Nine goes all in on Total TV effectiveness, sport and streaming at 2026 Upfronts

The second round of this year’s upfronts season returned with gusto last night as Nine set the stage for its 2026 slate, unveiling a unified content play across sport, streaming and entertainment and a push to reframe total TV as an effectiveness engine driving real business growth.

Backed by research from Mutinex, Gemba, Kantar and Adgile, Nine’s data-led strategy aims to cement TV’s role as a critical revenue driver, revealing that Australian advertisers are collectively leaving an estimated $4 billion in revenue on the table by under-investing in high-quality, long-form video content.

“Our mission is to move the industry narrative from merely chasing ROI efficiency to demanding measurable business effectiveness,” Nine’s director of sales - Total TV, Nikki Rooke, said.

“This strategy has been specifically designed for clients and the industry more broadly to measure the role that TV plays in driving growth for advertisers. It's a critical conversation to have with advertisers to ensure they are investing in the right areas – not leaving profit on the table by underestimating Total TV.”

According to the research, 22% of all media-driven sales revenue comes from Total TV, second only to search and well ahead of other video platforms.

The findings also highlight the channel’s long-term brand contribution, with Kantar data showing brands that exclude TV from their mix lose an average of 39% of total brand impact compared to those that include it.

Mutinex challenged assumptions around format, revealing that the traditional 30-second spot continues to deliver results - responsible for 47% of all video-attributed sales revenue.

“These results are directly attributable to TV’s unique combination of high-quality content and co-viewing context,” Rooke said. “If growth matters, Total TV is the partner for you and we can prove it.”

Unified trading across premium video

Central to Nine’s pitch was a single, unified trading solution across 9Now, Stan Sport and HBO Max. The new programmatic framework brings together reach, frequency and data under one ecosystem, built on Nine’s base of 22 million signed-in users.

Advertisers will be able to buy each platform individually or trade seamlessly across all three, supported by unified audience segmentation and transparent programmatic access.

The integration follows the addition of advertising to Stan Sport and Nine’s appointment as the exclusive Australian sales representative for HBO Max, consolidating a premium, brand-safe environment under one roof.

SEE MORE: Stan’s bold play for brand dollars, PPV and audience loyalty

Nick Young, Nine commercial director across its digital platforms, said the aim is to make it “as easy as possible to access our highly engaged customers and unlock the full potential of our data and programmatic stack.”

“We’re cutting out waste so our clients can push more of their budget into working media while maintaining the control and transparency they need,” Young said.

Nine also expanded its Powered division, unveiling a slate of content and social products aimed at deepening advertiser integration and audience engagement across its platforms.

Called PoweredTV, the tool will drive brand-funded content and premium integrations across Nine’s broadcast and streaming network, creating multi-platform shows designed with brand storytelling at their core.

The new division aims to elevate advertiser partnerships beyond traditional placements, embedding brands into formats that enhance rather than interrupt the viewing experience.

Alongside this, Nine introduced 9Amplify, a social amplification arm designed to extend campaign reach across digital and social platforms.

Using Nine’s roster of talent, creators and show formats, 9Amplify enables advertisers to take on-air creative and adapt it seamlessly for Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and LinkedIn.

“9Amplify delivers the ultimate one-stop-shop for campaign extension,” the network said in a statement. “From TV and print to digital and social, it provides ease of service and maximum impact - all strategically planned and executed under one roof.”

Deep content slate

Nine’s 2026 content slate is anchored by its coverage of the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games Milano Cortina 2026, with the network promising an immersive broadcast experience across 9Network, 9Now and Stan Sport.

Led by James Bracey, Ally Langdon and Dylan Alcott, coverage will be produced from a custom-built studio in the alpine village of Livigno, bringing Australian audiences closer to the action than ever before.

The Games headline a packed entertainment schedule featuring the return of Married at First Sight, with its infamous dinner parties and social-experiment drama continuing to dominate viewing and conversation across the country.

The Block also returns, shifting to the coast for its 22nd season in Mount Eliza, alongside new formats including Jamie Durie’s Future House and The Golden Bachelor, the local adaptation of the global hit series celebrating love later in life.

Across sport, Nine remains the home of the NRL, Australian Open and the Melbourne Cup Carnival, bolstered by new rights to the World Athletics Championships from 2026. The lineup reinforces Nine’s commitment to live sport, national moments and premium Australian storytelling across every screen.

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