Nine Upfront1
Nine returned to Sydney’s Carriageworks for its 2026 Upfront event and agency leaders said the network’s message was clear: simplification, partnerships and premium content at scale.
Andrew Markou, media and investment partner at Avenue C, told AdNews Nine will enter 2026 “like an orc ready for battle”.
“A force to be reckoned with, kicking off the year with the Australian Open and launching straight into the juggernaut that is MAFS,” he said.
“From here, the momentum continues as Nine will be home of the 2026 Winter Olympics & Paralympic games throughout the month of February.”
Markou said Nine’s “truly integrated media ecosystem” offers advertisers a compelling platform, pointing to Nine’s use of rich first-party data streams.
He also highlighted the importance of aligning with premium and trusted environments.
“The key message to advertisers and agencies last night was that Nine can do more than just deliver mass at scale,” he said.
“(And) Nick Young confirming a single-source, unified solution to de-duplicated audiences across all of its streaming platforms (9Now, Stan and HBO Max), a true game changer.”
Markou also noted the effectiveness of the data shared around television’s continuing effectiveness.
“Ad recall sees a 6.3x lift when viewed on the TV home screen,” he said.
TFM Digital CEO Taylor Fielding said this year’s Upfront felt more about connection than channels.
“Initiatives like The Growth Project, Powered TV and 9Amplify show Nine doubling down on integration, storytelling and measurable brand impact and that’s exactly where modern marketing needs to head,” Fielding told AdNews.
“Nine’s evolution, particularly in premium BVOD, sport and brand-led content, gives us stronger ways to link creativity with accountability.
“It’s not just about reach anymore; it’s about results that last beyond the campaign window.”
Across the media landscape, the reaction was consistent.
Agencies welcomed Nine’s renewed focus on clarity, trusted environments and commercial effectiveness.
“Nine’s 2025 Upfronts were stripped back but highly effective, sharp, confident, and anchored in simplicity,” CEO of the IMAA, Sam Buchanan, told AdNews.
“Matt James set the stage with a focus on “shortening the distance between awareness and action,” built around three clear pillars: premium trusted content at scale, partnerships and integration, and the power of data, tech, and AI.
“The “Nine Advantage” was front and centre, positioning Nine as Australia’s largest video marketplace and a trusted media ecosystem reaching 17.9 million Australians each month.”
Buchanan was also left impressed by the growing role of Stan in Nine’s portfolio.
“Lisa Day spotlighted brand integration, Nikki Rooke challenged traditional attribution models and Nick Young underscored Nine’s 22 million logged-in users and data depth,” he said.
“Brian Gallagher (Audio) reinforced the power of influence through audio and streaming leadership.”
Tom Carlon, head of investment, IAG, at Initiative, said Nine’s partnership capabilities were a key highlight.
“Nine’s strength in partnerships was a major focal point with several key clients attesting to the impact they have seen by partnering with the network,” he told AdNews.
“Nothing is off the table when you are in discussion with Nine and that’s music to many advertiser’s ears.
“Of course, these partnerships were largely driven by Nine’s ever growing sporting catalogue, newly adding exclusive rights to athletics and continuing to add codes to Stan Sport driving increased SVOD audiences.”
Carlon said he was also impressed with the way Nine defended against the ‘demise of TV’ stance.
“Nine bit back, citing 3rd party measurement research on the efficacy of the 30” TVC and ability for TV to supercharge search results,” he said.
Alison McKay, head of media partnerships at OMD Melbourne, said Nine delivered a polished and passionate presentation, with a clear focus on its core identity.
“It was a polished presentation, full of passion for what their purpose is as a network, doubling down on being a trusted, local media company that can help drive sustainable growth for brands,” she told AdNews.
McKay noted that Nine’s strong positioning on trust and local relevance signals a clear competitive stance.
“The focus on trust and being locally relevant speaks volumes in how Nine are trying to win back revenue from tech giants including Google and Meta and the announcements including the unified trading platform and investment into advanced measurement are absolutely a step in the right direction,” she said.
McKay said Nine’s consistent messaging around integrated partnerships and premium content struck a chord in today’s complex media landscape.
“From the get-go, it was clear that Nine are heavily focused on delivering best-in-class partnerships across their premium content and platforms to drive long- and short-term sustainable growth,” she said.
