Archives: Media Releases

As the superstars of world tennis prepare to start their Australian Open campaign, an incredible line-up of brands shows why Nine’s coverage of the first Grand Slam of the year serves up the biggest platform of marketing opportunities for advertisers. 

Nothing unites millions of Australians like sport, and with the Australian Open featuring 15 days of the world’s best tennis, Nine’s coverage shows how the Summer of Tennis is the powerhouse platform for brands at this crucial time of the year.

For the first time, Emirates joins as a major partner of Nine’s Summer of Tennis. As the official airline partner of Tennis Australia, the brand is set to take full advantage of Nine’s cross-platform content ecosystem across Television, Digital, Publishing and Audio. 

Also returning as a partner is Uber. This year Uber Eats will deploy an innovative brand campaign leveraging the Australian Open coverage as well as the power of Nine’s suite of hit programming – including Married at First Sight and other tentpole network moments – to bring their AO TVC to life.

A powerful combination of Australia’s most recognised brands have signed on as sponsors, including home appliance brand Haier, tourism company Journey Beyond and beauty brand L’Oreal. These brands are joined by previous returning sponsors ANZ, Bupa, Chemist Warehouse, Chubb, Domain, Google, Kia, Peters Ice Cream and Stan who will all leverage the unique suite of Nine’s Summer of Tennis premium assets.

Viewers will once again be treated to a creative innovation set to engage, elevate and captivate audiences at scale. This will come to life in the form of Augmented Reality, providing Nine’s broadcast partners the ability to own digital brand insertions within Nine’s on-ground live set, Court 9. This will provide Nine’s broadcast partners further brand prominence and contextuality to associate with the Summer of Tennis broadcast coverage, like never seen before. 

Global No. 1 appliance brand, Haier, will be utilising the full-service creative enterprise of Powered to create an all-of-home brand TVC and augmented reality executions to bring their brand campaign, ‘Make more time for tennis with Haier,’ to life throughout the tournament..

Chubb will look to build on their brand campaign from last year’s AO broadcast, reinforcing their position as The Official Insurance Partner of the Australian Open. Nine will partner with Chubb to unveil the Chubb Champions Walkout – showcasing the excitement as the best players in the world enter the stadium past the ‘Walk of Champions’ passage. Nine will also feature Chubb’s VIP Seat Upgrade – where during every session of tennis over the two weeks, two lucky fans in Rod Laver Arena will be upgraded to VIP seats and butler service.

With more than 10 million Total TV viewers tuning into last year’s Australian Open, unleashing the marketing power of tennis is the ultimate platform for brands wanting to connect with Australians with the help of globally-renowned Wide World of Sports.

Nine’s sophisticated approach to working with brands in the sporting arena draws on groundbreaking ways to tell a brand’s story in the most effective way possible. 

Meanwhile, ANZ will amplify their ANZ Falcon® technology which provides 24/7 fraud protection that is personal to you. This will be promoted via an aerial Falcon® Eye View housed within a start of the art 4D cam operated within the Tennis Park drone. 

“Once again, the Summer of Tennis has showcased itself as the ultimate platform across Nine for brands to launch their year. We are thrilled to welcome a number of new brands to our partner program and see the return of so many, as we continue our journey to deliver the most premium and diverse platforms, creative solutions and executions to engage audiences and fans ” said Matt Granger, Nine’s Director of Sales – Sport, Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Nine’s Director of Content Partnerships – Sport, Olympic and Paralympic Games, Anne Gruber, said: “In 2025, Nine will serve up an unforgettable Australian Open for our partner brands. The first Grand Slam of the year will once again deliver the biggest audience and marketing platform of the summer and our partners will have the opportunity to tell their brand story through Nine’s exclusive content and comprehensive coverage utilising cutting-edge technology, immersive viewing and new and innovative ad formats. AO sponsorships deliver unmatched brand impact across brand awareness, consideration and viewer attention and we can’t wait to watch 15 days of nail biting action unfold across Nine’s total media platforms.”

