Nine Leads Survey Year To Date

Nine is the home of all key demos, leading survey year to date with P25-54, P16-39 and Grocery buyers and children.

 

Nine is also the only network to grow its primetime audience year on year:

P25-54 is up 4.3 share points
P16-39 is up 5.2 share points
GB+CH is up 6.2 share points 

And the momentum is set to continue with a huge post Easter line up

THE VOICE
With a brand new look, new coaches and a new production company ITV at the helm, series six of The Voice is set to launch on Monday, April 24, at 7.30pm on Nine! Last year, the powerhouse format averaged 1.2 million viewers per episode and clocked up over 15 million page views across the series. In 2017, Kelly Rowland, the multi-platinum-selling artist, will join Seal, Delta Goodrem and Boy George on a fresh new coaching panel. 

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THE LAST RESORT
A beautiful tropical island is the backdrop to a real-life soap opera as five long-term couples take part in a bold social experiment in an attempt to save their troubled relationships.

The couples have all reached rock bottom – struck by problems of infidelity, trust, and intimacy. At the end of the month, after an intensive relationship bootcamp with Australia’s leading relationship experts, will our couples call it quits or commit to each other forever? Produced by Nine.

The Last Resort_Sneak Peek

HOUSE OF BOND
House of Bond is the rags-to-riches tale that will expose Alan “Bondy” Bond’s incredible rise and spectacular fall in the 1970s and 80s as the cheeky, knockabout “Ten Pound Pom” who fought his way from the back alleys of Fremantle to become the richest man in Australia and one of our greatest sporting heroes for winning the America’s Cup. Was Bond a hero? A villain? Or a little bit of both?

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And so much more to come in 2017

The Block | Family Food Fight | Australian Ninja Warrior | Love Child | TV Week Logie Awards | True Story with Hamish and Andy | Here Come the Habibs | Chopper | Doctor Doctor | State Of Origin | NRL Final Series | The Ashes | This Time Next Year | Accidental Heroes | 20 to One | Britain’s Got Talent

 

 

Source:  Nine growth – Oztam Consolidated data, 3 station commercial share, 18:00 – 24:00, survey year to date, 5 city metro. The Voice – OzTAM Consolidated Data (May 1 – July 10, 2016), Brightcove (May 1 – July 11, 2016).

Podcasting is About Nine Owning the Content Conversation for the Full 24-hour Cycle

Nine.com.au’s Head of Lifestyle, Helen McCabe, has explained that the company’s decision to move into the podcasting arena is driven by a desire to own the conversation around its content and programming across the full day. 

“Podcasting allows us to own our own content, or the conversation around that content, the whole way around,” said McCabe. “The question for us was why let other media outlets bounce off our content?

“We should be better at it, we are better at it, and this will go a long way to proving that we can do just that.”

Earlier this week Nine unveiled a strategy aimed at building new revenues in the audio realm through the launch of a series of podcasts that initially includes relationship podcast Sweet Spot, NRL podcast Six Tackles with Gus and a news podcast, The Way It Is

Nine Podcasts v2

“For the Nine Network it is about having the conversation for the whole 24 hours,” said McCabe. “You watch Married at First Sight and it finishes at 9 o’clock and you go to 9Honey to read a recap or exclusive story, and then you can download the podcast, if you really want to unpick the issues that were present in the dinner party or the commitment ceremony.”

Nine intends to expand its podcasting offering over the course of 2017 across many of its key verticals, leveraging well-known brands like Nine News and Wide World of Sports to build audience for podcasting. 

McCabe said that while podcasting was still in its relative infancy in terms of commercialisation in Australia, it was increasingly developing a broader audience. 

“The podcast audience at this stage might be early adopters, but I’m confident that eventually it will be the people who watch  our TV shows,” said McCabe. “At Nine it’s not a big stretch for us because we have the talent and the storylines, so why not have a shot at it?

