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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
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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

Nine’s radio stations wrap up 2022 as the outright market leaders in Sydney and Melbourne.

GfK Survey 8 of 2022 reveals Sydney’s 2GB is a clear No. 1 with a share of 12.5 (up 0.9), while Melbourne’s 3AW is also a dominant No. 1 with a winning share of 15.1 (up 1.4).

In Breakfast, 2GB’s Ben Fordham reclaimed the No. 1 position in Sydney with a share of 15.7 (up 0.9).

In Melbourne, 3AW’s ACRA award-winning breakfast duo Ross & Russ posted a winning share of 23.6 – with no other station recording double figures in Breakfast. It marks the pair’s best result for the year.

In the Mornings slot, 2GB’s Ray Hadley notched up his 146th consecutive survey win with a share of 15.9 in Sydney (up 2.6) and a share of 8.9 in Brisbane where he is No. 1 in Talk.

In Melbourne, 3AW’s Neil Mitchell was the dominant No. 1 in Mornings, with a share of 17.5 (up 0.9). This marks Neil’s 57th consecutive survey win and 215th overall win across his 32 years of broadcasting the Morning slot on 3AW.

3AW posted share increases across every shift, while 2GB recorded share increases in Breakfast, Mornings, Afternoons, Evenings and Weekends.

4BC’s Laurel, Gary and Mark achieved a 8.9 share in Brisbane, while 6PR’s new Breakfast pairing, Millsy and Karl posted a strong share of 10.7 to be second overall. 

Nine’s radio stations reached a cumulative audience of two million listeners every week in Survey 8, representing year-on-year growth of 11%.

Nine Radio’s Head of Content, Greg Byrnes said: “These are stunning results and we thank our listeners for tuning in each day. 2GB and 3AW have dominated all year and the lineup changes on 4BC and 6PR are delivering record audience numbers. And there will be no let-up, with our on-air teams continuing to be a trusted source of live and local news and entertainment right through summer.”

Source: GfK Radio Ratings, Survey 8 2022, Mon-Fri 5.30am-9.00am, Mon-Fri 9.00am-12pm, Mon-Fri 12pm-3pm, Mon-Fri 3pm-6pm, Mon-Thurs 8pm-12MN Fri 7pm-12MN, Market Share %, Cume AP10+ unless otherwise specified.

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

Tuesday, December 13, 2022

David Campbell and Brooke Boney will host Vision Australia’s Carols by Candlelight presented by AAMI live from the Sidney Myer Music Bowl on Friday, December 24, at 8.00pm on Channel 9 and 9Now. 

Another star-studded lineup of artists will perform for Australia’s favourite Christmas Eve tradition, celebrating the 85th year of Vision Australia’s Carols by Candlelight as they light up the stage with everyone’s favourite Christmas songs and carols to sing along to. 

“I’m excited to be joining David this year to host Carols. I love Christmas, and being able to spread Christmas cheer to everyone is an absolute treat, we also raise money for children who are blind or have low vision and their families,” Brooke said. 

“Christmas is such a wonderful time and I’m always so honoured to be a part of such a wonderful Christmas Eve tradition. My family love Christmas, and it’s made even better by raising money for Vision Australia and the children and families all over Australia that need support. It’s going to be a spectacular night,” David said. 

David and Brooke will be joined again by Channel 9’s beloved Carols family including David Hobson, Marina Prior, Silvie Paladino, Anthony Callea, Tim Campbell and Denis Walter. Also joining them this year will be Mitch Tambo, Casey Donovan, the Central Australian Aboriginal Women’s Choir, Rob Mills, Bobby Fox, Vika & Linda Bull, Emma Watkins and Simon Gleeson, with many more names to come.

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 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:
Amanda Poulos
9Network Publicity
apoulos@nine.com.au

Monday, December 12, 2022

Swimming will make its return to prime-time on the Wide World of Sports when the 16th FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) are exclusive, live and free on Channel 9 and 9Now from Tuesday, December 13.

Taking place across six days from December 13-18, the best swimmers in the world will converge on Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre to go toe-to-toe against the Australian Dolphins.

With the heats being throughout the day and finals every night during prime-time, viewers will be able to watch every race an Australian swimmer competes in across 30 hours of live competition. 

An all-star cast of swimming commentators will be poolside for the 9Network when Ian Thorpe, Ariarne Titmus and Giaan Rooney are on hand to give their expert insights.

