NOVA Entertainment
| Industry | Entertainment |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1996 |
| Headquarters | Sydney, Australia |
| Parent | Illyria Pty Ltd |
| Website | novaentertainment |
NOVA Entertainment is an Australian entertainment company with broad interests across the media industry.
The company operates commercial radio networks in metropolitan and regional areas of Australia, a pay television station and mobile brands. 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.
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. The company grew rapidly to over 64 radio stations across New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Queensland and Western Australia under the Star FM, Hot FM, Nova and Vega (now Smooth) brands.
In September 2004, Nova Entertainment 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, which they still own and operate.
In April 2009, DMG Radio Australia launched two new digital radio stations: NovaNation, a 24/7 digital dance station and Koffee, a chillout music station. These stations were launched as part of the introduction of DAB+ digital broadcasting in Australia's major state capital cities. On 24 December 2013, NovaNation ceased broadcasting as a DAB+ station. Both stations also stream online.
On Friday 12 March 2010 Vega rebranded with the name Classic Rock to counteract similar stations Gold 104.3, WSFM and Triple M (2MMM and 3MMM). Nova Entertainment announced the change to Vega's brand as the stations had struggled towards the bottom of the ratings ladder in both Sydney and Melbourne. In building these new stations DMG Radio needed a "simple, focused music concept that would appeal to the 35-54 audience," according to CEO Cathy O'Connor. The stations later became 91.5 FM in Melbourne and 95.3 FM in Sydney.
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