Nine Network
| File:Nine Network logo.svg Logo used since 2012 | |
| Company type | Commercial free-to-air television network |
|---|---|
| Industry | Broadcasting, Television |
| Founded | September 16, 1956 in Sydney, Australia |
| Founder | Frank Packer |
| Headquarters | Docklands, Melbourne , Australia |
Area served | Australia |
| Owner | Nine Entertainment |
| Website | 9now |
Nine Network (often referred to as Channel Nine or simply Nine, and stylised as 9Network) is an Australian commercial free-to-air television network. It is owned by Nine Entertainment and stands as one of the five principal free-to-air broadcasters in Australia.
Between 2017 and 2021, the network used the slogan "We Are the One". In 2021, it reinstated its iconic tagline "Still the One," which was originally employed from 1977 until 2006.
As of 2024, Nine Network holds the position of Australia's second most-watched television network, ranking behind Seven Network but ahead of ABC TV, Network 10, and SBS.
Origins
The inception of Nine Network traces back to its inaugural station, TCN-9, which commenced broadcasting in Sydney on 16 September 1956. This launch was spearheaded by The Daily Telegraph proprietor Frank Packer. The station's introduction was made by John Godson, with former advertising executive Bruce Gyngell presenting This Is Television, marking him as the first individual to appear on Australian television. Later that year, Melbourne's GTV-9 initiated transmissions to cover the 1956 Summer Olympics, leading to the formation of the National Television Network alongside QTQ-9 Brisbane and NWS-9 Adelaide by 1959. This network laid the groundwork for what is now known as Nine Network. Initially, TCN-9 was affiliated with HSV-7, both among Australia's earliest TV outlets.
By 1967, the network operated under the name National Nine Network, which was updated to Nine Network Australia in 1987. Following Frank Packer’s passing in 1974, ownership passed to Kerry Packer. Prior to the official commencement of colour broadcasts on 1 March 1975, Nine led Australian television by regularly airing colour programs starting in 1971—the same year that NTD-8 Darwin launched.
The network made history by acquiring broadcasting rights for the 1967 New South Wales Rugby Football League grand final for $5,000, marking Australia’s first live national telecast of a football grand final across any sport.
STW-9 Perth began operations in 1965 and became a fully owned-and-operated station when businessman Alan Bond purchased Nine Network for A$1 billion in 1987, with government approval finalized in 1988. Due to federal cross-media ownership restrictions limiting national coverage, Bond Media sold STW-9 to Sunraysia Television for A$95 million in 1989. After Alan Bond declared bankruptcy in 1992, control of Nine—including Channel 9 Brisbane—returned to Kerry Packer.
On 1 March 2011, GTV 9 Melbourne moved from its longstanding location at 22 Bendigo Street, Richmond—a site noted for its industrial heritage—to a new facility at 717 Bourke Street in Docklands. The previous premises have since been converted into luxury residential apartments.
1977–2006
In 1977, Nine adopted the slogan "Let Us Be The One," establishing itself as Australia's top free-to-air network with National Nine News becoming the highest-rated news program nationwide. The following year, it transitioned to "Still the One," inspired by ABC's U.S. campaign, which helped maintain its strong audience share throughout the 1980s. Between 1999 and 2001, Nine experienced a decline in ratings against Seven but managed to regain some viewers after its coverage of the September 11 attacks in 2001. By 1991, the network had solidified its contemporary brand identity. The passing of CEO Kerry Packer in 2005 presented significant challenges for the company, while digital terrestrial television was introduced on 1 January 2001.
2006–2008
During 2003–04, Nine overwhelmingly led the ratings, securing victory in 77 out of 80 weeks. However, in 2005, Seven's refreshed programming lineup posed significant competition, ultimately placing ahead that year. Notably, National Nine News lost its position as the top news bulletin to Seven News for the first time, and Today was overtaken by Seven's Sunrise. The network’s ratings continued to decline in 2006, with Nine narrowly clinching the annual win largely due to its Commonwealth Games coverage. To celebrate its 50th anniversary, Nine unveiled a new logo that eliminated the signature nine dots, a change that received considerable criticism. By May 2007, the dots were partially restored through a rotating three-dimensional cube design.
