c1bfde242e5b9487d933c2e9194db95d|title=TV ratings: Nine's the one again when it comes to news|publisher=The Australian|first=Michael|last=Bodey|date=20 July 2015|accessdate=7 June 2017}}</ref> the Perth bulletin has failed to match the ratings success seen in [[TCN|Sydney]], [[GTV (Australia)|Melbourne]] and [[QTQ|Brisbane]], and remains the lowest-rating news program in its market, often trailing rival ''[[Seven News#Perth|Seven News Perth]]'' by over 100,000 viewers.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tim-mcmillan-replaces-greg-pearce-at-nine-20121209-2b36h.html|title=Tim McMillan replaces Greg Pearce at Nine|work=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]]|first=Jillian|last=McHugh|date=9 December 2012|accessdate=8 June 2017}}</ref> This is reflected in the frequent position changes that have taken place at STW over the past thirty years since it [[List of Australian TV news presenters year by year#1990-1999|last won the local ratings in 1990]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/libby-out-emmy-in-on-nines-perth-news-desk-20150224-13n8mx.html|title=Libby out, Emmy in on Nine's Perth news desk|work=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]]|first=Candice|last=Barnes|date=24 February 2015|accessdate=8 June 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://televisionau.com/2015/06/nine-perth-turns-50.html|title=Nine Perth turns 50|publisher=TelevisionAU|date=12 June 2015|accessdate=8 June 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://tvtonight.com.au/2017/12/nine-news-perth-dumps-presenters.html|title=Nine News dumps Perth anchors|publisher=[[TV Tonight]]|first=David|last=Knox|date=16 December 2017|accessdate=17 December 2017}}</ref>

=====Presenters=====
'''Weeknights'''
*[[Michael Thomson (journalist)|Michael Thomson]] (News) (2018–present)
* Dean ‘Clairsy’ Clairs  (Sport) (Monday – Wednesday, 2025–present)
*Paddy Sweeney (Sport) (Thursday – Sunday)
*Scherri-Lee Biggs (Weather) (Sunday – Wednesday)
*Natalia Cooper (Weather) (Thursday – Friday)

'''Weekends'''
*Natalia Cooper

'''9News Afternoon'''
*[[Monika Kos]] (2020–present)
'''Late News''' 

* Tracy Vo
* Natalia Cooper

'''Reporters'''
{{col-start}}
{{col-2}}
*Jamie Freestone
*Michael Stamp
*Louise Rennie
*Connor McGoverne
*Kelly Williams
*Rachael Clifford
*Ezra Holt
*Brittany Hoskins
*Emma Griffiths
{{col-2}}
*Sarah Smith
*Amber Wilkinson
*Kelly Haywood
*Bianca Carbone
*Brooke Comerford
*Andrew Du
*Bonnie Raynor (sports reporter)
*Erin Harwood (sports reporter)
*Owen Leonard (sports reporter)
{{col-end}}
<small>[https://www.9news.com.au/meet-the-team/perth Source]</small>

===Local programming===
In recent years, STW-9 has also produced and broadcast local news, current affairs & feature programming including a Western Australia edition of ''[[A Current Affair (Australian TV series)|A Current Affair]]'', a localised 4.30pm afternoon news bulletin, gardening series ''Garden Gurus'' (which continues to air on Nine Network stations), lifestyle series ''Just Add Water'' and travel series ''[[Postcards (Australian TV series)|Postcards WA]]''.

==Appealathon==

Appealathon was STW's fundraising organisation. It can be considered a counterpart to [[Channel Seven Perth Telethon|TVW's Telethon]], and during the 1970s and 80s broadcast its own 24-hour [[telethon]].

Since its founding in 1975, Channel Nine Perth's Appealathon has raised in excess of $53.5&nbsp;million for charity. Appealathon has supported four specific charities with Appealathon funds: the Activ Foundation, Civilian Maimed & Limbless Association, Paraplegic/Quadriplegic Association and Rocky Bay. Many other organisations are helped as well on a yearly basis. Appealathon was involved in over 50 fundraising events and projects across Perth each year, including the [[City to Surf (Perth)|City to Surf]] and the [[Rottnest Channel Swim]].<ref name=appeal09/>

In 2009, administration of the organisation was handed over to [[Variety, the Children's Charity|Variety WA]].<ref name=appeal09>[https://tvtonight.com.au/2009/02/appealathon-change-in-perth.html Appealathon change in Perth]</ref>

==Broadcasting details==
[[File:Television transmitter locations - Perth.svg|thumb|330px|Locations of transmitters broadcasting STW]]
Analogue main channel frequency (to 25 June 2013): VHF-9 @ 196.25&nbsp;MHz (bandwidth: 7&nbsp;MHz [[PAL]])<br />
Digital transport stream frequency (as of 25 June 2013): VHF-8 @ 191.5&nbsp;MHz (bandwidth: 7&nbsp;MHz [[64-QAM]]

{| class="wikitable"
|+Digital channels
|- style="background:#efefef;"
! LCN
! Service
! Image quality
! Compression quality
|-
| align=center | 9
| align=center | 9
| 720x[[576i]] [[Anamorphic widescreen|16:9 SD]]
| [[H.262]] video @ 5550&nbsp;kbit/s<br />[[Dolby Digital]] audio @ 256&nbsp;kbit/s<br />[[MPEG-1 Audio Layer II]] @ 256&nbsp;kbit/s
|-
| align=center | 90
| align=center | 9HD
| 1440x[[1080i]] [[HD Lite]]
| [[H.262]] video @ 15250&nbsp;kbit/s video<br />[[Dolby Digital]] audio @ 448&nbsp;kbit
|-
| align=center | 92
| align=center | 9Gem
| 720x[[576i]] [[Anamorphic widescreen|16:9 SD]]
| [[H.262]] video @ 5550&nbsp;kbit/s<br />[[Dolby Digital]] audio @ 256&nbsp;kbit/s<br />[[MPEG-1 Audio Layer II]] @ 256&nbsp;kbit/s
|-
| align=center | 93/99
| align=center | 9Go!
| 720x[[576i]] [[Anamorphic widescreen|16:9 SD]]
| [[H.262]] video<br />[[MPEG-1 Audio Layer II]] @ 256&nbsp;kbit/s
|-
| align=center | 94
| align=center | 9Life
| 720x[[576i]] [[Anamorphic widescreen|16:9 SD]]
| [[H.262]] video<br />[[MPEG-1 Audio Layer II]] @ 256&nbsp;kbit/s
|-
| align=center | 95
| align=center | 9Gem HD
| 1440x[[1080i]] [[HD Lite]]
| [[H.262]] video<br/>[[Dolby Digital]] audio @ 256&nbsp;kbit/s<br />[[MPEG-1 Audio Layer II]] @ 256&nbsp;kbit/s
|-
| align=center  | 96
| align=center  | 9Rush
|720x[[576i]] [[Anamorphic widescreen|16:9 SD]]
|[[H.262]] video<br />[[MPEG-1 Audio Layer II]] @ 256&nbsp;kbit/s
|-
| align=center  | 97
| align=center  | extra
|720x[[576i]] [[Anamorphic widescreen|16:9 SD]]
|[[H.262]] video<br />[[MPEG-1 Audio Layer II]] @ 256&nbsp;kbit/s
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Portal|Television|Australia}}
* [https://www.9now.com.au Official Site]

{{PBL Media}}
{{Western Australia TV}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Stw}}
[[Category:Nine Network]]
[[Category:Television stations in Perth, Western Australia]]
[[Category:Television channels and stations established in 1965]]