QMS takes Auckland Transport from Ooh Media
QMS’ Mediaworks has taken the contract for Auckland Transport’s out-of-home street furniture network from its current holder, Ooh Media, who informed its shareholders of the situation on Tuesday morning.
The long-term agreement takes effect from 16 October 2025. It includes Auckland Transport’s street furniture network of 2,000 advertising panels; as well as the continuation of its existing contract for Auckland Transport’s transit assets on buses, trains and ferries — including the soon-opened CRL stations — and its billboard portfolio.
This contract will see Mediaworks become the largest out-of-home company in New Zealand, as well as being the country’s biggest radio network. The agreement follows the QMS acquisition of 100% of Oaktree Capital Management’s stake in Mediaworks in June this year.
QMS has taken over Auckland Transport’s out-of-home network
Ooh informed shareholders of the news on Tuesday morning, writing: “While Ooh is disappointed with this outcome, it has planned for this eventuality”.
It claimed the street furniture contract represented just 4% of its FY24 reported revenue.
QMS and Mediaworks chairman, Barclay Nettlefold, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to have been appointed as Auckland Transport’s partner to develop and grow Auckland’s most prestigious and important OOH assets. This win is a game changer and re-shapes the way OOH will be planned and bought by advertisers in New Zealand.
“We are proud to be entrusted to operate the coveted Auckland Transport street furniture concession and are excited about the development plans that we have for the network.
“Renewing our existing Auckland Transport portfolios of transit, transport hubs and billboards enables MediaWorks to build on the past 10 years of partnership with Auckland Transport and firmly establishes us as the #1 OOH operator across New Zealand,” he said.
John O’Neill, CEO of QMS, noted that, combined with its City of Sydney contract, this win cements the company as “the first in history to hold the two marquee street furniture contracts in the ANZ region simultaneously”.
Auckland Transport’s media partnerships and experience lead, Simon Soulsby, said the team is “pleased with the outcome” after an “incredibly competitive process. He said the new partnership “brings certainty for the industry and great outcomes for Auckland residents”.
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