“In such a complex and fragmented market, showing up in a way that secures attention in an authentic way is a winning formula.”
“This aligns well with what we want to deliver for our clients at OMD, that being creative media solutions beyond transactional spots and dots.”
McKay also praised Nine’s understanding of cultural alignment in brand strategy.
“We're also really leaning into and embedding ourselves within the culture of our clients, and we want our partners to be doing this alongside us,” she said.
“Nine clearly recognise the importance of culture for brands and how we build meaningful connections around this, so we're excited to work with them in 2026 as a valued partner across a number of brands within our agency.”
Peter Stowe, head of trading at SMG, told AdNews that Nine’s pitch was ‘very clear’ with a focus on maximising ROI and driving sustainable growth for brands and the importance of local media.
“Nine’s 2026 strategy focuses on keeping things straightforward, avoiding complexity and honing in on their core pillars of premium and trusted content at scale, partnership integration and a new era of data, technology, and AI… all packaged as The Nine Advantage,” he said.
Stowe was also impressed by Nine’s month-by-month breakdown of programming for the coming year, but it was Stan streaming which he said stole the show.
“Unveiling as many, if not more… new programs and formats for 2026 than Nine’s broadcast channels,” he said.
“The streaming platform offers a layer of protection and is safeguarded from the pressures of overnight ratings.
“That said, it seems we’ll need to wait a little longer for a formal announcement on the rollout of key commercial opportunities across Stan Entertainment.”
For Katy Lozancic, general manager at Pearman Media, the event marked a shift in tone.
“Nine’s upfronts felt like a confident reset, less flash, more focus,” she told AdNews.
“The emphasis on simplification and collaboration came through clearly, with a genuine intent to make working with Nine easier, smarter and more effective.”
Lozancic agreed that the “Nine Advantage" was a standout from the Upfront with promises of trusted content at scale, deeper integration and smarter use of data and tech.
“It’s a compelling proposition, especially for clients focused on outcomes,” she said.
“The new programming slate wasn't extensive but leaned into proven formats and cultural moments.”
While audio and publishing were only touched on, Lozancic said both are clearly important to Nine’s ecosystem.
“With radio’s strong reach and older, affluent audience, there’s plenty of opportunity there. Stan’s EPL-driven growth is a great example of how premium content can drive subscriptions and engagement,” she said.
Lozancic also said she hoped to see Nine work more with independent agencies in the future.
“I’d love to see Nine continue exploring ways to make premium media, partnerships and integration more accessible to advertisers with lower budgets and domestic businesses,” she said.
“There’s real opportunity in helping the indie sector tap into cultural moments and trusted platforms, without needing huge budgets.”
Media analyst Steve Allen at Pearman told AdNews Nine Entertainment is evolving under CEO Matt Stanton’s leadership.
“More cohesive, more focused, more outcome oriented,” he said. “This is a good thing, a very good strategy, far more like those which major advertisers embrace and implement.”
Allen was impressed that every element — from telecast and streaming to print and digital — was included.
“Right from the opening, the presentation was about collaboration, integration, and results,” he said.
“More importantly it was about scale, impact, performance and outcome.”
Sarah Keith, managing director of Involved Media, saw a unifying theme of collaboration.
“Nine was pitching itself around three pillars and you get a clear sense of how in the new Nine where publishing and broadcast/streaming now sit co-equally,” she told AdNews.
“This was particularly evident in having Amanda Laing and Tory Maguire share the stage talking about premium content crafted for connection. I would have also liked to hear more about Nine's third pillar, marketplaces and where they see the opportunities for clients here.”
Matt Fiorenza, implementation and activation group director at EssenceMediacom said there were four resounding words that threaded through the presentation: ‘trust’, ‘credible’, ‘focused’ and ‘outcomes’.
"Nine isn't just talking about trust, they're staking their brand on it," he told AdNews.
"What I took away was a clear understanding that audiences genuinely trust Nine's stable of programs and formats and when that trust is established, brands showing up in those environments are far more likely to see real spending and engagement."
Fiorenza said it was reassuring to see that news, entertainment and sport remain the bedrock pillars of Nine’s content slate across broadcast, streaming, audio and planning.
