Nine 2027 Upfront: Network consolidates TV, streaming and outdoor into one commercial offering

Nine has used its 2027 Upfront to pitch advertisers a shorter path between capturing attention and making a sale, assembling its television, streaming, publishing and outdoor assets into one commercial system.

Under the “Sofa to Street” strategy, Channel 9 and sport generate mass reach; 9Now and Stan extend viewing and add addressability; Nine Publishing supplies trusted environments; and the newly acquired QMS takes campaigns into public spaces.

From there, the new SHOP retail network puts advertising near the checkout, while Shop Today can turn television segments into direct transactions. NineNeo is intended to make the combined inventory easier for advertisers to buy.

It is integration, but with a harder commercial edge. Nine wants advertisers to treat its brands not as separate media products, but as connected stages in the same customer journey.

The pitch was reflected across the language of Nine’s Upfront: “Sofa to Street”, “Sofa to Store”, “beyond the whistle” and “attention into influence”.

Behind it is Nine’s larger claim that it can provide an Australian-owned alternative to the closed advertising ecosystems of global technology platforms. The company is promising local content, premium environments, fewer intermediaries and the measurable results advertisers expect from digital media.

Nine is also changing the role Stan plays within the wider group. Rather than sitting apart from free-to-air television, the streaming service is becoming an extension of Nine’s biggest franchises and sporting rights.

Married at First Sight, The Block and Love Island Australia will move between Channel 9, 9Now and Stan, while Nine’s major sporting properties will be distributed across free and subscription platforms.

The content attracts the audience. The connected platform journey gives Nine more inventory, more audience data and more ways to monetise each fan.

In short, the 2027 vision is one Nine, one buying door and a much shorter distance between seeing an advertisement and spending money.

‘Sofa to Street’ connects the Nine portfolio

Nine’s “Sofa to Street” strategy will bring Channel 9, 9Now, Stan, Nine Publishing and Nine Outdoor into one commercial offering.

The company plans to operate through a single content delivery system by 2027, allowing campaigns to run simultaneously across television, streaming, mobile, publishing and digital out-of-home.

Nine chief executive Matt Stanton said the strategy would allow the company to compete more directly with global technology platforms.

“When we set about transforming our business we saw a clear opportunity to build a digital-first network that meets audiences wherever they are. A media powerhouse that is a catalyst for progress, a platform for possibility and a partner for growth. This integrated strategy allows us to challenge global Big Tech platforms by delivering unmatched, trusted local scale,” Stanton said.

Stanton also targeted the cost and complexity of programmatic advertising, claiming up to one-third of Australia’s digital video expenditure could be absorbed by technology fees and complicated supply chains.

“We are taking a leading role in streamlining the buying ecosystem to strip out unnecessary tech costs and put more of your ad investment straight into working media. Buying directly with Nine gives brands superior ROI across BVOD and SVOD, while directly supporting the local content ecosystem,” he said.

“Ultimately, this ensures your investment directly funds the Australian news, sport, and entertainment you see across Nine and will help make Australia a better place to live, work and do business. It’s a cleaner, smarter way to trade that builds a sustainable future for our industry.”

QMS becomes Nine Outdoor

QMS Australia will officially become Nine Outdoor from January 2027.

The business will give Nine control of a national digital outdoor network comprising more than 2,000 sites across Australia’s major cities.

Nine chief sales officer Matt James said the QMS acquisition had supplied the physical media component needed to complete the company’s cross-platform system.

“Earlier this year, our acquisition of QMS created the most comprehensive and connected digital media ecosystem in Australia. I’m pleased to announce that from January 2027, QMS Australia officially becomes Nine Outdoor – a national digital outdoor network with more than 2,000 sites across our major cities, fully connected to Nine’s content, data, and audiences,” James said.

“That matters because these are 100% Nine-controlled and operated assets. Together, they give us a genuine integrated platform. One door into a world of possibilities that no other media company in Australia can offer.”

NineNeo becomes the buying door

Nine will introduce NineNeo as the trading platform supporting the “Sofa to Street” strategy.

