9Life

9Life is an Australian free-to-air digital television multichannel operated within the Nine Network and owned by Nine Entertainment Co. The channel was created to broaden Nine’s digital television portfolio with programming centered on lifestyle, home improvement, property, food, renovation, design, and reality entertainment. Much of its schedule has been sourced from international lifestyle and factual-entertainment suppliers, particularly Discovery and businesses associated with the former Scripps Networks Interactive. This programming relationship has given 9Life access to a substantial catalogue of American lifestyle and reality formats, many of which had previously been available through subscription television platforms such as Foxtel and Fetch TV. Nine announced the channel on 28 October 2015, and 9Life began broadcasting on 26 November 2015 in Australia’s metropolitan markets. It launched on digital channel 94, taking over the principal datacasting position previously used by Extra, while Extra’s timeshift service moved to channel 95. The channel entered the official OzTAM ratings system on 1 December 2015. Its reported 2.3 percent primetime share at that point represented a strong early result and was described as nearly twice the share of sister channel 9Gem. The launch was also characterized as the most successful Australian multichannel launch since 9Go! in 2009. Regional distribution developed in stages and was shaped by changes in Nine’s affiliation arrangements. Nine-owned NBN began carrying 9Life in Northern New South Wales on 1 March 2016. WIN Television also introduced the channel in many regional markets on the same date, although technical problems delayed the service in Griffith, Tasmania, and Eastern South Australia by one day and delayed the Regional Western Australian launch until 10 March. When Nine shifted its primary regional affiliation arrangement from WIN Television to Southern Cross Austereo on 1 July 2016, WIN stopped transmitting 9Life and Southern Cross initially lacked the technical facilities needed to carry it. The service returned to selected regional Queensland, Southern New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, and regional Victoria on 17 July 2016, but remained absent from several markets. Further expansion followed through local station arrangements. Nine’s Darwin station NTD began carrying 9Life in 2017. The channel returned to Tasmania through TDT Tasmania on 30 September 2018 and also became available in the Spencer Gulf and Broken Hill areas through GTS/BKN. In March 2021, Nine announced that WIN Television would again become its regional affiliate in most markets from 1 July 2021 under an agreement expected to run for at least seven years. From 1 August 2021, WIN carried 9Life on channel 83 in regional areas, replacing Sky News on WIN and restoring availability in Regional Western Australia, Mildura, and Griffith after a five-year gap. 9Life’s role within the Nine portfolio is therefore that of a specialized free-to-air channel rather than a standalone production company or general entertainment network. It complements Nine’s other digital channels by concentrating on accessible, repeatable lifestyle and reality content. The channel’s published slogan is “Starts Here,” used from its launch onward. Availability remains dependent on metropolitan Nine-owned stations and regional affiliate infrastructure, and the channel has not been available in the Remote Central and Eastern television market.

9Life was introduced as part of Nine’s expansion of its free-to-air digital television portfolio. Nine announced the channel on 28 October 2015, positioning it around lifestyle and reality programming rather than general-interest entertainment. The service commenced on 26 November 2015 in metropolitan Australia on digital channel 94. Its launch replaced the principal broadcast position of datacasting channel Extra, while Extra’s timeshift service moved to channel 95. The channel was included in official OzTAM measurement from 1 December 2015. Its initial reported 2.3 percent primetime share was a notable result for a new multichannel and was nearly twice the share recorded by sister channel 9Gem. The early performance made 9Life one of the more prominent Australian digital-channel launches of its period. Programming has primarily consisted of imported lifestyle, factual, and reality content. A major source has been Discovery’s catalogue, including programming connected with the former Scripps Networks Interactive business. The schedule has drawn heavily on formats made for American audiences and has included shows associated with home improvement, property, food, design, and general lifestyle entertainment. Some of these programs had already been accessible to Australian viewers through subscription services, but 9Life made them available through a free-to-air channel. Regional carriage was introduced progressively. Nine-owned NBN announced that it would carry 9Life from 1 March 2016. WIN Television also planned a regional launch on that date, although Griffith, Tasmania, and Eastern South Australia experienced a one-day delay because of technical problems, while Regional Western Australia did not receive the channel until 10 March. The regional distribution model changed substantially when Nine selected Southern Cross Austereo to replace WIN as its primary affiliate from 1 July 2016. WIN stopped transmitting the channel, and Southern Cross initially lacked the equipment required to carry it. 9Life subsequently returned to Regional Queensland, Southern New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, and regional Victoria on 17 July 2016, while a number of markets remained without service. Nine continued to add local carriage arrangements. NTD began transmitting 9Life in Darwin during 2017. On 30 September 2018, the channel returned to Tasmania through TDT Tasmania and became available in the Spencer Gulf and Broken Hill areas through GTS/BKN. A further major change came in 2021. Nine announced on 12 March that WIN Television would again become its regional affiliate in most markets from 1 July, under an agreement expected to run for at least seven years. From 1 August 2021, 9Life was carried by WIN on channel 83, replacing Sky News on WIN and restoring the service to Regional Western Australia, Mildura, and Griffith. The channel’s distribution has consequently depended on the structure of Nine’s owned-and-operated and affiliate stations. In metropolitan markets it is carried by Nine stations in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, and Perth. Regional availability has included stations and affiliates in New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania, Western Australia, and the Northern Territory. The channel has not been available in the Remote Central and Eastern television market. Its continuing brand promise is represented by the slogan “Starts Here,” used since launch.

