Archives: Media Releases

To celebrate the Summer of Tennis 2023, Nine has today announced the launch of its brand new podcast, Australian Open: The Happy Slam, produced by 9Podcasts with Nine’s Wide World of Sports. 

From the creators of the highly successful Rugby League podcast “Stories of Origin”, Australian Open: The Happy Slam features an all-star line-up as impressive as the tournament, with some of the best and most loved players from Australian tennis history sharing their recollections on how they helped make the AO what it is today. 

Served up in this six-part series hosted by Channel9 sports presenter, James Bracey, listeners will be given front row access to untold stories from Pat Rafter, Dylan Alcott, Jim Courier, Jelena Dokic, Ajla Tomljanovic and Todd Woodbridge.

James Bracey said: “The Australian Open has become the world leader in grand slams. It’s an exclamation mark on both the Australian summer and the sporting calendar. It was a personal highlight to find out how much the Australian Open has impacted and shaped the careers of our favourite players, and the impact they have had on the tournament itself.”

The full six-episode schedule that will air in the lead up to the AO is below, then as the tournament gets into full swing, the podcast will feature daily tournament updates and insights from legendary sports commentator, Craig Gabriel. Released each morning, the daily update from Australian Open: The Happy Slam will review the highs and lows of the previous day’s play and preview the excitement coming up in the day ahead.

• Episode 1 – Pat Rafter: The Aussie Icon
• Episode 2 – Dylan Alcott: The Game Changer
• Episode 3 – Jelena Dokic: The Fighter
• Episode 4 – Todd Woodbridge: The Tennis Lifer
• Episode 5 – Jim Courier: The Adopted Aussie
• Episode 6 – Ajla Tomljanovic: The Future

Australian Open: The Happy Slam is available to stream on all leading podcast platforms. 

Listen Now:

• Spotify
• Apple
• Google

For further information, please contact:
Caitlin Lynch
Senior Communications Manager
clynch@nine.com.au 

Monday, January 9, 2023

Nine’s Wide World of Sports will turn up the heat on the summer of tennis when the world’s best square off at the two-week Adelaide International, available live and free on the 9Network and 9Now from January 1-14.

In Adelaide International 1, eight of the world’s top 10 men and women will be on court for the first week of competition at The Drive. 

Twenty-one-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic, Daniil Medvedev and Wimbledon champion Andy Murray will feature, alongside women’s world No. 5 Aryna Sabalenka and former world No. 1 and two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka.

In Adelaide International 2, more of the world’s best are on show including Australia’s top-ranked men’s player, Nick Kyrgios, who will use the tournament to rev up his 2023 Australian Open preparation.

This will be the first time Kyrgios plays an ATP 250 event in Adelaide, where he can expect tough opposition from world No. 8 Andrey Rublev and Sebastian Korda in the men’s singles.

​​South Australia’s Thanasi Kokkinakis will also line up for Adelaide International 2. Kokkinakis, who won his first ATP singles title at the Adelaide International earlier this year and then went on to win his first Grand Slam doubles title at the Australian Open, is looking forward to starting the new year at home.

The second week of the tournament will see the world’s top four-ranked women – Iga Swiatek, Ons Jabeur, Jessica Pegula and Caroline Garcia – line up with 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina.

Swiatek, a three-time major winner, took the world No. 1 ranking from Ash Barty and has since dominated the women’s tour. Her 37-match winning streak after Barty’s retirement is the best since Martina Hingis in 1997.

Live coverage will be hosted by Nick McArdle and Brett Phillips, with matches available on the 9Network across 9Go! and 9Gem, or to stream anywhere, anytime on 9Now. 

ADELAIDE INTERNATIONAL: JANUARY 1-14
LIVE AND FREE ON 9GO! AND 9GEM
STREAM ANYWHERE, ANYTIME ON 9NOW

For further information, please contact:
Chris Urankar
9Network Publicity
chris.urankar@nine.com.au

Monday, January 9, 2023

Take your front-row seat at the year’s most unforgettable weddings when the new season of Married at First Sight returns on Monday, January 30, at 7.30pm on Channel 9 and 9Now.

Celebrating its 10th season, the new series of Married at First Sight will test the relationship bonds of our couples in ways they could never imagine.

