Channel 7's "free-to-air coverage of racing in Sydney and Melbourne starts in less than a month, taking over from Channel 9 as part of a new five-year deal to give the sport greater exposure," according to Brent Zerafa of the Sydney DAILY TELEGRAPH. A total of 27 meetings -- 18 in Sydney -- "will be broadcast across the main channel and digital platform 7Two, with the Expressway Stakes meeting at Warwick Farm" on Feb. 9 the first to air. Channel 7's "commitment to racing comprises two seasons, with the first running every weekend until the end of the BMW Sydney Autumn Carnival on April 27." The second season begins on Aug. 31 and finishes with the Sandown Classic meeting on Nov. 16 (DAILY TELEGRAPH, 1/15). In Sydney, Chris Roots reported TVN "will start with a clean financial sheet for the racing network's second coming" after discharging more than A$27M ($28.5M) in debt as part of the deal to become aggregated TV rights owner for Victoria and New South Wales racing. TVN "made the first major announcement as the aggregator of racing," signing a partnership with Channel 7 for the free-to-air digital coverage of carnival meetings (SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, 1/15).