In October 2007, David Gyngell returned as CEO, replacing Eddie McGuire. Despite some programming achievements, Seven dominated most of the 2007 ratings weeks, winning 38 compared to Nine’s two. In May of that year, Nine expanded into Northern New South Wales by acquiring NBN Television, maintaining it as an independent affiliate while appointing Deborah Wright as CEO.
2008–2014
In 2008, Nine rebranded itself by removing the blue box and reinstating the nine dots logo with a computer-generated imagery (CGI) design. After losing audience share to Seven News, Nine revamped its news service under the name Nine News, successfully regaining viewers during the first half of the year. The network's standout success came with Underbelly, which attracted over 2.5 million viewers in its initial season. Targeting younger audiences, Nine ranked first within key demographics such as ages 18–49 and 25–54, despite Seven leading overall ratings.
Nine launched its high-definition channel Nine HD on channel 90 in March 2008; this service operated until 2010.
The year 2009 saw a strong start for Nine with Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities and coverage of Twenty20 Cricket (rights held until 2018), though it faced challenges from Network Ten’s popular show MasterChef Australia. The network struggled with inconsistent scheduling and underperforming reality programs like Ladette to Lady and The Apprentice Australia, which failed to stabilize local content offerings. Expanding its news programming, Nine introduced late-night bulletins and extended morning and weekend editions of Today. While flagship evening bulletins at 6:00 pm declined nationally, Melbourne remained competitive against Seven News.
In August 2009, Nine launched digital multi-channel GO! on Channel 99, aiming at younger viewers. GO! contributed to several weeks where Nine achieved weekly ratings victories. By September, adopting the slogan "Welcome Home" alongside refreshed graphics, Nine capitalized on growth from programs such as Nine News, Today, 60 Minutes, and shows including Hey Hey It's Saturday, Underbelly, and Sea Patrol.
In 2010, Nine secured exclusive broadcast rights for Sydney’s New Year's Eve fireworks. That year GO! led digital television shares. On 26 September, the network launched its third digital channel GEM, focusing on general entertainment and films. In 2011, Nine positioned itself as the "Home of Comedy," featuring American sitcoms like Two and a Half Men and The Big Bang Theory. However, original live comedy productions such as Ben Elton Live From Planet Earth were quickly cancelled. Revivals like This Is Your Life also ended prematurely. Conversely, shows including The Block, Underbelly: Razor, and The Celebrity Apprentice Australia boosted ratings towards the end of 2011. The revamped ninth season of Two and a Half Men attracted 2.3 million viewers, dominating weekly ratings alongside steady success from The Big Bang Theory. Despite these gains, Nine concluded 2011 second in ratings with a market share of 19.6%, trailing Seven’s 23.1%.
On 24 November 2011, Nine unveiled its lineup for 2012 centered on reality content featuring Australian adaptations such as The Voice, the return of Big Brother, and new series including Excess Baggage. The network also broadcasted coverage of the 2012 Summer Olympics. The newly introduced morning program Mornings replaced Kerri-Anne Kennerley’s long-standing show; this program is currently known as Today Extra, hosted by Sylvia Jeffreys and David Campbell.
On 26 March 2012, Nine launched Extra, a channel featuring home shopping segments alongside advertiser-funded content as well as religious, community-oriented, educational, and multicultural programming. A timeshift channel named Extra 2 began on 28 March 2013 offering a five-hour delayed broadcast. This expansion resulted in diminished content quality on sister channel 9Gem.
On 15 April 2012, Nine refreshed its logo adopting a lighter blue color scheme complemented by increased white gradients as part of brand modernization efforts.
By mid-2012, reports emerged indicating that telecommunications company Telstra and WIN Television CEO Bruce Gordon were contemplating a takeover bid for Nine Entertainment amidst the network’s ongoing efforts to manage debt exceeding A$3.3 billion.
In June and July of 2013, Nine acquired Adelaide affiliate NWS-9 and Perth station STW-9 from WIN Corporation, restoring these stations as owned-and-operated outlets for the first time since the 1980s.
On 8 November 2013, FIXPlay merged into Jump-in—later rebranded 9Jumpin—combining catch-up television services with interactive social media features.
From 10 December 2013 onward, Nine discontinued analogue transmissions entirely in favor of digital broadcasting.
