Editing STW (section)

==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]].

In 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>