After topping the Power List at the 2025 Mediaweek 100 event, Nine CEO Matt Stanton used his acceptance speech to challenge the industry to shift its mindset, urging the Australian’s to turn away from pessimism and toward possibility.
“While we are all part of the same ecosystem, too often we spend more time critiquing than collaborating, focusing on disruption and decline instead of opportunity and openings,” Stanton told the crowd via a video message.
Acknowledging the importance of scrutiny and accountability, he balanced that with a plea for optimism: “Here in Australia, the media market is dynamic, resilient and world-class, from broadcasters and publishers to agencies and tech innovators, we are creating compelling content and connecting with audiences in a fashion that remains the envy of other markets around the world.”
Matt Stanton at the MW100, where he delivered his acceptance speech via video message
Backing Australia’s stories and talent
In his speech, Stanton encouraged those in the room, many of whom lead Australia’s biggest media, marketing, and tech organisations, to back the unique character of the local industry.
“We’re not the US or the UK. We are uniquely Australian. We punch above our weight, and we should act like it,” he said.
“Let’s back our talent, our stories and our future. We are lucky to be part of this industry. We need to celebrate our wins, big and small. We need to support the growth of local talent, back Australia-made content and journalism, and invest in the future of our media landscape with a spirit of collective optimism.”
Holding global tech to the same standards
Turning his attention to the global tech players increasingly shaping how Australians consume media, Stanton called for shared responsibility across the ecosystem.
“In the same way we hold our industry to high standards, we must demand the same commitment from the global tech platforms – whether it be social media, search engines, streaming services, or AI tools,” he said.
“These international tech giants are increasingly shaping how our content is found, framed and funded. They must operate with the same level of responsibility, integrity and accountability to all Australians that we demand of ourselves.”
He added that the goal isn’t conflict, but collaboration: “We don’t need them working against us. We need them working with us. Holding them to account is not about conflict — it’s about shared responsibility in a thriving media ecosystem.”
This isn’t the first time Stanton has addressed AI tools.
Back in June, data from Nine Entertainment revealed Nine websites were scraped nearly 10 times per second by AI firms – with OpenAI responsible for a significant share of the traffic.
In an interview with The Australian Financial Review, Stanton described scraping – the act of automated bots trawling through websites to copy their content, often to feed algorithms, AI models, or search engines – as “theft”.
“I have huge concerns around the scraping of our websites. This is really like stealing. It’s like walking into a clothes store, picking stuff up and walking out without paying for it,” Stanton told the publication.
Matt Stanton at the MW100, where he delivered his acceptance speech via video message
Lifting a glass to Australian media
Stanton ended his speech by celebrating the people who make up the industry – the journalists, creators, and innovators who continue to define Australia’s media identity.
“To finalise, in the same spirit of collaboration and support – thank you again for this honour, and let’s lift our glasses to the best of Australian media and acknowledge each other for all that you do, to inform, to entertain and to champion our nation’s own narrative every single day.”
Read who else topped the list at the Mediaweek 100 event here