Australia’s Nine Network looks to youth, diversity for 2024 slate

Leeanna Walsman as Holly in drama Human Error
Australia’s Nine Network will be aggressively targeting new growth areas in its content strategy to cater to the youth demographic and diverse communities in addition to sports and news enthusiasts for 2024.
Addressing the network’s vision for 2024 at its annual Upfronts showcase, Nine chief marketing officer Liana Dubois announced that the network, which owns streaming platform Stan, had made the strategic decision to start screening selected Stan Originals on the free-to-air (FTA) network.
The first Stan programming to screen on the FTA network is Stan reality dating show original Love Triangles S1, ahead of S2’s arrival on Stan. Dubois said the strategy was aimed at “diversifying our channel Nine content and driving youth audiences,” in addition to driving subscription leads back to Stan for the S2 launch.
The centrepiece for the network’s programming slate next year is the 2024 Olympic Games and Paralympics, with coverage beginning on July 26 and events screened in HD across Nine, 9Gem and the 40 FAST channels on 9Now.
In new programming highlights, Stephen Fry was confirmed as host of gameshow Jeopardy! Australia, launching in 2024. The Helium-produced format Australia’s Most Identical will also screen before year end and follows 100 sets of twins undertaking tests and challenges in the quest to win as the nation’s most identical pair.
In new drama highlights, Human Error, originally slated for a 2023 launch, will now screen in 2024. The Roadshow Rough Diamond docudrama series features a detective and her homicide team battling a case based on true events.
In addition to Rough Diamond executive producers Dan and John Edwards, Human Error’s producing team includes television drama stalwart Greg Haddrick (Pine Gap) and Samantha Winston, alongside crime reporter and podcaster John Sylvester (Underbelly) as story consultant. International distribution will be handled by ITV Studios.
In more new crime drama, prodco Easy Tiger and content financier Anton will deliver Blood On The Tracks – The Platform Killer.
Nine’s strength in lifestyle programming continues with the commission of gardening show The Garden Hustle from Ambience Entertainment, created and produced by Monica O’Brien. New real estate series from Abode Entertainment, Listing Melbourne will also premiere in 2024 in addition to new concept Budget Battlers from Northlight Productions.
Successful entertainment formats returning in 2024 include the 11th season of Married at First Sight, Lego Masters Australia, The Summit from Endemol Shine Australia, the second season of Ronde Media’s Big Miracles, and WTFN’s trio of reality offerings: Emergency, Space Invaders and Paramedics. Nine will also screen the third and final part of the BBC’s Planet Earth trilogy.