AUSTRALIAN OPEN 2025 LIVE & FREE ON CHANNEL 9HD, 9GEMHD & 9NOW FROM SUNDAY, JANUARY 12

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

Monday, January 13, 2025

It’s time to hide the remote as you watch your favourite UK Islanders return in season two of Love Island UK All Stars, launching exclusively on 9Now on Wednesday, January 15, at 6.00pm AEDT, with new episodes dropping daily.

Hosted by Maya Jama, alongside narrator Iain Stirling, 12 sexy Islanders from the past decade will be taking another leap of faith in search for love in red-hot South Africa.

Expect new Bombshells to shake things up, heartbroken singles to face dramatic eliminations, and ultimately, in the hands of the viewers, one couple to be crowned the winners of Love Island UK All Stars season two.

The familiar faces arriving in style for season two are: 

THE GIRLS

Cathernie
Age: 24
Series ten

Olivia
Age: 29
Series nine

Elma
Age: 32
Series five

Kaz
Age: 29
Series four

Gabby
Age: 32
Series three

India
Age: 34
Series five

THE BOYS

Curtis
Age: 28
Series five

Ronnie
Age: 28
Series eleven

Luca
Age: 25
Series eight

Scott
Age: 36
Series two

Nas
Age: 28
Series six

Marcel
Age: 39
Series three

LOVE ISLAND UK ALL STARS SEASON TWO:
PREMIERES WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 15, AT 6.00PM AEDT ON 9NOW

Get to know the Islanders and stream every episode of previous Love Island UK seasons on 9Now

LIKE 9Now on Facebook
FOLLOW @9Now on X
Follow @9Now Instagram

Visit 9Now.com.au

For further information, please contact:
Madison Long
Publicity and Talent Coordinator 
madison.long@nine.com.au 

Thursday, January 9, 2025

As a roll-call of the world’s best tennis players descend on Melbourne Park for the Australian Open, a special magazine celebrating the 2025 Summer of Tennis will be published through The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald this Saturday, January 11, produced by Good Weekend. It will also appear online on these mastheads, as well as the BrisbaneTimes and WAtoday.

Tennis is a must-read for any fan of the furry yellow ball, packed with features that give a unique insight into the lives of some of the most well-known elite athletes in the world. 

With a new generation of tennis stars conquering Centre Court, journalist Greg Baum asks whether the Sinner/Alcarez era is set to usurp the Federer/Nadel/Djokovic one. Alan Attwood delves into the game behind the game, with a feature called The Mind Game, which explores the role of the brain in separating the best from the rest. Attwood has also compiled a list of the players to keep an eye on this Australian Open. 

One of the most exciting young players Australia has recently produced is Alexei Popyrin. Brook Turner profiles the rising star, who is currently placed 24th on the ATP Rankings. Snapping at his heels is Australian doubles champ Jordan Thompson, ranked 26th on the singles rankings. David Leser spends an afternoon with Thompson, observing how the 30-year-old Sydneysider – who is the highest ranking Australian doubles player – is now taking on the singles circuit. 

Elsewhere in the issue, Konrad Marshall chats with Jelena Dokic, who has won a legion of new fans since the former player became one of the 9Network’s star commentators. Marshall also talks to junior stars, siblings Hayden and Emerson Jones, about their relationships on and off the court.        

“This is the third year in which Good Weekend has published Tennis, a magazine devoted to the sport that has us transfixed in the second half of January,” said Good Weekend editor Katrina Strickland. “And it’s an exciting time, with Australian players like Alexei Popyrin and Jordan Thompson rising from the pack, No. 1 players Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka returning to defend their 2024 AO titles, and junior sibling duo Hayden and Emerson Jones underlining the depth of talent in the next generation of Aussie players.”

Tennis illustrates the wide scope of Nine’s assets spanning Total Publishing, Television, Audio and Digital. Nine is uniquely placed to provide brands with optimal access to the action, with an enviable media ecosystem that allows marketers to call game, set and match on their campaigns.

