The Herald and Weekly Times launched HSV-7 commercial television station in Melbourne in 1956. In 1957 the Fairfax-controlled television station ATN-7 went live in Sydney, initially affiliated with GTV9 in Melbourne. In 1959 BTQ-7 (Brisbane) and TVW-7 (Perth) were launched. The following year Kerry Packer bought 62% of GTV-9 for £3.76m. In 1962 CTC-7 (Canberra) was launched. In 1963 HSV-7 and Sydney's ATN-7 formed an alliance as Australian Television Network (ATN).

In 1987 Fairfax sold the Melbourne and Sydney 7 stations to Qintex. In 1989 Qintex went into receivership, and in 1991 the Seven network assets were incorporated separately. Two years later Seven listed on stock exchange, and in 1994 the Seven network joined then withdrew from an Optus Vision cable tv partnership with the Nine network and Optus. In 1995 Kerry Stokes acquired a 20% stake in the Seven Network, and in 1997 Seven bought Australia Television (Asian pay tv channel) from the ABC and News limited sold its 15% stake in Seven for $245m.

In the late 1980s Seven continued its trading in related businesses. In 1998 it sold its stake in MGM for US$389m, then, in 2000 it invested $83m in 3BG joint venture tv production company with Universal Studios. The following year it bought 50% of Pacific Publications, PMP's Australian and New Zealand magazine arm, and in 2002 bought 50% of Glenn Wheatley's Talentworks promotion business. By 2003 it had bought PMP's remaining stake in Pacific Publications and sold its 13.9% stake in PMP for $30m.

References:
Ketupa.net media profiles website http://www.ketupa.net/seven2.htm.

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