Joining them will be Wide World of Sports commentator Mat Thompson to call the races live, while hosting the network’s coverage will be veteran sports broadcaster Tony Jones and Seb Costello. 

Wide World of Sports commentator Ian Thorpe said: “We have multiple Aussie Olympic champions swimming in the short course in Melbourne with Kyle Chalmers, Kaylee McKeown, Emma McKeon and Mack Horton. It’s exciting that they’ll all be competing.

“There’s been a period of transition with our younger stars coming in, such as Mollie O’Callaghan, which has made it more intense for positions on the team and ultimately elevates the standard right across the squad.

“This will be an intense competition made more interesting because the format suits athletes with different physiques compared to those that win in the traditional 50m pool. There’s a lot more focus on the starts and the turns, which will make for blistering times.” 

BROADCAST DETAILS

*Check local guides for details

16TH FINA WORLD SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS (25M) MELBOURNE
DECEMBER 13-18, ON CHANNEL 9 AND 9NOW

Social Media
#9WWOS
LIKE Wide World of Sports on Facebook
Follow @WWOS on Twitter and Instagram

Friday, December 9, 2022

Nine has today announced the creation of two new leadership roles within its Product division, which will further grow and differentiate the digital experiences and products across its diverse range of media assets, spanning TV, Radio, Publishing, Data and Commercial. 

Head of Product for 9Now, Lewis Evans, has been promoted to the new role of Director of Product, Streaming; responsible for the product strategy for Total TV and Total Radio across Nine, which includes product execution across platforms and audience, identity, UX and design. Stuart Fagg will join Nine from News Corp in the new role of Director of Product, Publishing; responsible for the digital product strategy, execution and management for The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, Australian Financial Review, and nine.com.au, including product ownership, design, authoring, and subscriptions.

Nine’s Chief Product Officer, Bec Haagsma said: “Every customer touchpoint is crucial to the delivery of Nine’s strategic plan and I’m so excited to welcome Lewis and Stu into these newly created roles within the Product team. Under their leadership, and with their deep product and audience experience, we’ll be in an even stronger position to roll out the next set of products, features and capabilities to support our business and delight our customers in 2023. Our digital distribution is a key part of the success of Nine’s strategy and product and technology is at the core of everything we do.”

Prior to his role as Director of Product, Streaming, Lewis Evans spent more than eight years leading high performing product teams and executing world class streaming experiences for audiences at some of Australia’s largest media companies including Telstra, Freeview (where he is a member of the Board of Directors) and SBS where, as Head of Product and UX, he was instrumental in the transformation of SBS On Demand’s consumer experience. In recent years he’s championed a step-change in Nine’s Total TV product strategy and, with recent enhancements across Live Streaming, laid the foundation for Nine’s ‘streaming first’ future

Lewis Evans said: “It’s an incredibly exciting time to be at the coal face of media innovation in Australia. I find it a real privilege to continue to lead the 9Now team through their phase of radical growth, while working closer with Nine’s radio and podcasting businesses to develop new and engaging digital experiences as the audio industry undergoes its own ‘streaming first’ transformation.”

Nine’s new Director of Product, Publishing, Stuart Fagg brings 23 years’ experience in the media industry. He started out as a journalist and editor in London and Sydney, and for the past 16 years, has worked in digital product strategy and development across some of Australia’s best-known media brands.

Stuart was most recently General Manager, Product at News Corp Australia, leading product strategy and development across The Australian, news.com.au, Vogue, GQ, Kidspot and Body & Soul, and the mobile apps portfolio. Prior to this, he spent five years as General Manager, Digital at The Australian, where he was instrumental in the transformation of product in the newsroom and helped to drive both sustainable profitability and annual double digit percentage growth in digital subscribers.

Stuart Fagg said: “I’m delighted to be joining Nine’s product team. Nine’s publishing brands are iconic, and the opportunity to drive the next phase of digital growth and delight customers is one I am genuinely excited by. Nine has a compelling strategy and vision and I’m looking forward to working with Bec and the team to bring it to life.”

Lewis Evans has already commenced in the role of Director of Product, Streaming, and Stuart Fagg will start as Director of Product, Publishing in February 2023. Both roles report to Chief Product Officer, Bec Haagsma. 

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

Thursday, December 8, 2022