“Trust starts with their News environments, and that credibility directly translates into brand outcomes,” he said.
“Couple that with a stable entertainment and sporting line up that reliably pulls in massive audiences, and you've got a powerful platform to build brand impact.”
He said 9Amplify also has the potential to be a ‘game changer’ by extending cultural moments from a show directly into social.
“The idea of integrating broadcast moments across social isn't new, but the way Nine's planning to operationalise it feels smarter, faster, and more contextual,” he said.
“The real test will be whether agencies and brands can move at the speed of culture, and not the pace of approval chains.”
He also welcomed the news of ads across Stan Entertainment and a simplified quarterly rate card with Galaxy Plus, designed to eliminate makegoods.
“Efficiency isn't sexy, but this move might actually change the day to day for planners and buyers; less admin, more focus on results,” he said.
“What was missing for me, was no word on Audio or OOH, considering there's market chatter around selling Audio off from the business and the potential of acquiring an outdoor player.”
Sue-Ellen Osborn, national head of investment at Spark Foundry, said Nine’s Upfront presentation had a distinctive and clear purpose, to showcase their premium content offering.
“The presentation aimed to land three key points. Firstly, Nine delivers premium and trusted, content across news, general entertainment and sport," she told AdNews.
“Secondly, their approach to integrated partnerships embed brands into cultural moments with impact.
“And finally, that their data intelligence and adoption of AI will ensure brands can connect with audiences with precision.”
The standout of the presentation for Osborn was national sales director Nikki Rooke sharing the results of research into the impact of Total TV.
"Nine's research demonstrated that Total TV is the powerhouse that drives brand growth," she said.
Osborn said she was interested to learn more about the Nine Now Stories product, with vertical short form videos focused on adapting existing content into formats more commonly consumed by younger audiences, and the quarterly CPM rate card.
"The closing of the presentation was almost a call to arms, emphasising the importance of local media for democracy and the economy," she said.
Vera Manalac, group investment director at iProspect, added that Nine’s proposition, anchored in trusted content, deep integration capabilities and intelligent use of data, is well positioned to help brands cut through in an increasingly competitive market.
“In today’s landscape, agencies need to go beyond media buying to deliver innovative ways to connect with audiences,” she told AdNews.
“Nine’s focus on trusted environments and data-driven integration offers a compelling solution to that challenge.”
Manalac said that while Nine’s three-pillar strategy underpins the approach, it was content and the strategic advantage of embedding brands into reality, sport and news that really stood out.
“Nine will continue investing in its winning content formula, with major tentpoles returning and exciting new additions like Shark, World Athletics, and the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics,” she said.
She also pointed to 9Amplify as a smart and potentially powerful move.
“It’s designed to scale sponsorships across social through Nine’s talent and shows,” she said.
“If executed well, this cross-platform solution could drive significant reach and make Nine a seriously competitive proposition across every channel.”
She added that she was especially looking forward to diving deeper into the results of Nine’s Total TV Effectiveness study.
“With agencies under pressure to prove ROI, these findings will be both insightful and valuable,” Manalac said.
Belinda Miller, head of partnerships and growth at Havas Media, echoed the sentiment that Nine is refining its approach with clarity and confidence.
“Nine is clearly sharpening its focus, organising the business around three key pillars: streaming, broadcast, and marketplaces,” she said.
“This creates clear centres of excellence powered by unified trading systems and radical collaboration.
“The message to CMOs is clear: growth comes from aligning sales outcomes with both short- and long-term brand impact.”
She said Nine’s trusted, locally owned positioning continues to be a strength, especially in a market hungry for both scale and storytelling.
“Partnerships in measurement aim to prove platform efficacy, while deeper integrations and actionable intelligence underpin its next phase of growth,” Miller said.
“Nine Amplify extends campaigns beyond the screen through social virality and talent integration, while the play to connect Nine, Stan, and HBO through data, tech and AI signals a push toward a unified ecosystem of 22 million identified customers.”
While she acknowledged some industry partnerships are still forming, Miller said the foundation is strong.
“A proven content spine from AO and MAFS through to sport and entertainment supports a measured, confident strategy built on trusted content, measurable outcomes, and connected storytelling,” she said.