• 2021

  Return to WIN regional distribution

  [1]9Lifeen.wikipedia.org

  Nine announced a renewed regional affiliation agreement with WIN Television, and 9Life resumed carriage in additional areas from August.

• 2018

  Tasmanian and Spencer Gulf expansion

  [1]9Lifeen.wikipedia.org

  9Life returned to Tasmania through TDT and reached the Spencer Gulf and Broken Hill areas through GTS/BKN.

• 2017

  Darwin availability

  [1]9Lifeen.wikipedia.org

  Nine-owned station NTD began carrying 9Life in Darwin.

• 2016

  Initial regional rollout

  [1]9Lifeen.wikipedia.org

  NBN and WIN Television began carrying 9Life in regional markets, with staggered availability caused by technical issues.

• 2016

  Regional affiliation transition

  [1]9Lifeen.wikipedia.org

  Nine’s move from WIN Television to Southern Cross Austereo disrupted 9Life carriage in several regional markets before partial restoration.

• 2015

  Channel announced

  [1]9Lifeen.wikipedia.org

  Nine announced 9Life on 28 October as a new lifestyle- and reality-focused digital multichannel.

• 2015

  Metropolitan launch

  [1]9Lifeen.wikipedia.org

  9Life began broadcasting in metropolitan Australia on 26 November on digital channel 94.

• 2015

  Entry into OzTAM ratings

  [1]9Lifeen.wikipedia.org

  The channel entered official OzTAM ratings on 1 December and recorded a reported 2.3 percent primetime share.

A specialized free-to-air destination for international lifestyle, factual-entertainment, home, property, food, design, and reality programming within the Nine Network.

• Digital television channel · 2015

  9Life free-to-air channel

  The core 9Life offering is an Australian free-to-air digital television channel operated within the Nine Network. It provides a dedicated schedule of lifestyle, factual, home, property, food, design, and reality programming, with metropolitan and regional carriage delivered through Nine-owned stations and affiliate broadcasters.

• Television programming · 2015

  Discovery-supplied lifestyle programming

  A substantial part of the channel’s programming has come from Discovery and related catalogues, including content associated with the former Scripps Networks Interactive business. The programming is primarily made for international, especially American, audiences and covers lifestyle and reality formats that fit 9Life’s specialized free-to-air positioning.

• 2021

  Return to WIN Television for regional carriageStrategy

  Background

  Nine announced a new regional affiliation arrangement with WIN Television after previously using Southern Cross Austereo in much of regional Australia.

  Action taken

  WIN returned as Nine’s regional affiliate in most markets from 1 July 2021, and began carrying 9Life on channel 83 from 1 August.

  Aftermath

  The arrangement restored 9Life to Regional Western Australia, Mildura, and Griffith, where it had been absent for about five years.

  Source

• 2016

  Change of primary regional affiliateStrategy

  Background

  Nine sought to replace WIN Television with Southern Cross Austereo as its primary regional affiliate from 1 July 2016.

  Action taken

  Nine transferred the regional affiliation arrangement, which temporarily interrupted 9Life carriage because Southern Cross lacked the technical capability to transmit the channel in all relevant markets.

  Aftermath

  9Life resumed in selected regional markets later in July 2016, but remained unavailable in several areas for an extended period.

  Source

1. 19Lifeen.wikipedia.org