Nine Entertainment presented a whole of company strategy and advertising opportunity across total television, radio and publishing at its 2023 Upfront, the first to be held in person since the pandemic started.
The media group announced to an audience of media buyers and brands at Sydney's Luna Park a raft of enhancement across its major media assets.
Nine Now is a key plank in the total TV audience, with live streaming and a “start over” option in HD, with the simplicity of broadcast television combined with the high tech and interactivity of digital streaming.
The media group is also enhancing advertising opportunities with video and rich media on its downloadable editions of the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.
The same for the premium finance news Australian Financial Review becoming a cross-platform super brand across print, digital, podcasts, summits and extensive lists.
Nine has also launched addressable data targeting capability across its digital radio assets.
“Our business is aligned by total television, total audio, and total publishing,” chief sales officer Michael Stephenson told a briefing.
“The suite of assets that we have is so significant and so different to that of everybody else's.”
Stephenson’s big pitch to brands and media agencies: “Through times of economic change, there is enormous opportunity for everyone. But never will it be more important to choose a media partner that can help you grow your business.
“We should be everybody's primary media partner. Everyone's got a choice to make for next year, because there's going to be opportunities for those that are willing to grab it.
“If you've got television, digital publishing and radio content, data and technology, and you're really big, and you're recognised as the leader, then I think we're a pretty good partner.”
He says when advertisers think television, they see Nine and Nine Now.
However, he says all parts of the Nine business contributed to the media company’s full year results.
Nine Entertainment reported a 15% lift to $2.688 billion in full year revenue, buoyed by a "resilient" advertising market. Net profit after tax was 35% higher at $373.5 million for the 12 months to June.
Broadcast revenue (Nine Network, 9Now, Nine Radio) was up 10% to $1.372 billion.
Stephenson: “When you think about total television, we are absolutely leading the way in a linear sense. But it's only part of the story. It's how that works with 9Now.
“The launch of VOZ (total TV measurement) in early 2023 is a really a driving force behind how those things come together.
“And with Stan, from a subscription point of view, we continue to invest in local Australian content to create local stories.
“That's the been the big driver of our subscription growth alongside sports.
"So all of those three things in combination are working.
“We are strong - individually stronger, better together. So those things work on their own. But as a company, they work really well in combination.”
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