Only yesterday, politicians were lining up to condemn WIN Television.

Press releases were flying. Social media posts were everywhere. Federal MP Dan Repacholi labelled WIN’s decision a “dog act” and the public was told Newcastle’s local news was under threat.

Fast forward 24 hours.

WIN has now announced it will build a new state-of-the-art television control room in Newcastle and deliver more local news than is currently included in the existing bulletin.

That’s a strange way of abandoning a community.

The announcement appears to put to rest fears that Newcastle’s news would be controlled and presented from outside the region. Instead, WIN is committing to new infrastructure and a bigger local news presence.

So where does that leave all the politicians who rushed to condemn the network?

Awkwardly.

And here’s the part everyone should remember.

Don’t be surprised if some of the very same politicians who were attacking WIN yesterday suddenly emerge claiming credit for today’s announcement. Watch for the press releases. Watch for the social media posts. Watch for the victory laps.

“We pressured WIN.”

“We forced them to listen.”

“We saved local news.”

Really?

Television control rooms don’t appear overnight.

Major infrastructure investments don’t get approved between breakfast and lunch because a politician held a press conference.

Projects involving technology, staffing, budgeting and future operations take months of planning. Long before the public ever hears about them.

The suggestion that WIN suddenly changed course because politicians spent a day calling them names simply doesn’t pass the pub test.

The far more likely reality is that these plans were already well advanced while politicians were busy competing for headlines.

That’s not to say local communities shouldn’t fight for local news. They absolutely should.

But there is a difference between defending local journalism and exploiting public concern for political theatre.

For days, WIN was portrayed as the villain. A private company making difficult commercial decisions was dragged through the mud by politicians who face none of the commercial pressures regional broadcasters deal with every day.

Now the same company is announcing significant investment in Newcastle and a commitment to more local content.

The question is no longer whether WIN supports Newcastle.

The question is whether the politicians who rushed to condemn them will admit they may have jumped the gun.

Because after today’s announcement, the “dog act” accusation is looking a lot less convincing than it did yesterday.