On 27 January 2014, Nine replaced the Supertext closed captioning icon with its own branded logo. [[File:Nine Network, Docklands.jpg|thumb|Nine Network headquarters located in Docklands]
2014–2019
In November 2015, Nine reintroduced 9HD as a high-definition simulcast of its main channel on channel 90 and launched the lifestyle channel 9Life on channel 94. At the same time, GEM, rebranded as 9Gem, was downgraded to standard definition and reassigned to channel 92, while GO!, renamed 9Go!, moved to channel 93. On 16 December 2015, Nine refreshed its on-air presentation with a cohesive design applied across all channels, preserving the Nine News/9news.com.au identity. Hugh Marks took over as CEO from David Gyngell in November 2015.
On 27 January 2016, Nine replaced the catch-up platform 9Jumpin with 9Now, enhancing content availability and introducing live streaming for its multicast channels. Streaming services for 9Gem, 9Go!, and 9Life became available on 19 May 2016. Subsequently, affiliate WIN Corporation initiated legal action against Nine Entertainment Co., claiming that live streaming into regional markets breached their contractual agreement. However, the NSW Supreme Court dismissed the lawsuit on 28 April 2016, determining that live streaming did not violate the program supply contract.
Following this legal success, Nine secured a $500 million five-year affiliation agreement with Southern Cross Austereo on 29 April 2016, replacing WIN Television as its main regional partner starting 1 July 2016. Southern Cross adopted Nine’s metropolitan branding across its platforms. Additional affiliation agreements were made with Mildura Digital Television (a joint venture between WIN and Prime Media) on 28 June 2016; deals with WIN covering South Australia and Griffith were finalized on 29 June; and an agreement with Tasmanian joint venture TDT (TV station) followed on 30 June. Although the Western Australia deal with West Digital Television missed the original deadline, it was completed by 2 July 2016. After operating independently for ten years, NBN was fully integrated into the Nine Network, retiring its logo but maintaining NBN News as an independent bulletin under the Nine News brand.
In June 2018, Nine partnered with Australian News Channel (ANC) to launch Your Money, a dedicated business news channel replacing Sky News Business Channel on Foxtel channel 601 and free-to-air channel 95, which took over from Extra. The channel ceased broadcasting on 17 May 2019 due to low advertising income and unsatisfactory ratings.
2019–present
In 2019, Nine Network achieved a ratings victory for the first time since 2006, ending Seven Network’s twelve-year dominance from 2007 through 2018. This outcome was largely propelled by unexpectedly strong ratings for programs such as Nine's Married At First Sight, which consistently outperformed Seven's My Kitchen Rules, enabling Nine to secure its first quarterly win since 2009.
Nine’s annual audience share climbed to 29.4% in 2019, marking a rise of 2.1% compared to the previous year, while Seven’s share dropped by 1.7% to reach 29.0%. Despite disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Nine sustained a commanding lead in viewership.
On 5 April 2020, Nine introduced 9Rush, a collaborative venture with Discovery Inc., aimed at young adult male audiences with action and adventure reality programming. Later that year, on 1 October, Nine revived Extra, relaunching the channel after a two-year break following the closure of Your Money.
On 21 November 2020, Nine moved its Sydney studio operations from Willoughby to North Sydney after real estate developer Mirvac acquired the Willoughby site for a residential development project comprising 460 new homes.
In March 2021, Nine experienced a suspected ransomware incident involving MedusaLocker during live broadcasts in Sydney and Darwin, causing interruptions to programming. This cyberattack coincided with other Australian targets but no confirmed connections were established.
On 12 March 2021, Nine announced it would return to an affiliation agreement with WIN Television effective from 1 July 2021 under a seven-year contract. This reversed the prior partnership with Southern Cross Austereo (SCA), which reverted to Network Ten affiliation. Under this deal, WIN commits half of its regional advertising revenue to Nine Entertainment Co., provides advertising opportunities across its radio and television outlets for Nine’s properties, and manages ad sales for owned stations NBN and NTD. CEO Hugh Marks emphasized expanded regional coverage and collaborative news operations as primary motivations for this realignment.
On 4 September 2024, Nine refreshed the branding of the Today Show by replacing the existing nine-year-old three-dimensional logo from 2012 with the original two-dimensional logo introduced in 2008.