This year, in their quest to find love, 10 new brides and 10 new grooms will meet for the first time at the altar on their wedding day after being matched by relationship experts John Aiken and Mel Schilling, and clinical sexologist Alessandra Rampolla. 

The new season of MAFS begins with the biggest shock ever to rock a wedding, followed by honeymoons ranging from the deeply romantic to the extra-spicy and drama-filled, interstate and overseas. 

Alessandra will encourage a sense of adventure in our couples as they step out of their comfort zones with unprecedented Intimacy Week tasks to set pulses racing.

Then, in a brand-new twist to the experiment, our experts will task the couples with a never-seen-before element that thrusts them – and their relationships – into the unknown with dramatic consequences.

Throwing themselves into the intensity of a real-life, fast-tracked relationship, this year’s brides and grooms are honest, raw, and vulnerable – baring all for Australia in the hope of a successful and meaningful marriage. 

Since the inception of MAFS in 2015 hundreds of thousands of applicants have been in search of the same thing: a deep and lasting connection. Elusive true love. 

Over nine spectacular seasons Married at First Sight has grown to become the talk of nation. Millions of viewers here and around the world have tuned in and witnessed participants going from strength to strength, even outside the experiment – getting married, buying homes and having babies. 

In 2023, prepare to fall in love with an incredibly passionate and heartfelt new group of participants entering the experiment. And of course, it wouldn’t be MAFS without more bombshells and relationship dramas, explosive dinner parties, mind-blowing secrets and Commitment Ceremonies that will even shock the experts.

This year the greatest search for true love will once again captivate the nation and spark conversation across Australia. Get ready to pop the champagne – the spellbinding new season of Married at First Sight is almost here.

Married at First Sight is produced by Endemol Shine Australia (a Banijay Company) for Channel 9.

MARRIED AT FIRST SIGHT
RETURNS MONDAY, JANUARY 30, 2023
AT 7.30PM ON CHANNEL 9 AND 9NOW

#MAFS
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To learn more about MAFS click here

For further information, please contact:
Chris Urankar
9Network Publicity
chris.urankar@nine.com.au

Monday, January 9, 2023

The United Cup will fire up the Australian summer of tennis when the brand new mixed team event starts live and free on the 9Network and 9Now on December 29.

Prizemoney of $22 million is up for grabs when 18 teams play across 11 days in the three host cities, Brisbane, Perth and Sydney.

The world’s best men’s and women’s players will join forces to represent their countries ahead of a huge month that gets the global tennis season underway.

In Sydney, world No. 2 Rafael Nadal, Australia’s top ranked players Nick Kyrgios, Alja Tomljanovic and Alex De Minaur, as well as world No. 3 Jessica Pegula and world No. 9 Madison Keys of the United States, will feature.

Brisbane will play host to World No. 1 Iga Swiatek and three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka, while Greek duo Stefanos Tsitsipas and Maria Sakkari will be the headline acts in Perth.

Each tie features two men’s singles matches, two women’s singles matches and one mixed doubles match, with the winners to converge on Sydney for the finals.

Nine’s Wide World of Sports tennis expert, Todd Woodbridge, said: “The United Cup is that unique experience where you can watch the very best players go head to head every day. Normally we only get to see these match-ups in the semis or finals of Grand Slam tournaments.”

Nine’s live coverage will be hosted by James Bracey, Roz Kelly and Danika Mason and available on the 9Network, with every match streamed on 9Now. 

UNITED CUP: DECEMBER 29 TO JANUARY 8
 LIVE AND FREE ON THE 9NETWORK 
EVERY MATCH AVAILABLE ON 9NOW

Wednesday, December 21, 2022

After a rollercoaster eight weeks of incredible moments of love, romance, laughter and more drama than ever before, Austen & Claudia have been announced as the winners of Love Island Australia 2022. 

Voted by the Australian public as their favourite couple, host Sophie Monk revealed the pair won the nation’s hearts over fellow grand finalist couples Mitchell & Phoebe and Callum & Madeline. 

In the world of Love Island, the path to love is never easy. Once our new Love Island King and Queen were crowned, they were each given an egg – one containing $50,000 and nothing in the other. Claudia’s egg had the $50,000, meaning she had the choice to either split the money with Austen or take it all for herself, proving whether she was in it for love or money. She chose love. 

