Nine Entertainment's chief executive, Matt Stanton, has said he expects new Australian media bargaining laws to fuel a "world of growth in publishing", even as the company pushes ahead with more than $160m in cost cuts over three years. The upbeat forecast comes as parliament passed revamped bargaining laws last week, paving the way for levies on global tech platforms that decline to strike commercial deals with Australian news outlets over the use of their journalism, a development Stanton believes will benefit Nine's publishing arm.

Stanton told analysts he expected platforms such as Google and Meta to contribute amounts similar to those under Nine's previous 2021 arrangement, and pointed to a "good pipeline" of AI deals, including a recent agreement letting Microsoft's Copilot access Nine's content. The comments accompanied full-year results to 30 June showing a net profit of $142m from continuing businesses, broadly flat publishing revenue, and a slight decline in streaming and broadcast revenue despite a record performance from Stan. Nine has announced redundancies at the Sydney Morning Herald and the Age amid weak advertising conditions, though the Australian Financial Review has been spared, and Stanton said the company was prioritising "growth assets" such as newly acquired outdoor media firm QMS over "structurally challenged" units.