“There is no better illustration of how Nine can create opportunities to share the stories of athletes than a quality magazine such as Tennis, brought to you by some of Australia’s most highly-regarded journalists on Good Weekend,” said Jo Clasby, Nine’s Director of Sales – Publishing. 

“As the official broadcaster of the Australian Open through to 2029, we are thrilled with the extension of our partnership into a print insert in The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, as well as for online readers of those mastheads together with BrisbaneTimes and WAtoday.”  

Good Weekend’s regular Saturday magazine returns on January 25. For a high res image of the Tennis cover, click HERE.

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

Thursday, January 9, 2025

9Now is the destination to be for AO Opening Week as the best in world tennis mix fire with fun, across a tasty offering of exhibition and qualifying matches available to stream for free. 

In the build up to the first grand slam of the year, the action at Melbourne Park will be headlined by exhibition matches featuring Aussie ace Alex de Minaur and Carlos Alcaraz tonight, plus plenty of fun with special guests in A Night with Novak on Thursday, January 9 from 7.30pm nationally, on both Channel 9 and 9Now. 

The fight for a Grand Slam berth continues in the Australian Open qualifying series, with every game available live on 9Now.

When the main draw kicks off on Sunday, January 12, fans will have the ability to watch every point of every match, at any time, live and free on the device of their choosing in full HD on 9Now. Plus a comprehensive highlights offering with Match Highlights, AO Daily Top Moments and all the fun from the AO Morning Serve.

For the first time 9Now will also bring every match of the Juniors Girls and Boys Championships, Wheelchair Championships, the Junior Wheelchair Championships, the Asia Pacific Elite 14 and Under, AO25 Deaf Championships and the AO25 Intellectual Disability Championships.

QUALIFYING MATCHES
Wednesday, January 8 and Thursday, January 9 From 10.00am AEDT on 9Now

EXHIBITION MATCHES

Wednesday, January 8 – The Rising Stars:
A rising tide of talent serving for a cause. 
5.00pm – Qinwen Zheng v Elina Svitolina
7.00pm – Carlos Alcaraz v Alex de Minaur

Commentary: John Millman, David Culbert, Laura Robson and Chris Stubbs

Thursday, January 9 – A Night with Novak: 
5.00pm – Mixed doubles charity match
7.30pm Nationally – Novak Djokovic and special guests – Available on Channel 9

Commentary: Jelena Dokic, Todd Woodbridge, John Millman and James Bracey 

Friday, January 10 – The Game Changers:
Tomorrow’s titans take centre stage for charity.
5.00pm – Carlos Alcaraz v Alexei Popyrin
7.00pm – Jannik Sinner v Stefanos Tsitsipas.

Commentary: John Millman, David Culbert and Chris Stubbs

All times AEDT, except for A Night with Novak

AO25 OPENING WEEK
STREAM FOR FREE ON 9NOW

Wednesday, January 8, 2025

It’s game on for the 2025 Australian Open and Nine’s Wide World of Sports is the only place to be when the tennis world converges on Melbourne from Sunday, January 12.

Over 300 hours of live and free coverage, including exhibition and qualifying matches, will be available on Channel 9HD, 9GemHD and to stream on 9Now for a comprehensive viewer experience when Nine delivers exclusive access to the first Grand Slam tournament of the year.

On court, Nick Kyrgios is back, to take on the giants of world tennis with reigning men’s singles champion Jannik Sinner, the king of Melbourne Park – Novak Djokovic, and defending Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz, headlining the Men’s Singles draw. 

Top seed Aryna Sabalenka is chasing three Australian Open Women’s Singles titles in a row, in front of a classy pack of challengers led by Americans Coco Gauff (No. 3) and Jess Pegula (No. 7), Iga Swiatek (No.2) of Poland and 2023 runner-up Elena Rybakina.

A strong Aussie contingent will join Kyrgios, with Alex de Minaur (No. 8), Alexei Popyrin (No. 25), Jordan Thompson (No. 27), Christopher O’Connell (No. 64), Aleksander Vukic (No. 67), Thanasi Kokkinakis (No. 77), Rinky Hijikata (No.79), Adam Walton (No. 91), James Duckworth (No.94), plus Kim Birrell (No.99) and Olivia Gadecki (No.106). 