Claudia, 23, from Adelaide said: “To win is amazing, but also to find a one in a million person like Austen is just incredible. I feel so lucky and I couldn’t have asked to find someone better. He is everything I’ve ever wanted in someone and more.”

Austen, 22, from Sydney said: “To win means so much to both myself and Claudia. I didn’t go into Love Island Australia expecting I would come out finding someone like Claudia, there is no one like her. We have such an incredible connection and our future together is so bright.”

Host, Sophie Monk, said: “This has been one of the best seasons in Love Island Australia yet, there have been so many beautiful, heartfelt and hilarious moments this season as well as some of the best and most explosive bombshells we’ve ever seen.” 

The couple’s path to love hasn’t been the smoothest having to withstand the shock entry of Claudia’s ex boyfriend Jason as a bomb, as well as her past relationship and trust issues. However these shake-ups only solidified their bond to stick together and shortly after both admitted they had fallen completely and madly in love with each other. 

Premiering on October 31 on 9Now and 9Go! and filmed in a luxury villa in Mallorca, Spain, the four night-a-week series has once again been the show that breaks the mould for viewing. Season to date, Love Island Australia 2022 has recorded a VOD BVOD Audience of 327,000 (+35% YoY), and 520M VOD minutes (+44% YoY). 

Love Island Australia is produced by ITV Studios Australia for the 9Network.

#LoveIslandAU
LIKE Love Island Australia on Facebook
FOLLOW @LoveIslandAU on Instagram and Twitter

STREAM EVERY EPISODE OF LOVE ISLAND AUSTRALIA FOR FREE ON 9NOW 

For further information, please contact: 
Alessandra Muratore
9Network Publicity
alessandra.muratore@nine.com.au

Wednesday, December 21, 2022

Widely respected journalist and editor Julia Naughton has been appointed Head of Life at The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, Brisbane Times and WAToday overseeing an ambitious plan to digitally elevate Travel, Lifestyle and Culture content across Nine’s metro mastheads.

Currently Lifestyle Content Director with the mastheads, Naughton’s new role will see her grow one of Australia’s most renowned travel brands, Traveller, as demand for post-Covid travel builds, as well as managing and building the Lifestyle and Culture offering.

Naughton’s appointment follows a competitive internal application process, and will see her work closely with the commercial and subscription teams.

“Taking the lead on Culture, Lifestyle and Travel at the best newsrooms in the country is tremendously exciting,” said Naughton. “The pandemic years made it clear how hungry people are for intelligent and informative storytelling, and that extends across all areas of culture, personal health and relationships, fashion and travel.”

“These are all topics I’ve loved weaving together throughout my career and it’s a privilege to step into the role at a time of ambitious growth at the mastheads.”

Naughton joined the mastheads in 2020 as Lifestyle Editor, before being promoted to Lifestyle Content Director. This role has seen her expand her remit to Sunday Life magazine where she has driven the digital and social strategy, and launched the magazine’s inaugural Trailblazers Issue. She has also launched various content series that has engaged subscribers including the recent Sleep series of features. 

Previous to that, she served as nine.com.au’s Managing Editor (Lifestyle and Entertainment) where she oversaw 9Honey, and has also been an Associate Editor at The Huffington Post Australia and a Features Writer at Cosmopolitan Magazine. 

Welcoming her appointment, Executive Editor Tory Maguire said Naughton’s focus on digital growth and innovation will ensure travel, lifestyle and culture content will continue to lead the Australian market. 

“In the time since Julia joined the metros as Lifestyle editor her results have been incredible. She understands instinctively how to commission and edit stories, while also being highly skilled with audience data. She’s a terrific leader who will be a huge asset to the metros senior editor ranks,” said Maguire.

For further information, please contact: 
Adrian Motte
Senior Communications Manager – Trade & Publishing
amotte@nine.com.au

Tuesday, December 20, 2022

The moment we have all been waiting eight weeks for has finally arrived, Australia will decide which couple will win the 2022 title of Love Island Australia in the Grand Finale tonight at 8.30pm AEDT on 9Now and 9Go! 

Live voting is now open, cast your vote here: 9Now.com.au/LoveIsland

The final three couples are: 

LOVE ISLAND AUSTRALIA 2022 FINALE 
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 8.30PM AEDT 
9NOW AND 9GO!

