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NOVA Entertainment is an Australian entertainment company that operates commercial radio networks (and associated digital brands) in metropolitan and regional areas of Australia.

NOVA Entertainment is owned by Lachlan Murdoch's Illyria Pty Ltd which purchased the remaining 50% it did not own from Daily Mail and General Trust in September 2012.

History

Nova Entertainment was formed in early 1996 under the name DMG Radio Australia, followed later in the year with the A$46M acquisition of 85% of the Broadcast Media group of regional stations. This was shortly followed by FIVEaa on 26 September 1996. The founding Chairman and CEO were Charlie Cox and Paul Thompson respectively.

In September 2004, DMG Radio Australia sold most of its regional radio stations to Macquarie Bank, keeping only Hot 91 Sunshine Coast (later sold in early 2005) and Star 104.5 in Gosford.

On Monday 21 May 2012, after poor ratings, 91.5 FM Melbourne and 95.3 FM Sydney were rebranded again to smoothfm with a new smooth, easy listening format to aim for women aged 35+.

In December 2013, DMG Radio Australia launched a 24-hour Australian pay television music channel, Smooth available via Foxtel satellite and cable services. The pay television music channel extends from the smoothfm radio brand. It was shut down on 30 June 2020.

In February 2014, DMG Radio Australia rebranded under the name Nova Entertainment to reflect the company's increasingly diversified interests in radio and the media and entertainment industries. The new company name has been developed to encapsulate both the pride and heritage of the company’s original and successful FM launch brand, Nova, with its recent evolution into the broader media and entertainment space.

Current operations

Radio

NOVA Entertainment owns two national radio networks and numerous independent radio stations with a presence across Australia through terrestrial, digital and online. All stations can be streamed online or via the Nova Player.

NOVA

The Nova Network is a commercial radio network with an adult contemporary format. All network stations are owned and operated by NOVA entertainment and each FM station has its own local Breakfast show with daytime, drive and night shifts networked across all stations.

smoothfm

smoothfm is a commercial radio network originally launched in 2012 as a rebrand of the Classic Rock network. Since 14 February 2020 the network's primary format is Hot-Adult Contemporary providing feel good and dance music.

Non-network radio

In addition to its network-based assets, NOVA also operates the following radio stations.

Other

• novafm.com.au, online news, music & lifestyle portal
• smooth.com.au, online news, music & lifestyle portal
• fiveaa.com.au, online news portal
• star1045.com.au, online news, music & lifestyle portal

Former operations

Foxtel Smooth

Foxtel Smooth was an 18-hour pay television music channel (time-shared with Foxtel Arts) available via Foxtel satellite and cable services. It launched on 3 December 2013, dedicated to easy listening adult contemporary music. The channel ceased broadcasting on 30 June 2020.

GOAT

GOAT was a pop culture, news and entertainment website aimed at a millennial audience. It has been dormant since 2018.

See also

• List of radio stations in Australia

References

1. "Lachlan Murdoch acquires other half of DMG Radio". MediaSpy. 2 September 2012. Archived from the original on 23 November 2012. Retrieved 3 September 2012.
2. "DMG Radio Australia Acquires 12 Radio Stations". Asia Pulse. 24 September 1996.
3. Jacques, Bruce (25 September 1996). "Daily Mail Arm Buys Australian Radio Group". Financial Times. p. 34.
4. Jemison, Simon (26 September 1996). "DMG pays $7m for 5AA". Australian Financial Review (Late ed.). p. 26.
5. Chapman, Heather (30 September 1996). "They're Back - And How". Sydney Morning Herald. p. 8. Retrieved 9 February 2012.
6. "DMG Radio rebrand sees launch of smoothfm in Sydney and Melbourne". 3 May 2012. Retrieved 29 May 2012.
7. "Smoothfm moves to TV | B&T". Archived from the original on 26 April 2014. Retrieved 26 April 2014.
8. "DMG Radio rebrands as Nova Entertainment, denies move related to Daily Mail's arrival". Retrieved 26 February 2014.
9. Knox, David (1 November 2013). "Foxtel refreshes music channels". TV Tonight. Retrieved 1 November 2013.
10. "Summer Channel Changes". Foxtel. Archived from the original on 16 March 2014. Retrieved 1 November 2013.
11. Challenor, Jake (3 June 2020). "Foxtel confirms its Smooth music channel won't continue". The Music Network. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
12. Perry, Kevin (3 June 2020). "FOXTEL CONFIRMS CLOSURE OF SMOOTH MUSIC CHANNEL". TV Blackbox. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
13. "GOAT | NOVA Entertainment". www.novaentertainment.com.au. Retrieved 18 June 2021.

External links

• NOVA Entertainment

• Nova (radio network)
• Daily Mail and General Trust
• Nova Entertainment
• Australian radio networks
• Contemporary hit radio stations in Australia
• Mass media companies established in 1996