“The audience is middle Australia. It’s the mums who are really busy and haven’t had a chance to catch up on the news, but want to listen to a podcast about Married at First Sight, which they saw on the TV last night. 

“They don’t want all the ads that you might get in commercial radio, etcetera. They are looking for different ideas and personalities and they are looking for something that is a bit informal, fun and informative.”

McCabe noted that Nine was already seeing strong results for Sweet Spot, which was launched off the back of the hit show Married at First Sight but will now run over the course of the year. 

“Sweet Spot is hosted by Katharine Feeney, a podcast that, at the moment, is all about Married at First Sight. But essentially it is about love, sex and relationships,” said McCabe.

“It’s a lot of fun and it has bounced off Married at First Sight, but it will probably grow into other things like Nine’s upcoming TV show Last Resort and anything else that centres on love, sex and relationships issues.”

On the question of commercialisation of podcasting, McCabe noted that it was still early days for Nine in this space and that while Nine’s focus was on building audiences it was open to conversations around sponsorship. 

“I think if we get the storyline right then the clients will come with us on the journey,” she said. “For our early-adopter clients who want to be in this space we now have a suite of options to get involved. 

“I think the reason we got into podcasting is that we can give our clients another option to be involved in the 24-hour cycle. We have TV, digital, and now you can also do podcasting.”

McCabe said she was particularly excited about Nine’s new news podcast, The Way It Is, which is hosted by veteran journalists Neil Breen and Leila McKinnon.  

“Leila McKinnon and Neil Breen are lifelong friends and The Way It Is it works because there is such enormous rapport between them. I think they shared a house together when they were both at uni.

“Breeny has a photographic memory and is a great storyteller. Leila is hilarious and  interested in all sorts of things, and between them you have this incredible  rapport as they go through the stories of the week. 

“This is a podcast that I think will build quite quickly around news junkies who want a fun but informative style of hearing the news.”

Breen said he was excited about the podcast because it a natural fit for the pair.

“Leila and I have known each other for a quarter of a century, so it’s just natural that we would work together and do a news podcast,” Breen said. 

“I read more about news but she is smarter than I am. So it’s a good pairing.”

“The podcast is called The Way It Is because it has been a bit of a catch phrase for Nine over the years and says it all,” said McKinnon. “We just want to say it the way it is. We want to bring some fresh, fun facts to the news of the week. We are both big news junkies.”

The hosts of The Way It Is podcast believe Nine’s move into podcasting is a natural fit for the TV network and digital publisher.  

“Nine is a multimedia company,” Breen said, “it’s not just a television station. It has websites, it will do podcasts, and that is just the way of the world for modern media.

“We have all the resources at our fingertips,” added McKinnon. “This is a new format and a new way to present it. The challenge will be to get us to stick to just 25 minutes per podcast.”

9Now Hits 3 Million Mark Following Surge in Sign-ups From Married at First Sight

Nine has announced that its live streaming and on-demand platform, 9Now, has passed the three million subscriber mark, driven in part by the success of reality dating program Married at First Sight.

Alex Parsons, Chief Digital and Marketing Officer at Nine, said reaching the three million subscriber mark was an important milestone, and that the surge in sign-ups to 9Now showed the importance of quality Australian content in driving digital growth on ad-funded platforms.
 
“This shows that the role of unique Australian content in 9Now is paramount,” said Parsons. “The most watched shows on 9Now tend to be local premium Australian content. For example, Married at First Sight has absolutely kicked it out of the park.
 
“It has done extraordinarily well also on television, but Australians are flocking to 9Now to watch that content at a time of their choosing, on a device of their choosing.”
 
Parsons also noted that Nine now had the largest database of any Australian live streaming and on-demand video platform and argued that the database would be a key asset for the business in the future.

9Now - Alex Parsons 

“Reaching three million subscribers over the first 12 months for 9Now is of great importance for our company, primarily because it delivers us a new data asset that we can use for two purposes,” he explained.
 
