Nine completes QMS acquisition, builds ‘sofa to street’ media play

Nine has completed its full acquisition of QMS Media, bringing out-of-home into its broader streaming, broadcast and publishing portfolio as it looks to build a more integrated media offering for advertisers.

The deal positions Nine as one of the few locally owned media groups with scaled assets across premium video, publishing and digital out-of-home, as it works to better connect audience reach with data and measurement.

QMS will operate as a standalone division within Nine, with chief executive John O’Neill reporting to Nine group CEO Matt Stanton.

SEE MORE: Nine snaps up QMS, dumps radio in digital-first pivot

“When we set about accelerating the transformation of our business, we saw an opportunity to bring to the market something unique; a diversified and digital media network that meets audiences where they are,” Stanton said.

Nine said the addition of QMS strengthens its ability to offer a cross-platform proposition spanning what it describes as a ‘sofa to street’ model, linking in-home viewing across streaming and broadcast with outdoor environments.

“The growth and resilience of the out of home sector, coupled with QMS’ innovation in digital out of home, its premium assets, and the reputation of its people within the market makes this a formidable opportunity for Nine, agencies, advertisers and our partners,” Stanton said.

For QMS, the deal provides access to Nine’s audience scale and data capabilities as it looks to deepen its position in the digital out-of-home market.

“The combination of Nine and QMS positions us to deliver more data-driven, innovative solutions at scale, while also creating fantastic new opportunities for our people as part of a larger, more connected media ecosystem,” O’Neill said.

Nine and QMS are now working on an integrated go-to-market strategy, with further details expected in the coming months. Existing commercial arrangements and client relationships will remain unchanged.