Nine Entertainment staff have been told that potential job cuts are on the way as the company begins consultations on structural changes across its Streaming and Broadcast division.
In an email sent to staff this morning and sighted by Mediaweek, Managing Director, Streaming & Broadcast Amanda Laing confirmed the leadership team has spent recent months reviewing the division’s operating model as it looks to “reduce duplication, drive greater collaboration and deliver commercial growth for the Nine Group.”
It’s understood that 50 roles will be impacted.
The note said the review has placed “particular focus” on News, Sport, Stan, Marketing and Creative functions, with consultations beginning today for some individuals whose roles are expected to be impacted.
“While only some teams and individuals are impacted by this, I ask you to be cognisant and mindful of your colleagues as we navigate this change,” Laing wrote.
She added that Nine’s employee wellbeing platform, Sonder, is available to support staff, and that the company is “committed to finalising this process as quickly as possible, whilst respecting the appropriate consultation process.”
A source told Mediaweek the news “could not have come at a worse time given we are so close to Christmas.”
“Everyone is freaking out,” they said.
Amanda Laing
In statement to Mediaweek, a Nine spokesperson said: “The new operating model formally brings together teams across Stan, Channel 9 and 9Now. It is designed to reduce duplication, drive greater collaboration and deliver commercial growth for Nine, while working to offset the challenging external advertising market.
“Our primary focus during the consultation is supporting these team members through access to our employee wellbeing provider, as well as exploring redeployment opportunities within the broader Nine Group.”
Last year, Nine cut 85 roles across its publishing division, delivering $33 million in savings for that arm of the business.
In its latest financial results, the company reaffirmed plans to achieve a further $90 million in cost efficiencies by the end of FY27.
“We’re paying for journalism, but the revenue is flowing elsewhere”
The internal announcement came days after CEO Matt Stanton addressed shareholders at Nine’s Annual General Meeting (AGM), delivering his strongest warning yet about the damage artificial intelligence could inflict on the industry.
Responding to a question from the Australian Shareholders Association’s Don Adams, Stanton said global tech giants were “scraping and stealing” Australian content and that urgent intervention was needed to protect jobs and newsroom viability.
“We’re paying for journalism, but the revenue is flowing elsewhere,” Stanton said. “There needs to be an intervention. These are global players doing this, and we feel very strongly about it.”
While Stanton reaffirmed Nine’s “strong financial position,” he acknowledged that cost-cutting and structural changes would need to strike a delicate balance between efficiency and editorial strength.
“As we go through this process, we need to achieve the right level of efficiency while maintaining the strong content creation we’re known for,” he said.
The changes follow an ongoing restructure within Nine’s content and commercial arms, as the company looks to streamline operations and unify its broadcast and streaming businesses under a single leadership framework.
Laing told staff they would hear more from divisional leaders “over the coming days,” with the group set to reconvene next week.
Mediaweek has reached out to Nine for comment.