“One is from the customer or client perspective: targeting the right person at the right time on the right device. And second, from a content perspective, bringing that information back into our teams about what people are watching, when they are watching and how they are watching – this will help us to evolve our 9Now model into the future.”

Amid the growth of subscription video on demand (SVOD) platforms such as Stan and Netflix, Parsons said Nine had seen a shift with consumers more willing to provide their personal details in exchange for a better consumer experience.

“From an ad-funded model, 9Now has really led the way in this market,” said Parsons, referring to Nine’s decision to become the first Australian TV network to ask consumers to login. “But we have seen a lot of movement from the likes of Netflix and Stan, who have both done a tremendous job in the market here and paved the way for consumers.
 
“Consumers’ appetite for subscribing to things has dramatically changed over 24 months and they now understand that by giving a few details they receive a much better experience.”

Parsons cited key functionalities on 9Now, such as resume play, which allows a consumer to move across device when watching a show.
 
“You have to be able to sign up to offer resume play,” he said. “If someone has watched half an episode of a show on their phone on the way home from work they don’t want to then have to find where they were up to. The expectation is now they can resume immediately, and single sign-on gives you that capability.”
 
Nine late last year also confirmed that it was in the process of onboarding Adobe Audience Manager to better manage its various databases and allow advertisers to better target consumer segments.
 
“The launch of Adobe Audience Manager for Nine is a huge step forward,” said Parsons. “Many companies have huge amounts of data but find it difficult to access and utilise it. What Adobe gives us is the ability to access and utilise that data and stitch it together with our clients’ data.
 
“Moving forward, this will be an important proposition for us to be able to offer in-market.”
 
Parsons believes the traditional paradigm which has separated television and online video is evolving so quickly that soon the two will merge.
 
“Online video is incredibly important to the future of the Nine business,” he said. “Video is something that Nine has done tremendously well for 60 years, and the consumption of video is changing. But what doesn’t change is that we need to create great content, we need to distribute it broadly, and we need to engage both advertisers and audiences.
 
“When I think about the quality video we have been creating – and we have called it TV for many years – it has always been great, but we are now extending it into online video.
 
“In the future I don’t think we will talk about television and online video. Great content will just be distributed agnostically across a whole bunch of platforms.” 

 

Research: Aussie Mums – You’ve Got This

In March 2017, Nine in partnership with Hoop Research Group, presented the findings to an extensive study into the changing mindset of Australian mums.

The research followed on from a study that was last conducted in 2011. Building upon our understanding from five years ago, the observational and longitudinal study uncovered a series of trends and insights behind the changing attitudes of the most influential household decision maker, the modern mum.

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THE MODERN MUM
For all the excitement and celebration upon entering motherhood, it is also a time for profound change. There is a lot to cope with in a short period of time, but she wouldn’t change a thing. Enabled by technology and swamped by choice, she is very self-aware and understands she can’t have it all. She seeks balance, aspires to old school values and has learnt to trust her ‘gut’. If she looks to simplify, beware, she is empowered and has choice on her side.

5. You've Got This

INSIGHT 1 – Ageless Mum
We are in the era of the ‘Ageless Mum’, with the trend to have children later in life, women from a wide age range, 20 – 40+ years, are experiencing milestones at the same time.

INSIGHT 2 – The Supermum is Dead
One of the key findings from our research of five years ago was the relaxing of the emphasis on mums having to do it all. While we found mum to be no less super than before, we did see a softening in her attitudes. Instead of doing it all, she simply wants to do her best.

INSIGHT 3 – Happy Mum
Mums are much happier and content in their role than some of the stereotypes might convey. Even though parenthood has brought profound change, there is a strong feeling their lives are now much better and richer since having children.

3. Happy Mums

INSIGHT 4 – Great Mums, Don’t do it Alone!
The key to mums happiness is support. The need for support is permanent and not limited to getting through the early baby years. Our research findings clearly indicate those mums who felt the most supported had better outcomes as mothers.

