Nine appoints Brian Gallagher to lead revamped radio sales division
Nine has appointed Brian Gallagher as the commercial director of audio, as it restructures the sales arm of its radio division.
From July 1, Gallagher, the current chair of Boomtown and former chief sales officer at Southern Cross Austereo, will lead a newly formed audio sales team at Nine Radio, with the media company unwinding some of the consolidation that has occurred over recent years.
In January, Nine split into three consumer-focused divisions — streaming and broadcast; publishing; and marketplaces — lead by an eight-person executive team.
Nine Radio falls under the streaming and broadcasting arm, along with Stan, 9Now, and broadcast TV, led by former Foxtel executive Amanda Laing.
The new sales structure provides “greater capability to unlock more advertising opportunities in what talk radio does best – live, local and deeper brand connections with listeners,” according to a release issued by the network.
Brian Gallagher
It is not yet known what Gallagher’s appointment will mean for his leadership of Boomtown, which champions regional media.
Nine’s chief sales officer, Matt James said in the release: “This change to our sales structure builds on our capability to deliver campaigns that can suit clients big or small, national or local, to engage and grow connections with our audiences.
“Whether it be a multi-platform campaign or more local, immediate and radio specific, it’s the best of both worlds for brands.”
Nine Radio MD Tom Malone called the new sales arm “a vote of confidence in the potential growth opportunities that radio presents for Nine”, saying the structure will “help drive greater commercial returns from our unique audience offering and enable our teams to elevate our focus on direct sales.”
In January, CEO Matt Stanton explained the new operating model in a note to staff, writing:
“We’re acutely aware of the silos that exist, resulting in a duplication of efforts and a platform-led mindset. This means for many parts of the business, the power of the Nine Group isn’t being leveraged and our cost base is being impacted.”
He further explained the new structure will have “the operation of the business at the forefront of our decision making.”
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Nathan Jolly is the Features Editor at Mumbrella. He joined the team in July, 2023.
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Sales team split out, Nine all ready to offload the radio stations. Who will buy?
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