For further information, please contact: 
Alessandra Muratore
9Network Publicity
alessandra.muratore@nine.com.au

Tuesday, December 20, 2022

Sydney’s 2GB fundraising campaign, The Vinnies Christmas Radiothon, has raised more than $100,000 to support local families doing it tough this Christmas.

More than 500 individuals – including Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Peter Dutton, Dan Tehan, NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet, Chris Minns and Mark Latham – contributed to the all-day on-air campaign on Friday, 16th December. Individual donations ranged from $10 up to a $10,000 contribution made at 5.57pm, taking the tally over the $100,000-mark just before the close of the Radiothon at 6.00pm.

2GB Content Manager, Luke Davis, said: “When the team at Vinnies put out the call for help with their Christmas Appeal, the 2GB family did what we do best – sprung into action! Our listeners, clients, supporters and staff rallied behind this great cause, contributing in any way they could, across a truly uplifting day of radio. We were blown away at the generosity of so many.”

“2GB prides itself on making a difference in our community each and every day, and the $100,000 raised as part of this Radiothon will – with the help of the good people at Vinnies – make a significant and very real difference to the lives of many this Christmas.”

CEO of the St Vincent de Paul Society NSW, Jack de Groot, said: “2GB has done an outstanding job helping the St Vincent de Paul Society NSW raise more than $100,000 as part of our Christmas Appeal to help families survive the cost of living crisis. This will help us provide assistance to the many people experiencing disadvantage including homelessness, domestic violence and poverty throughout the state.”

“I want to thank 2GB, which has been a long-term partner of the Society, and I also want to thank the hosts for being such good sports and everyone behind the scenes who helped us achieve this great result.”

Some of the highlights from the 2GB Vinnies Christmas Radiothon included presenters John Stanley and Mark Levy sing a live duet of ‘Santa Claus is Coming to Town’; Mark Levy agreeing to take on Paul Gallen in the boxing ring (wearing flippers) thanks to a Ben Fordham donation; Joe Hildebrand personally donating $4,000 in lieu of buying a family puppy; Chef Jason Roberts donating a $100 note from the wallet of his late father, who always wanted to support the ‘underdog’; and Money News presenter Luke Grant attracting donations thanks to one of his popular recorder recitals.

If you missed any of the action, you can catch up on the best bits from the 2GB Vinnies Christmas Radiothon via the Radiothon blog, and donate to the appeal here. 

For further information, please contact: 
Caitlin Lynch
Senior Communications Manager
clynch@nine.com.au

Monday, December 19, 2022

Australian-born and bred international music stars, Cody Simpson, Morgan Evans and Sam Fischer return home for Christmas and make their debut at Vision Australia’s Carols by Candlelight presented by AAMI, live from the Sidney Myer Music Bowl at 8.00pm on Christmas Eve on Channel 9 and 9Now. 

Sam Fischer is a two-time ARIA Award nominee with over a billion streams to his name. In 2020, his single This City spent five consecutive weeks at #1 on the ARIA Australian Artist singles chart. He’s also written songs for Ciara, Keith Urban, SayGrace, Jessie J, MAX and Demi Lovato, and toured with Lewis Capaldi. 

Country singer and songwriter Morgan Evans has over 610 million global career streams and is still growing. His debut US single Kiss Somebody topped the charts in Australia and the US, and Day Drunk spent 25 weeks at #1 in Australia. Evans also won an ARIA Award for Best Country Album for Things That We Drink To, his second release.  

And Cody Simpson is a heralded singer-songwriter, guitarist, poet and Olympic-level swimmer who has had two albums on the Billboard charts: Coast to Coast and Surfers Paradise. Simpson was discovered on social media and has since collaborated with big-name acts like Justin Bieber and Flo Rida. 

