▁mon opol y ▁commercial ▁television ▁network ▁in ▁the ▁regional ▁Western ▁Australia ▁license ▁area , ▁however ▁W IN ▁Television , ▁Prime ' s ▁compet itor ▁in ▁parts ▁of ▁New ▁South ▁Wales ▁and ▁Victoria ▁was ▁granted ▁a ▁license ▁by ▁the ▁Australian ▁Broadcast ing ▁Author ity ▁a ▁year ▁later ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 7 . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁same ▁year , ▁Prime ▁Television ▁expanded ▁intern ation ally ▁with ▁the ▁purchase ▁of ▁the ▁Canal ▁ 9 ▁television ▁network ▁in ▁Argentina . ▁Prime ▁paid ▁A $ 2 2 4 ▁million ▁for ▁the ▁network , ▁later ▁renamed ▁Az ul ▁Tele vis ión ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 9 , ▁before ▁s elling ▁half ▁of ▁its ▁share ▁to ▁local ▁media ▁group ▁Tor ne os ▁y ▁Compet encias ▁for ▁an ▁und is closed ▁amount . ▁Az ul ▁Tele vis ión ▁performed ▁below ▁expect ations , ▁largely ▁due ▁to ▁a ▁global ▁economic ▁crisis , ▁and ▁the ▁Argent ine ▁network ▁did ▁not ▁make ▁a ▁profit . ▁Prime ▁Television ▁pulled ▁out ▁of ▁Argentina ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 0 , ▁s elling ▁their ▁st ake ▁for ▁A $ 1 0 8 ▁million . ▁ ▁The ▁network ▁expanded ▁further ▁into ▁New ▁Zealand , ▁with ▁Prime ▁Television ▁New ▁Zealand ▁on ▁ 3 0 ▁August ▁ 1 9 9 8 . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 2 , ▁Prime ▁New ▁Zealand ▁went ▁into ▁a ▁joint ▁vent ure ▁with ▁Australian ▁company ▁Publishing ▁and ▁Broadcast ing ▁Limited , ▁own ers ▁of ▁the ▁N ine ▁Network . ▁Under ▁the ▁agreement , ▁Prime ▁Television ▁was ▁given ▁access ▁to ▁N ine