The platform is designed to make it easier for agencies and advertisers to buy across Nine’s expanded portfolio, reducing the work involved in assembling campaigns across different media channels.

Nine is positioning NineNeo as one entry point into its broadcast, streaming, publishing and outdoor inventory.

The platform is central to Nine’s argument that integration should not just mean placing an advertiser across several brands. It should also simplify the transaction behind the campaign.

SHOP takes advertising closer to the checkout

QMS has launched SHOP, a national digital out-of-home network positioned at the entrances of retail stores.

The network will generate more than 16 million weekly impressions across over 1,300 locations in metropolitan and regional Australia.

It combines more than 860 screens in Metcash’s LocalEyes network, covering IGA, Cellarbrations, The Bottle-O, Thirsty Camel, Mitre 10, Home Hardware and Total Tools, with 470 screens at the entrances of 7-Eleven stores.

QMS said more than 70% of Australians live within three kilometres of a SHOP retailer, with the footprint extending into more than 400 regional locations.

The full-motion screens will allow advertisers to carry campaigns from Nine’s television, streaming, publishing and outdoor properties to the point of purchase.

QMS chief sales officer Tim Murphy said: “SHOP is the realisation of our ‘Sofa to Store’ ambition. We are taking the power of Digital OOH and placing it right at the store threshold.

“This presents advertisers with the perfect environment to dominate the critical spring and summer retail periods, including Christmas and New Year, capturing customer attention and share of basket right through to the checkout.”

Shop Today turns television into a storefront

Nine will launch Shop Today, a content-to-commerce platform built around Today, Today Extra and Weekend Today.

The product combines three-to-five-minute talent-led television segments with content distributed across nine.com.au, 9Now, YouTube and social media.

Products featured on air will be available through Nine’s online shopping storefront, with the company generating revenue from affiliate commissions and premium sponsorship placements.

Sylvia Jeffreys, Tom Steinfort, Alison Piotrowski, David Campbell and Belinda Russell will present product reviews across lifestyle, home, travel and parenting.

Each television segment will be supported by an article and embedded video, giving participating advertisers additional reach and a trackable path to purchase.

Nine said a Shop Today pilot had produced consistent week-on-week sales growth across participating brands.

The company is also capitalising on the changing way audiences watch Today. Its BVOD audience share has increased from 6% in 2022 to 19.2% in 2026.

Nine managing director of streaming and broadcast Amanda Laing said: “Shop Today bridges the gap between top-of-funnel audience trust and instant commercial conversion. By combining the massive reach of live broadcast with targeted digital distribution, we are unlocking an unprecedented, friction-free canvas for our commercial partners.”

Sylvia Jeffreys and Tom Steinfort take over Today

Sylvia Jeffreys and Tom Steinfort will host Today in 2027 as the breakfast program enters a new era.

David Campbell will remain with Today Extra and will be joined by new co-host Belinda Russell.

The appointments follow Sarah Abo’s decision to leave Today and Nine at the end of 2026, and Karl Stefanovic's immediate departure from the network.

Jeffreys and Steinfort will also appear in Shop Today integrations, placing the new hosting team at the centre of Nine’s television commerce strategy.

Married at First Sight adds a new expert

Married at First Sight will return for its 14th season with clinical psychotherapist Marryam Chehelnabi joining Alessandra Rampolla and John Aiken on the expert panel.

Chehelnabi was the lead therapist on Couples Therapy Australia and holds a Master of Science in Medicine from the University of Sydney, as well as a Master of Counselling and Applied Psychotherapy.

The franchise will again extend beyond Channel 9 and 9Now through the Stan Original MAFS: After The Dinner Party.

Jules Lund, Brittany Hockley and Laura Byrne will return to host the companion series, featuring participant debriefs, unseen footage and expert commentary.

The Block heads to Sunbury and Stan

The Block will undertake what Nine has called the most ambitious project in the program’s history for its 23rd season.

Nine has acquired three heritage buildings from the Victorian Government at Jacksons Hill in Sunbury, around 40 minutes northwest of Melbourne.