Sue Cant, head of investment at This Is Flow, told AdNews the "Nine Advantage" theme came through loud and clear, with collaboration, transparency and outcomes-driven solutions across every platform.
“With an internal reorganisation centred around three divisions, streaming and broadcast, publishing, and marketplaces, the intent is to make it easier for agencies and brands to navigate Nine’s growing ecosystem,” she said.
Cant noted the streamlining into centres of excellence across AI, data and tech could be transformational.
“I’m hopeful this will finally make briefing and receiving a truly integrated response a much-needed reality for next year and we can say goodbye to disjointed conversations.”
Cant also highlighted Nine’s push to address under-investment in Total TV as a timely and important conversation.
“It’s something I’m talking about with clients constantly,” she said.
“There’s a harsh reality around the impact under-investment has on brand equity and sales revenue.
“We need to stop chasing short-term ROI and focus more on the right mix of quality content and context. That’s how we’ll deliver the best outcomes for brands.”
Cant said the work Nine is doing with measurement partners like Mutinex, Kantar and Adgile will give agencies the proof points needed to shift conversations toward long-term growth and true business impact.
Matt Benning, head of digital at Carat, said Nine’s Upfront told a story of “audience stability and tentpole reliability,” grounded in locally made content designed for all Australians.
“A recurring theme was Nine’s deepening investment in sport across Nine and Stan Sport, which remains a key battleground,” he told AdNews.
“With the NRL Grand Final confirmed as the most-watched show of the year, it’s easy to see why sport continues to anchor Nine’s strategy.”
Benning said the next logical step may be experimenting with more disruptive formats.
“Will Nine follow Kayo’s lead in this space to capitalise on attention? That’s one to watch,” he said.
He also pointed to deeper alignment between Nine and Stan as a major opportunity for advertisers.
“The integration across 9Now, Stan and HBO Max opens the door for richer audience segmentation, but the bigger play is unified reach and frequency management across Nine’s digital ecosystem,” he said.
He described the launches of 9Amplify and 9Now Stories as strategic attempts to operationalise social-style engagement within Nine’s broader offering.
“These products will live or die based on execution,” he said.
“If the experience is as seamless as promised and if they can maintain cost efficiency, they could be game changers.”
But perhaps the most thought-provoking theme of the evening, Benning said, was Nine’s renewed stance on brand safety.
“They presented research showing that ad recall, trust, and outcomes are all higher in trusted news and publishing environments, regardless of immediate context,” he said.
“It’s a compelling case, but one that still requires brave advertisers and agencies willing to loosen controls in a volatile news cycle.”
Stephen Leeds, CEO at The Media Store, said Nine continues to position itself as a safe, stable and powerful platform for advertisers.
“Nine are safe, consistent and credible. With 22 million signed-in users across their platforms they are best placed to offer personalisation at scale with true integration,” he told AdNews.
“Nine also showed its solid content, proven performance and clever strategic partnerships to be able to offer clients growth outcomes.”
Eb Yusuf, general manager, strategy, culture and insights at Yango, described the Upfront as a strong, focused presentation that leaned into Nine’s core advantage.
“It was great to see them zero in on their core strengths of content and reach, reinforcing their unique access to the major moments that captivate and shape Australian culture,” she said.
“The examples of brand integrations were particularly impressive.@
Yusuf said Nine’s closing message, framing media investment as a commitment to supporting local content, was powerful, but raised an important point.
“Nine’s closing appeal to advertisers, framing spend as an investment in local content that reflects our communities, was powerful,” he said.
“It did, however, raise an important question.
“While diversity is wonderfully present in their sports coverage, on the pages of the Good Food Guide, and even in the brand advertising they showcased, there's a significant opportunity to carry this through to their original programming,” she said.
“To truly shape culture and reflect modern Australia, the next step must be to move beyond the familiar sea of Anglo-Celtic faces in scripted and unscripted content.”
She said Nine has a real opportunity to lead with authenticity.
“The challenge for Nine is to embrace this opportunity authentically, ensuring that the faces we see in their flagship local content genuinely reflect the rich, multicultural reality of Australia today,” Yusaf said.
“Doing so would not only strengthen their connection with audiences but also make that investment in local content even more meaningful.”
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