With the collapse of its previously-announced deal with Australian Digital Holdings, Southern Cross Austereo has agreed to sell its regional TV licenses to Seven.

The national broadcaster has announced that it has entered a binding agreement with SCA, matching the $3.75 million Australian Digital Holdings was to have paid.

The upfront payment will cover licenses in Tasmania, Spencer Gulf, Broken Hill, Mt Isa, Darwin, and Remote, Central and Eastern Australia.

SCA said the final conditions to complete the ADH transaction were not satisfied and further negotiations and discussions with them have now ceased. The ADH deal had also included a “top-up” $3.6 million in fees for ongoing services, making the total $6.35 million.

Sydney-based ADH was launched in 2021 by Jack Bulfin and two friends, and has Alan Jones among its presenter line-up. Billionaire businessman James Packer – whose father owned the Nine network – is reported to be a shareholder.

With the transaction, Seven chief executive Jeff Howard said the network would reach “almost 100 per cent of Australia’s population (ex-Riverland)”. The licensed regions currently take its signal under affiliate deals.

“The acquisition largely completes SWM’s national broadcast network and opens new markets to Seven where the powerful offering of digital television – both live and VOD – on 7plus complements the Seven broadcast signal,” Seven said.

In addition to its broadcast interests, Seven West Media owns the daily West Australian newspaper and Sunday Times as well as regional mastheads in Western Australia.