Aussie wildcards Ajla Tomljanovic, Daria Saville, Tristan Schoolkate, Li Tu, James McCabe, Emerson Jones, Talia Gibson and Maya Joint will all get a shot at pulling off underdog victories as they fight for a place in the final week of competition.

In a mammoth AO25 broadcast, Nine’s Wide World of Sports has assembled an unrivalled team of hosts and expert commentators to cover every corner of Melbourne Park.

Expert commentary throughout the tournament will be provided by Jim Courier, Jelena Dokic, John McEnroe, Todd Woodbridge, Lleyton Hewitt, Sam Stosur, Dylan Alcott, John Millman, Casey Dellacqua, Sam Smith and Alicia Molik. 

Bringing a gold standard to the coverage will be Paris 2024 gold medallists Ariarne Titmus and Jess Fox, joining the team to capture all the colour of the event, alongside Marlee Silva.

On Channel 9, the hosts are James Bracey, Roz Kelly and Tony Jones, while on 9Gem Sylvia Jeffreys, Nick McArdle and Brett Phillips will host the broadcast.

Additional off-court reporting will come from Clint Stanaway and Danika Mason. Plus match callers Brenton Speed and Peter Psaltis.

Andy Lee returns with Sophie Monk and Mike Goldstein when they put the players to the test in a special Australian Open edition of The Hundred.

Nine’s Director of Sport, Brent Williams, said: “The AO is without doubt the greatest sporting event on the Australian summer calendar.”

“The best players in the world have assembled in Melbourne for what promises to be another scintillating and compelling fortnight of tennis on the courts. While around the grounds, the thriving festival of food, music, family and entertainment is ready to be brought to life.   

“Come rain, hail or shine the action never stops and you won’t miss a moment with comprehensive coverage of the biggest matches and moments on Channel 9 and 9Gem,  with every court streamed live and free on 9Now.”   

Opening week action is highlighted by A Night with Novak on Channel 9 this Thursday, January 9 from 7.30pm AEDT. 

While the fight for a Grand Slam berth is free when every game of the Australian Open qualifying series is available live on 9Now. 

Stream the AO on 9Now
Throughout AO25, fans will have the ability to watch every point of every match, at any time live and free on the device of their choosing in full HD on 9Now. A comprehensive highlights offering with Match Highlights, AO Daily Top Moments and all the fun from the AO Morning Serve.

9Now will also bring every match of the main draw, Juniors Girls and Boys Championships, Wheelchair Championships and for the first time; the Junior Wheelchair Championships, the Asia Pacific Elite 14 and Under, AO25 Deaf Championships and the AO25 Intellectual Disability Championships.

Stan Sport will have every match ad-free, live and on demand with centre court in 4K.

AUSTRALIAN OPEN 2025
LIVE AND FREE ON THE 9NETWORK AND 9NOW
 FROM SUNDAY, JANUARY 12

Wednesday, January 8, 2025

The 2025 Adelaide International will serve up an entree of top-flight tennis live and free on the 9Network and 9Now from today – Monday, January 6.

Hometown hero Thanasi Kokkinakis will ride a wave of local support from tonight, when he begins his campaign alongside 16 of the world’s top 20 in the city of churches.

Aiming to spoil the party for Kokkinakis will be Tommy Paul, Felix Auger-Aliassime and Brisbane International champion Jiri Lehecka, plus Aussies Aleksandar Vukic, Chris O’Connell and wildcard Tristan Schoolkate when they feature in the men’s singles field.

Paris 2024 gold medallist Matt Ebden will hold green and gold hopes in the men’s doubles.

Thirteen of the world top 20 will turn out for the women’s singles, including Jess Pegula, 2023 Wimbledon singles champion Marketa Vondrousova, reigning champ Jelena Ostapenko, Ons Jabeur in her return from injury and Australia’s Olivia Gadecki.

