Nine Entertainment Co. Holdings Limited vs Seven West Media Limited
Nine Entertainment holds the stronger position because its revenue is still growing while Seven West Media's profit has collapsed and its business now depends on a merger to stay afloat.
Nine Entertainment Co. Holdings Limited
Australian TV, streaming, publishing, radio, and outdoor media group behind Nine Network, Stan, SMH, and the Age
Seven West Media Limited
Australian free-to-air TV, publishing and streaming group, now folded into Southern Cross Media
Dimension by dimension
| Dimension | Nine Entertainment Co. Holdings Limited | Seven West Media Limited |
|---|---|---|
| Staying power of the core product | Nine spans free-to-air TV, Stan streaming, major newspapers and outdoor ads, giving it several revenue lines even as each one softens. | Seven leans mostly on linear TV and publishing, and the business has now been folded into Southern Cross Media rather than standing alone. |
| Exposure to AI | Nine faces heavier direct AI pressure than Seven, with Google AI Overviews and Copilot already cutting into SMH and The Age subscriptions and triggering job cuts. | Seven's core TV and video business is less directly exposed, since AI search summaries do not substitute for broadcast viewing the way they do for news articles. |
| How easily a giant copies them | A large tech or media player could plausibly rebuild Nine's mix of streaming and news operations. | A larger player could similarly replicate Seven's TV and publishing model. |
| Pressure from rivals | Nine faces AI search eroding its newspaper traffic alongside global streamers competing for Stan viewers. | Seven faces heavier direct pressure than Nine, contending with the same streaming giants plus DAZN's takeover of Foxtel pulling viewers from its core linear TV audience. |
| Financial footing | Nine grew group revenue 2% to A$2.7 billion in FY25, though its share price fell 42% over the year and market cap sits at A$1.49 billion. | Seven's FY25 revenue was $1,350.5 million, but underlying EBITDA fell 15% and statutory profit dropped 62% to just $17 million. |
Questions people ask
- Nine Entertainment vs Seven West Media, which is more exposed to AI?
- Nine is rated likely to be absorbed by AI, since Google AI Overviews and Copilot are already cutting subscription revenue at its newspapers. Seven is rated only partly exposed, as its TV-heavy business isn't as directly replaced by AI search summaries.
- Which company has stronger financials, Nine or Seven?
- Nine grew group revenue 2% to A$2.7 billion in FY25, while Seven's underlying EBITDA fell 15% and statutory profit dropped 62% to $17 million. On the numbers given, Nine's business is holding up better.
- Is Seven West Media still competing with Nine as an independent company?
- Seven West Media has now been folded into Southern Cross Media, while Nine Entertainment continues to operate as its own listed company with a market cap of A$1.49 billion.
- Could a big tech company replace either Nine or Seven?
- Both are rated as possible to copy by a larger player, so neither has a clear edge in blocking a bigger competitor from entering their market.