Australian-based programs
The Nine Network features annual broadcasts such as the ARIA Music Awards and Carols by Candlelight. Its News and Current Affairs division is responsible for producing multiple news bulletins, along with the weekday morning show Today and its companion program Today Extra, as well as the weekend edition titled Weekend Today.
Among the network’s locally produced shows are Getaway, 60 Minutes, The AFL Sunday Footy Show, Footy Classified, 100% Footy, The NRL Sunday Footy Show, Cross Court, RBT, Emergency, Paramedics, The Block, Tipping Point Australia, 20 to 1, Australian Ninja Warrior, Travel Guides, Lego Masters, Married at First Sight, The Hundred with Andy Lee, Parental Guidance, Snackmasters, The Summit, Love Island Australia, My Mum, Your Dad, Taronga: Who's Who in the Zoo, Jeopardy! Australia, and Accidental Heroes.
International programs
Nine acquires American programming through partnerships with major studios including Warner Bros., Sony Pictures Television, DreamWorks, CBS Studios, Disney, MGM Television, among others.
Prominent US titles aired on Nine have featured sitcoms like The Big Bang Theory and its spin-off, Young Sheldon. The network’s American offerings also encompass medical drama series such as Chicago Med; documentary-style shows like The First 48; and crime dramas including both Law & Order True Crime and Law & Order: Organized Crime. British imports include game shows such as Pointless and Tipping Point. On its digital channel 9Gem, Sony daytime soaps like Days of Our Lives and The Young and The Restless are broadcast. Previously, Nine has aired talk shows including The Ellen DeGeneres Show and The View, as well as scripted series like the adaptation of Lethal Weapon.
In 2015, Nine terminated its association with Warner Bros. Television, resulting in the loss of rights to series including Arrow, Gotham, and 2 Broke Girls.
On 11 March 2015, Nine secured a content agreement with Nickelodeon extending through 2023. Later, on 2 April 2017, it entered into a deal with NBCUniversal Television Distribution.
From 22 February 2020 onwards, DreamWorks Animation films became exclusively available on Nine Network after rights previously held for eight years by Network 10 and Seven Network expired. This change coincided with NBCUniversal’s renewed partnership with DreamWorks and Network 10’s acquisition by Paramount Australia & New Zealand, which affected access to content from Comedy Central, MTV, and Nickelodeon.
US programming shared between Nine and Seven Networks—and their respective digital multichannels—is sourced through agreements with DreamWorks Animation, NBCUniversal Global Distribution, Warner Bros. Television Distribution / Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc, Sony Pictures Television International / Sony Pictures Animation, and 20th Television / 20th Century Studios.
Likewise, Nine collaborates with Network 10 to share American content obtained via deals involving CBS Studios, United International Pictures, DreamWorks / DreamWorks Animation, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, and Warner Bros. Television Distribution.
Additionally, Nine partners with ABC to co-broadcast US programming acquired through NBCUniversal Global Distribution / DreamWorks Animation, Warner Bros. Television Distribution, 20th Television, 20th Century Studios / Regency Enterprises, and Sony Pictures Television International.
Former programming
In the past, the channel aired content from Nickelodeon (2015–2022), Miramax (2016–2024), Paramount (2016–2024), Illumination (2017–2025), and NBCUniversal (2017–2025).
Background
The news division of Nine Network, known as Nine News (previously National Nine News), dominated Australia's news ratings for many years before being surpassed by Seven in the mid-2000s. However, it reclaimed its leading position nationally by the conclusion of the 2013 ratings period.
Nine News delivers a variety of bulletins and shows, including Today, Today Extra, Weekend Today, Today Early News, 9News Morning, 9News Afternoon, local evening editions of 9News, regional broadcasts for Northern New South Wales and the Gold Coast under the banner NBN News, and since March 2020, national late-night news segments called Nine News Late.
Additionally, the division produces the flagship current affairs program A Current Affair, which airs on weekdays and Saturdays; the investigative series Under Investigation on Mondays; and the long-established Sunday show 60 Minutes. Up until mid-2018, Nine also re-aired ABC's Good Morning America during weekday overnight hours and Sunday mornings.
