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Australia’s Nine Entertainment buys QMS Media / MediaWorks
Australian media company Nine Entertainment has acquired MediaWorks‘ parent, QMS Media, for AU$850 million (NZ$986m).
News of the Australian company’s sale surfaced on Friday, but QMS’ New Zealand operations appear to be unaffected.
MediaWorks has a significant out of home presence in Aotearoa. It is also a major player in the country’s commercial radio market with stations such as The Breeze, The Rock and More FM.
In an email to staff, MediaWorks chief executive Wendy Palmer said it was “business as usual” and its ownership remained the same.
“This change in ownership of QMS simply gives us more clarity and focus on what we do best at MediaWorks – deliver an amazing suite of radio brands, audio products and digital offerings to our partners and audiences alike,” she told staff.
A critical milestone
Palmer says the company saw strong financial results in 2025 and was in “great shape”.
Meanwhile, Nine Group chief executive Matt Stanton says the acquisition is a “critical milestone” in its transformation plans.
“The acquisition of this high-growth digital outdoor media company, QMS, further diversifies Nine’s revenue streams and adds scale to our advertiser and agency relationships.
“QMS is a highly complementary media platform, offering Nine the opportunity to drive significant value by leveraging our premium content on QMS screens and creating an unparalleled advertising proposition that spans from ‘sofa to street’.”
