Lachlan Murdoch’s Nova Entertainment will soon offer a live audio stream of Sky News in Australia to users of its Nova Player app as part of a new deal between the two Murdoch-controlled media assets.
The deal, announced on Monday, will see Sky News Radio reach a further 6.4 million listeners, according to the companies, with live news bulletins, including First Edition hosted by Peter Stefanovic, from 5.30am throughout the day on weekdays.
Sky News’ controversial weekly commentary show, Outsiders, will also be made available to Nova listeners, as well as Business Weekend and The Media Show. Users of the Nova app will be able to reach back into the archives and stream on-demand episodes of shows like Sharri, Credlin, The Bolt Report, Chris Kenny Tonight and Paul Murray Live as part of the tie-up.
“We look forward to bringing Nova Player listeners our roster of industry-leading journalists and Australia’s best commentators,” Tim Love, head of digital at Sky News Australia, said in a statement.
Nova’s chief growth officer Adam Johnson said Sky News Radio will make the “perfect” addition to the radio group’s app, which also offers users access to Smooth FM and Star music stations.
“We know our audience are hungry for breaking stories, 24/7 rolling news and opinion and now they are able to access all of this with a simple swipe on their device,” Johnson said in a statement, before pumping up the product’s tires for advertisers.
Sky News’ audio agreement with Nova comes less than one week after the channel took to media buyers the idea of a new channel dedicated to around-the-clock coverage of the upcoming referendum on the Indigenous Voice to Parliament.
The dedicated channel, first reported by The Australian Financial Review last week, is likely to rehash pressers and news packages lifted from Sky News main, along with sparsely broadcasted original spots, which will also be broadcast on Sky News. The channel’s working title is “The Voice”, subject to change — if it ever materialises.