Starting in 2008, Nine expanded its news portfolio: weekend editions of Today were introduced; the weekday program extended its airtime to 05:30–09:00; the launch of Nine Early News took place; the program Sunday was discontinued; the brand shifted from National Nine News to simply Nine News following a decline in ratings; late-night bulletins evolved into Nightline; and the 11 am news slot was rebranded as Nine's Morning News, later shortened to a half-hour segment.
The network increased investment in regional journalism by adding reporters across Australia who contributed to Nine News coverage, enhanced reporting for A Current Affair, and supported state-specific versions of Today. Weekend weather presenters were also incorporated into Weekend Today.
In 2014, Nine News moved its online presence from ninemsn (now nine.com.au) to a dedicated news site at 9news.com.au, which remains operational.
After closing its European bureau in late 2008, Nine transitioned to sending correspondents abroad on specific assignments rather than maintaining permanent overseas offices. Journalists such as Simon Bouda, Allison Langdon, Chloe Bugelly, Eddie Blake, Tim Arvier, and Brett McLeod have reported from Europe, South Africa, Thailand, and other locations.
Since the 1980s, the signature Eyewitness News theme—originally adapted from the film score of Cool Hand Luke—has served as Nine News' official musical identity nationwide across all owned stations. Until November 2021, NBN News used a distinct theme but has since adopted this same music. This theme is also utilized by Nine's radio arm Nine Radio.
Sports
Channel Nine presents sports content under its Wide World of Sports brand. Its primary sporting events include the Australian Open Tennis tournament and the National Rugby League (NRL). The network formerly held cricket broadcasting rights until 2018 and covered the Australian Football League (AFL) until 2006. NRL matches are broadcast during prime time on Friday nights in New South Wales, ACT, Northern Territory, and Queensland; meanwhile, viewers in Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia, and Tasmania watch prime time NRL coverage simultaneously on multi-channel 9Gem.
Additional major events include the State of Origin series and netball since 2017 when Nine became home to Super Netball, airing two live matches every Saturday evening along with all Australia national netball team games on 9Gem. The network previously held rights to Gillette Twenty20 and Gillette Series Cricket until 2018 as well as broadcasting the Australian Swimming Championships until 2009. It also co-broadcasted the 2010 Winter Olympics and 2012 Summer Olympics alongside Foxtel.
In 2010, Nine pioneered free-to-air 3D broadcasting in Australia with its coverage of the State of Origin series.
In 2018, Nine secured rights to broadcast the Australian Open from 2020 through to 2024 and extended this agreement in 2022 through to 2029. Then in February 2023, Nine regained Olympic broadcasting rights for events starting with the 2024 Summer Olympics through to the Brisbane Games in 2032.
On 20 February 2024, Nine announced it had acquired broadcast rights for both the Melbourne Cup and Melbourne Cup Carnival spanning from 2024 to 2029, further strengthening its portfolio in premium Australian sports coverage.
Availability
The Nine Network delivers content in both standard-definition and high-definition digital formats. Its primary programming is distributed via fibre optic links from GTV Melbourne to affiliated and sister stations, while TCN Sydney has been responsible for national news and current affairs since 2012. Locally tailored news and advertising are incorporated by owned-and-operated stations in major metropolitan regions and Northern New South Wales, including TCN Sydney, GTV Melbourne, QTQ Brisbane, NWS Adelaide, STW Perth, NTD Darwin, and NBN Northern NSW & Gold Coast. Coverage in regional areas is extended through affiliates managed by WIN Television, Seven West Media (GDS/BDN Spencer Gulf & Broken Hill), and Imparja Television. Additionally, Nine’s channels are accessible via satellite and cable platforms such as Foxtel.
In 2013, the network transitioned its captioning services from Red Bee Media to Ai-Media.
9HD
On 1 January 2001, coinciding with the launch of digital television in Australia, Nine introduced a high-definition simulcast of its main channel on channel 90. The service underwent several transformations, including a temporary suspension for a multichannel launch in 2008 and replacement by 9Gem in 2010. The 9HD simulcast was reinstated in 1080i HD quality on 26 November 2015, which resulted in shifting 9Gem to standard definition on channel 92.