Nine’s Wide World of Sports tennis expert, Casey Dellacqua, said: “The Adelaide International will be a great form guide to the Australian Open with a stacked women’s field and a few men who will cause headaches for the big names.

“Thanasi always plays his best tennis at Memorial Drive and he believes he can pull off some big wins at home, so expect his games to be great viewing. 

“Adelaide holds advantages for the players because they can enjoy a relatively quiet week leading into the Open, with the hot conditions allowing them to acclimatise before the pressure of Grand Slam tennis begins in Melbourne. Results here suggest that those who enjoy a good lead-in week tend to have a strong run at the Open.” 

Featuring alongside Dellacqua in tournament commentary will be Nine’s Sam Smith, Tom Rehn and Peter Psaltis, hosted by Nick McArdle and Brett Phillips.

Broadcast Schedule

ADELAIDE INTERNATIONAL: MONDAY JANUARY 6 TO 11
LIVE AND FREE ON 9GEMHD
STREAM EVERY MATCH FREE ON 9NOW

Monday, January 6, 2025

Adelaide’s famous number 9 has officially joined Nine, with former Crows Captain Rory Sloane to join the network as AFL expert commentator in 2025. 

The 2016 All-Australian representative and two-time Crows best and fairest, played 255 AFL games and retired following the 2024 season as one of the game’s most widely admired and respected leaders.

He makes the switch from the playing field into various roles within Australia’s largest media company, joining the panels of the AFL Sunday Footy Show and Footy Classified, as well as weekly contributions to 9News Adelaide and radio commentary on 3AW football.

“It’s a great opportunity and I’m incredibly excited to join the team, growing up as a kid my whole Sunday was centred around the Wide World of Sports, so to now be joining them is quite an honour and the realisation of a dream,” said Sloane.

“I’m really keen to bring my personality, thoughts and views on all things footy. Throughout my playing career I’ve spent a lot of time analysing the game, coaching the midfield and identifying where the trends and edges over the opposition are. I want to share those with the audience and some views that they may not have had previously.

“With so much media experience within the Nine Footy team, I’m sure I’ll learn a lot from them while bringing the average age of the Footy Show down at the same time.”

Nine Director of Sport, Brent Williams, said: “As a player, Rory Sloane always led by example. His courage and fearless leadership drew respect and admiration from all AFL fans, no matter who you barracked for. We are thrilled to be welcoming the Adelaide Crows great into the Wide World of Sports family and look forward to his contribution across all of our platforms.” 

Director of 9News Adelaide, Jeremy Pudney, said: “Rory Sloane was a champion player and one of the things that made him a great of the Adelaide Football Club, was his understanding of the game. We are thrilled that his insight and knowledge will now be shared with 9News Adelaide’s audience and that Rory will be a part of our already outstanding weekly AFL coverage.”

Nine is committed to delivering comprehensive AFL coverage every week, with two episodes of Footy Classified, The Sunday Footy Show and Footy Furnace ensuring fans stay connected to every moment of the game.

Sunday, January 5, 2025

Australia’s No. 1 reality television show and most talked about social experiment, Married at First Sight, returns on Monday, January 27 at 7.30pm on Channel 9 and 9Now for its blockbuster 12th season. 

The new season marks a decade since the reality juggernaut first began in 2015, captivating Australia with its bold and unique take on the eternal search for love.

In 2025, Married at First Sight brings even more spellbinding outpourings of love, romance, passion and drama as a new set of 20 brides and grooms take the huge leap of faith and embark on their marital journey with someone they’ve only just met at the altar. 

Season 12 of Married at First Sight will be the most explosive series yet, showcasing moments never seen before in the history of the show.  The drama begins straight from the weddings, where bombshells are dropped at first sight, shaping relationships for the entire experiment. Instant sparks fly for some, and others hit the friendzone. 

In a brand-new twist to the experiment, some of the strongest couples will be faced with their biggest challenge yet: Final Test Week, an international MAFS first, where the participants will be confronted with the age-old question, “is the grass greener on the other side?”. 

