Nine Entertainment's TV and Streaming Head Amanda Laing Exits After Less Than Two Years

The Quick Take

• Amanda Laing, head of Nine Entertainment's TV and streaming division overseeing Channel Nine, 9Now, and Stan, is departing after joining in 2025
• The exit after less than two years creates leadership uncertainty for Nine's broadcast and streaming strategy
• Nine Entertainment faces competitive pressure from global streaming platforms as it navigates declining linear TV advertising revenue

Nine Entertainment has confirmed the departure of Amanda Laing, its head of television and streaming operations who oversaw Channel Nine, the 9Now streaming platform, and Stan, the premium subscription video service. Laing joined the company in 2025 and is leaving after less than two years, a timeline that typically signals strategic disagreement, underperformance versus targets, or structural reorganization within a media group. The Australian media sector continues to face structural headwinds from digital disruption, declining linear television advertising revenue, and intensifying competition from global streaming platforms including Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon Prime Video.

Nine Entertainment's position in the Australian streaming market is particularly sensitive to leadership continuity given Stan's critical role as the company's premium SVOD differentiator. The departure creates an opening for a strategic review of Nine's streaming position and Stan's long-term viability as an independent Australian premium service versus a potential merger or acquisition by a larger global player. Competitors including Seven West Media and Ten Network may look to capitalize on any disruption to Nine's leadership continuity in negotiations for sports broadcasting rights or advertising agency relationships.

Watch for Nine Entertainment's ASX disclosure announcing the search process and interim leadership arrangements for the TV and streaming division, which will clarify whether this is a planned transition or an abrupt departure. Stan's subscriber count data for Q3 2026, typically disclosed alongside Nine's semiannual results, will be an early indicator of whether the leadership change affects platform momentum. The macro variable is the Australian streaming market's competitive dynamics, where global platforms are increasing content spend while domestic players like Stan face pressure to justify independent existence without the global scale advantages of their SVOD competitors.

Synthesized from 2 sources.