INSIGHT 5 – Mindful Mum
Mums need time-out too! Taking time out is an indicator of being both a happier and better mum.

4. Mindful Mums

In a nutshell, the modern mum is relishing her role. Competent, happy and strong, the Aussie Mum takes challenges in her stride. She understands this time is precious and wants to find the right perspective and balance.

For more information on how 9Honey can help you connect with Aussie Mums, contact your Nine Representative.

To request the full presentation click here.

Inside Nine’s 2017 NRL Series

Nine will significantly overhaul its graphics and statistics offering for the broadcast of the 2017 NRL season. 

Speaking at last week’s Nine NRL launch, Tom Malone, Director of Sport, said league fans would notice the major overhaul when it comes to statistics on-screen and the overall quality of the graphics package. 

NRL Launch 2017

“One of the big innovations for us this year is behind the scenes where we have implemented a package from a whole new graphics and statistical supplier,” Malone said.

“You will see that manifest itself on television with a whole new look and feel to the graphics package. It will change the amount of statistics we are able to bring up at a moment’s notice.

“It will be really exciting for the viewers as they are chasing stats on the leading players on metres gained or tackles made. All of that stuff will be available at the touch of a button.”

Malone said he expected 2017 to be another big year for rugby league, coming on the back of record viewership for the NRL Grand Final and State of Origin matches.

“2016 was a huge year for Channel Nine,” he said. “The State of Origin reached record numbers and it was another record Grand Final as well.

“I think what we are seeing year-on-year with rugby league, especially with the premium events like State of Origin and the Grand Final, is that they are growing because the broader fan base is also growing.”

He cited the intense viewer and commercial interest in events such as State of Origin as an example of how the game was expanding.

“We have had this incredible run with the Queensland/New South Wales rivalry which has manifested in these incredible viewership numbers of four million-plus across Australia,” Malone said.

“If you look at the progression of rugby league, the progression of audiences, we are set for another huge year. As interest and viewership grows, so too does the fan base.”

Glenn Pallister, Executive Producer of The Footy Show, said he was excited about the return of the NRL’s favourite commentary show, noting how the program has been building social buzz around its 2017 return with a new promo parodying Nine’s hit program, Married at First Sight. 

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“I think it’s clever and subtle, without being sledgehammer, but it’s also very ‘us’ to go there,” Pallister joked, while explaining that The Footy Show regularly uses social media to build its TV audiences. 

“Social media is very important to The Footy Show and we try to maintain talkability and relativity on that platform. We are very lucky that two of our hosts – Erin Molan and Beau Ryan – are very social media savvy. They have huge numbers of online followers, they interact well, and are generous in what they give the audience.” 

Pallister also commented on how 2017 would be The Footy Show’s 24th year on-air. 

“In Fatty Vautin’s words, ‘Who would have thought it?’,” he said. “In 1994 the show launched, and as Fatty and Peter Sterling, ‘Sterlo,’ have both said, there’s no way in the world they thought the show would come back – let alone last 24 seasons.”

Pallister said there would be new Footy Show segments in 2017. 

“What can we expect for this year? The show always evolves, and it has to. Twenty-four years is a long time, and if we did the same thing every year we wouldn’t be on,” he said. 

“This year you’ll still see all your favourite segments but with little twists and nuances to make them different. We’ll also introduce some new segments that you’ll see when we progress into the season.” 

Malone predicted that with the breadth of the Nine NRL audience, 2017 would be another strong year, helped by the fact that come finals season, Nine will be broadcasting games on Thursday through to Sunday. 

“The audience for NRL is quite a huge and diverse profile,” he said. “Being a broadcaster by definition, we want to reach as many homes and demographics as possible. 

“One of the big things for us this year is that, as your team is making its run toward the finals, we will have football on Thursday night, Friday night, Saturday night, Sunday afternoon – it will be a huge season for us.”