This season is certain to get Australia talking and falling in love with these new couples. With the unpredictable Dinner Parties and emotionally charged Commitment Ceremonies, prepare for laughter, tears and a whole lot of drama, as this season surprises with shock twists and turns. 

Our trio of experts are returning, certified sexologist Alessandra Rampolla and relationship experts John Aiken and Mel Schilling. They will match our singles before guiding the couples throughout their marriage journey and putting them to the ultimate test of building genuine, long-lasting relationships. 

This season, the brides and grooms will fast-track their relationship, baring all in the most honest, raw, relatable and vulnerable display of emotions in this gripping quest for marital bliss. 

Ten years on, Married at First Sight continues to be the talk of the nation, capturing millions of viewers and hearts.

Get ready for unprecedented drama matched with fairytale romances as television’s biggest reality show returns for its most highly anticipated season yet. 

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

MARRIED AT FIRST SIGHT
RETURNS MONDAY, JANUARY 27, 2025
AT 7.30PM ON CHANNEL 9 AND 9NOW

#MAFS
Follow @MAFS on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok,
Twitter and Giphy
To learn more about MAFS click here

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

Sunday, December 22, 2024

Experienced media executive Lisa Muxworthy has been appointed to the newly created role of Head of Growth Content at Nine’s metro mastheads.

Muxworthy, who drove record numbers at news.com.au during her four years as editor-in-chief, brings her expertise and leadership to The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, Brisbane Times and WAtoday. 

As Head of Growth Content, Muxworthy will drive a growth content strategy to attract new audiences across Nine’s market-leading mastheads. 

Muxworthy will take responsibility for a new Growth Content reporting team and editor, social media teams, as well as search, audio and video content. 

“I am thrilled to join the talented team of editors and journalists at The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age and have the opportunity to execute strategies for growing audiences and push the boundaries of content discovery and distribution,” Muxworthy said.

The Sydney Morning Herald is the nation’s most-read masthead, while The Age is the second most read title in the country. 

“Lisa is the complete package when it comes to digital publishing,” Executive Editor Luke McIlveen said. 

“Under her editorship, News.com.au won the Gold Walkey in 2022 for the Britanny Higgins story and Lisa was part of the team that drove important editorial campaigns including Let Her Speak, which led to the abolition of sexual assault victim gag laws in Victoria, Tasmania and the Northern Territory.

“Lisa is respected across the industry as an exceptional leader who builds high-performing teams with incredible culture and has a proven track record of growing audiences and engagement. 

“She’s a passionate editor who puts the audience first and I’m delighted to have Lisa on my leadership team.”

Muxworthy will commence her new role on February 3, 2025.

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

Friday, December 20, 2024

Nine’s Wide World of Sports is the new home for the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, as Australia’s toughest and most prestigious ocean race is live and free on Channel 9 and 9Now, from 12.30pm AEDT on December 26.

The spectacle of the 79th edition of the race will be covered with a pre-show build up at North Head, before the starting cannon fires at 1.00pm for the gruelling 600 nautical mile journey south to Hobart.

Today Show will kickstart Boxing Day live from Rushcutters Bay to capture the build up as thousands of people line Sydney Harbour, with regular crosses throughout the morning during sport, weather and entertainment segments. Then, as the winning boat arrives, Today will be live from Hobart to kickstart the celebrations.

A fleet of 108 yachts will take to the water as defending champion Law Connect faces stiff opposition for victory from Master Lock Comanche, who was pipped at the post in 2023, and Wild Thing 100.

The talented team bringing the race action to screens includes host Gordon Bray, who is joined for expert comments by ex-Olympian and seasoned sailor Lisa Darmanin, and 31-race Sydney Hobart veteran Peter Shipway.

ROLEX SYDNEY HOBART YACHT RACE 2024
LIVE AND FREE ON CHANNEL 9 AND 9NOW
DECEMBER 26, 12.30PM AEDT

Friday, December 20, 2024