Constructed about 170 years ago, the buildings have previously operated as an industrial school, psychiatric hospital and university campus.

Scott Cam and Shelley Craft will oversee five teams as they preserve and convert the buildings into family homes.

The franchise will also expand onto Stan for the first time with The Block: The House Next Door.

The spin-off will feature former Block contestants renovating a sixth property near the main site.

Love Island Australia expands onto Stan

Love Island Australia will return for an eighth season, filmed inside the Love Island USA villa in Fiji.

Sophie Monk will return as host, while a new “Power Couples” twist will give selected contestants control over parts of the competition.

The franchise will also expand onto Stan through Love Island Australia: Unseen. Uncut., featuring daily drops of additional footage from inside the villa.

Nine said the previous season was the program’s most watched, recording an average BVOD audience of 627,000 per episode and 959 million streamed minutes.

The Stan extension follows the model Nine has already established with Married at First Sight, using additional content to keep audiences inside the wider Nine ecosystem after the free-to-air broadcast.

The Golden Bachelor doubles the romance

The Golden Bachelor Australia will return for a second season with two bachelors.

The format will allow the participating women to choose which man they want to pursue, shifting part of the program’s decision-making power to the contestants.

Samantha Armytage will return as host.

The Floor brings famous faces into the game

The Floor will return for a third season with Rodger Corser and another 81 contestants competing for $200,000.

The new cast will include comedian Peter Helliar, The Golden Bachelor’s Kim Morgan-Short, Olympic champion Kerri Pottharst and Love Island Australia’s Jess Losurdo.

Tipping Point Australia will also return with Todd Woodbridge after winning the 2026 Logie Award for Most Popular Entertainment Program.

Travel Guides adds new travellers

Travel Guides will return in 2027 after winning its fifth consecutive TV Week Logie Award for Best Lifestyle Program.

New additions will include The Block’s Tom and Sarah-Jane, Olympic swimmers Cate and Bronte Campbell, and accessible-travel creators Fletch and Lachie from Two Mates 1 Chair.

The cast will travel to 10 destinations, including Egypt, New Caledonia, Santorini and tropical North Queensland.

Nine expands its documentary slate

Nine’s factual slate will be led by LIGHT: The Ian Roberts Story, examining the rugby league player’s career and his decision to come out publicly in 1995.

The documentary will explore the personal and professional consequences of Roberts becoming the first elite male athlete in a major contact sport to come out while still playing.

Crime series Naked City will return with the three-part instalment The Snake Pit, led by The Age crime journalist John Silvester.

The series will examine the criminals, families and conspiracies connected to contract killings and street executions, while also focusing on the victims and families affected.

New observational series Police will follow frontline and specialist officers from the Western Australia Police Force.

Sweat It Out! will chart the rise and fall of Australia’s pub rock scene, while Events That Changed Australia will return for a second season.

Emergency and social-first micro-reality series FLEX will also return.

The Grammys arrive on Nine

The 2027 Grammy Awards will air live on Channel 9 and 9Now from the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.

The deal adds another major international event to Nine’s schedule as it builds a calendar of live, appointment-based programming.

Carols in the Domain moves to Nine

The Salvation Army’s Carols in the Domain will move to Channel 9 and 9Now.

Ally Langdon and James Bracey will host the event live from Sydney’s Domain on Saturday, 19 December 2026.

The event joins Nine’s Christmas schedule alongside the National Pharmacies Christmas Pageant, Brisbane’s Lord Mayor’s Christmas Carols and Vision Australia’s Carols by Candlelight.

Future News drives Nine’s newsroom overhaul

Nine will continue rolling out Future News, which it describes as its largest investment in news and current affairs in decades.

The project is creating a connected newsroom serving Channel 9, 9Now, nine.com.au, mobile and social platforms.

Nine said the investment would allow its journalism to be produced and distributed more quickly across platforms, while giving advertisers additional inventory within its news environments.

A Current Affair, 60 Minutes and Nine’s Longform Current Affairs and Investigations Unit will continue in 2027.

