Shepparton and the Goulburn Valley, only to be axed in May 2015. Nine News Regional (2017–2021) As part of the new affiliation deal between the Nine Network and Southern Cross in 2016, the Local News Headlines were phased out on their now-Nine affiliated stations and were replaced by full one-hour local Nine News bulletins produced by Nine. In August 2016, the director of Nine's news & current affairs division, Darren Wick announced that Queensland news director Mike Dalton had been appointed to head the new Nine News Regional division to initiate Nine and Southern Cross Austereo's new regional news service in 2017. Southern Cross' Nine-affiliated stations that received the bulletins were TNQ Queensland, CTC southern New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, and GLV/BCV Victoria. The bulletins were produced by Nine News, presented from Nine's existing studio facilities in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne respectively. The bulletins' formats were similar in style to the Nine-owned NBN News bulletin in northern New South Wales, as a composite of international, national and local news. On 17 March 2020, production on the composite bulletins were suspended indefinitely, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with reporters deployed to the metropolitan bulletins in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. 10 News First Local Updates, Sky News agreement (2021–present) Following the switch back to Network 10 affiliation on 1 July 2021, Southern Cross returned to producing local news updates after a five-year absence. The updates carry the 10 News First branding and are produced out of the networks Launceston (QLD updates) and Hobart (Southern NSW and VIC updates) studios. The Southern NSW and Canberra updates are presented by Ruby Cairns, the North and South Queensland updates are presented by Victoria Eastoe, and the Regional Victoria updates are presented by Kasey Wilkins. The updates, which typically don't include any corresponding news footage or soundbites, are researched, produced and presented by a single journalist. In May 2021, SCA reached a content agreement with Sky News Australia, under which it would distribute the new free-to-air Sky News Regional beginning 1 August 2021. The service is a de facto replacement for the Sky News on WIN service that it previously distributed. Availability Southern Cross is available in standard definition and high definition digital format. In all areas, an additional 1080i high definition simulcast is also available. The network is available primarily through free-to-air terrestrial transmitters, with subscription cable also provided by TransACT and