They will join a host of familiar faces and stars to perform everyone’s favourite Christmas carols and songs, including: 

• Musical Theatre leading ladies and gents from & Juliet, Harry Potter & the Cursed Child, Hamilton and Mary Poppins
• Folk singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Julia Stone
• UK singing superstar Calum Scott
• Powerhouse vocalist Casey Donovan
• Vision-impaired singer Lara Nakhle
• First Nations entertainer Mitch Tambo
• The extraordinary Central Australian Aboriginal Women’s Choir
• The star of Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Euan Fistrovic Doidge
• Singer and dancer Emma Watkins
• Australian music ‘Rock & Blues’ royalty Vika & Linda Bull
• Golden Guitar winners Adam Harvey and Beccy Cole
• Beloved Zimbabwean-born “First Lady of Soul and R&B” Thndo
• The enigmatic Rob Mills and fellow music star Bobby Fox
• Award-winning singer-songwriter Ben Abraham
• The cast of the incredible The Phantom of the Opera musical 
• West End and Australian musical theatre star Simon Gleeson
• Nine’s beloved Carols family: Marina Prior, David Hobson, Tim Campbell, Anthony Callea, Denis Walter and Silvie Paladino
• And a special visit from the big man himself, direct from the North Pole

These stars will all perform under the baton of the musical director, maestro John Foreman OAM, assisted by Vision Australia’s Carols by Candlelight choirmaster Doug Heywood OAM. 

Plus, performances from the Australian Girls Choir and the National Boys Choir.

Carols by Candlelight is Vision Australia’s biggest annual fundraiser for children’s services, with 100 per cent of profits from ticket sales going directly towards supporting over 2300 families whose children are blind or have low vision. Tickets to the Sidney Myer Music Bowl are on sale now and can be purchased via https://carols.visionaustralia.org/.

85TH VISION AUSTRALIA’S CAROLS BY CANDLELIGHT
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24, LIVE AT 8.00PM ON CHANNEL 9 & 9NOW

@Channel9 @carolsbycandlelight_aus
#CarolsByCandlelight
             For ticket sales or donations to Vision Australia visit  https://carols.visionaustralia.org/

For further information, please contact: 
Christabel Huynh
Nine Network Publicity 
christabel.huynh@nine.com.au

Monday, December 19, 2022

2GB 873 has ended 2022 on a high as the undisputed No.1 radio station in Sydney, with an audience share of 12.5 of People 10+ (up 0.9 on Survey 7). This is 2GB’s 146th consecutive survey win.

Ben Fordham is back on top in Breakfast, with a 15.7 share (up 0.9 points) and Ray Hadley continues his unbroken run as No. 1 in Mornings, also recording his 146th survey win with a 15.9 share (up 2.6 points).

Ben Fordham said: “It’s an early Christmas present for the hard working team at 2GB. We go the extra mile for our listeners and appreciate the loyalty. For the Breakfast show, we’re humbled to win the ratings year again, as we did last year. Don’t believe the spin from elsewhere, 2GB Breakfast is the number one show in Sydney. Merry Christmas to our wonderful listeners.”

2GB Content Manager, Luke Davis, said: “Right throughout 2022, Sydney has turned to 2GB in the moments that matter. It’s been another big news year, with a Federal election, floods, strikes, ongoing COVID concerns and cost-of-living pressures, as well as significant deaths that have touched our city, our country and the world. Talk Radio is as important as ever, and today’s results solidify that fact that 2GB remains an indelible part of the lives of Sydneysiders.”

Further highlights of GfK Survey 8 in Sydney were: 

• Afternoons with Deborah Knight recorded a share of 7.5 (Mon-Fri 12-3pm), up 0.2 points. 
• Drive recorded a share of 5.9 (Mon-Fri 3-6pm).
• Money News with Luke Grant recorded a share of 9.5 (up 1.6) (Mon-Thurs 7-8pm)
• Nights with John Stanley remains the clear No.1 with a share of 23.6 (up 5.1) (Mon-Thurs 8pm-12am and Friday 7-11pm)   
• 2GB Weekends is No.1 with a share of 12.3 (up 0.5 points). 

Source: GfK Radio Ratings, 2GB Sydney Survey 8 2022, Mon-Fri 5.30am-9am, Mon-Fri 9am-12pm, Mon-Fri 12pm-3pm, Mon-Fri 3pm-6pm, Mon-Thurs 8pm-12MN Fri 7pm-11pm, Sat-Sun 5.30am-12MN, Market Share %, AP10+. 

For further information, please contact: 
Caitlin Lynch
Senior Communications Manager
clynch@nine.com.au

Tuesday, December 13, 2022