9Now
Launched on 27 January 2016 as the successor to 9Jumpin, 9Now serves as Nine Network’s online video-on-demand and catch-up television platform. It provides live streaming access for Channel 9 along with its multichannels: 9Gem, 9Go!, 9Life, and 9Rush.
Logo and corporate identity
The Nine Network’s emblem—comprising the number "9" accompanied by nine dots arranged in a three-by-three grid—is one of the most iconic symbols in Australian broadcasting. In 1997, the design shifted from dots to spheres but reverted back to dots with a refreshed on-air identity crafted by Velvet mediendesign in 2001.
The logo has experienced several redesigns: in 2002, the dots were restored as spheres paired with a three-dimensional numeral; in 2006, marking Nine's 50th anniversary, the nine dots were removed in favor of a blue square motif; partial reintroduction of the dots occurred in 2007; by January 2008, all nine dots were fully reinstated alongside the "we♥TV" slogan.
Originally confined to Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Darwin markets, the nine dots logo expanded to Perth and Adelaide by March 2010 following WIN Corporation’s divestment there. The design briefly adopted a translucent three-dimensional style in 2008 before reverting to a flat appearance.
From September 2009 onward, the dots returned as spheres aligned with the "Welcome Home" slogan and the revival of the "Still The One" theme music. By March 2010, this nine-dot motif had been standardized across all broadcast regions.
On 4 September 2024, during a broadcast of Today Show Australia, Nine transitioned from the three-dimensional logo back to its original flat two-dimensional design.
Slogans
- Summer 1971/1972: Have a Happy Summer (GTV-9 exclusive)
- 1972: Get the Channel 9 Feeling!
- 1973: This is the Place to Be in '73
- Winter 1974: Come Home to Us This Winter (GTV-9 exclusive)
- 1975–1976: Living Color
- 1977: Let Us Be The One (adapted from American Broadcasting Company in 1976)
- 1978, 1980 – December 2006, and from 7 November 2021 to present: Still The One (also utilized by American Broadcasting Company during 1977 and 1979; by WIN Television between 1989 and December 2006; by NBN Television from 1994 until December 2006; as well as by GMV6, BTV6, VTV, and TasTV throughout the 1990s)
- 1979 – 14 May 2006: This is Channel 9
- 1979: We're The One (originating from American Broadcasting Company in 1978)
- 1980: The National Nine Network, First in Australia
- 16 September 1981: 25 Years of Television
- 1982: Number One For Me (GTV-9 / TCN-9 only)
- 1983: Come On Along (borrowed from American Broadcasting Company’s campaign in 1982 and NBC's song dialogue)
- 1985: Now is the Time, Channel Nine is the Place (also used by American Broadcasting Company in 1982) (STW-9 exclusive)
- 1985: Nine's For You (QTQ-9 exclusive)
- 1986: You'll Love It (derived from American Broadcasting Company's slogan of 1985) (GTV-9, TCN-9, QTQ-9, and NWS-9 only)
- 1995: I am... We are Channel Nine People (inspired by CBS’s "I am CBS Everyday People" campaign from 1994)
- 1996: Celebrating 40 Years of Television, This is Channel Nine
- Late-1990s through early-2000s: New Millennium Television
- Summer of 2004/05 through January 29, 2006: Feel Good Summer
- From May 14, 2006 to November 30, 2007: Channel Nine (also featured at promo conclusions between January 2007 and January 2008)
- December 1, 2007 – January 31, 2009: we♥TV
- February – September of 2009: Choose Nine
- September 2009 – December of 2017: Welcome Home (originated from a CBS campaign running between1996 and1999)
- Since2014 onward: Love This City (QTQ-9 exclusive)
- September2016: Celebrating60 Years of Television, Happy Birthday, Channel Nine
- Christmas seasons spanning2016–2018: Merry Christmas
- New Year's Day for2017 and2018: Happy [Year]
- October2016 to present: We Lo♥e It (NBN exclusive)
- December2017 – November2021:We Are The One
Incidents
In March 2021, Thomas Sewell, the head of a neo-Nazi organization, along with an accomplice, recorded an episode at Channel Nine's Melbourne studios during which Sewell physically attacked a security officer while trying to engage with the news personnel. He faced legal charges including affray, causing injury through reckless behavior, and assault.