Sport becomes a year-round commercial engine

Nine has positioned sport as an anchor of both its 2027 programming slate and its integrated advertising strategy.

Its rights portfolio spans rugby league, rugby union, cricket, tennis, netball, basketball, swimming, athletics and football.

Nine has organised the portfolio around four themes: community, culture, rituals and belonging.

Advertising is now integrated across Stan Sport and 9Now, while Nine Outdoor screens surrounding stadiums and transport corridors can be used to build anticipation before matches and deliver scores, news and contextual advertising during play.

The company calls this its “Three-Screen Strategy”, extending sports partnerships across television, personal devices and digital out-of-home.

Nine national commercial director of sport Andrew Cann said: “The added power of sport comes when moments travel beyond the whistle. When the analysis starts, the debate begins, and the highlights are shared across screens and streets – that is where Nine is fundamentally different.”

“With advertising now fully integrated across Stan Sport and 9Now, paired with dynamic digital out-of-home execution, we have the ability to offer brands a fully connected, 360-degree integration engine. We move audiences seamlessly from couch to stadium to street, turning attention into influence, and influence into measurable business growth.”

The Ashes return to Nine

Nine will broadcast the men’s and women’s 2027 Ashes series from England live and free.

The men’s series will air during Australian winter primetime, while the women’s competition will include a four-day Test, three one-day internationals and three T20 matches.

Former Australian captain Mark Taylor will lead Nine’s commentary team.

Netball returns to Nine

Nine has secured broadcast and streaming rights to Super Netball, Australian Diamonds matches and the 2027 Netball World Cup in Sydney.

Selected Super Netball games will air live and free across Channel 9 and 9Now. The finals, every Australian Diamonds Test and key World Cup matches, including the semi-finals and final, will also receive free-to-air coverage.

Every match will be available across 9Now and Stan Sport.

The Netball World Cup will run from 25 August to 5 September 2027 at Sydney Olympic Park, bringing together 16 countries across 64 matches.

NBL strengthens Nine’s basketball coverage

Nine’s NBL deal will deliver two marquee games each week live on Channel 9 and 9Now, alongside free coverage of the finals.

A weekly program, NBL Overtime, will provide analysis, highlights and behind-the-scenes access, while 9Now will carry a dedicated NBL hub.

The NBL joins the WNBL within Nine’s basketball portfolio.

Rugby World Cup returns to Australia

Nine will carry the 2027 Men’s Rugby World Cup when the tournament returns to Australia for the first time since 2003.

Stan Sport will stream all 52 matches live and on demand.

Channel 9 and 9Now will carry half of the tournament, including every Wallabies match, both semi-finals and the final in Sydney on 13 November.

The expanded competition will feature 24 nations playing across seven host cities.

NRL remains a cornerstone

Nine’s extended NRL rights agreement runs through to 2034.

Its 2027 coverage will begin with the season opener in Las Vegas, where the Melbourne Storm will face the Wests Tigers.

The season will also feature the return of the Bears from their new Perth base, alongside the men’s and women’s State of Origin series, the NRLW and the NRL Grand Final.

The second men’s State of Origin game will be played in Auckland, marking the first time an Origin match has been staged in New Zealand.

Football adds 10 months of coverage

Stan Sport will carry 10 consecutive months of football through its Premier League, UEFA Champions League, Europa League and Emirates FA Cup rights.

The schedule gives Nine another year-round sporting product for advertisers, particularly across the Stan Sport subscription platform.

Tennis, swimming and athletics build the road to LA

Nine will carry all four tennis Grand Slams in 2027, beginning with the Australian Open and continuing with Roland Garros, Wimbledon and the US Open.

The network’s swimming calendar will include the Australian Open Championships, World Championship Trials, the World Championships in Budapest and the Australian Short Course Championships.

The World Athletics Championships will air live and free from Beijing in September.

Australian athletes expected to feature include Nicola Olyslagers, Eleanor Patterson, Nina Kennedy, Jessica Hull, Lachlan Kennedy and Gout Gout.

Nine will position those events as part of its build towards the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, giving advertisers an extended runway into the next Summer Olympics.