Nine presenter Karl Stefanovic is once again facing scrutiny after radio host Kyle Sandilands publicly claimed Stefanovic had told him the network was struggling with revenue.
Speaking at ARN’s 2026 Upfronts showcase on Wednesday, Sandilands addressed an audience of advertisers and analysts, saying Stefanovic told him the departure of former Nine sales boss Michael “Stevo” Stephenson – who has since joined ARN – had led to a significant loss of advertising clients at Nine.
Stephenson left Nine after being overlooked for the CEO role and is now the recently appointed CEO of ARN, replacing outgoing chief executive Ciaran Davis.
According to industry publication Mumbrella, Sandilands stood before a 1000-strong crowd at The Star in Sydney and claimed, “Stefanovic said ‘We’re f***ed over here bro, without Stevo. Stevo’s taken all the f***ing clients to radio.'”
On Thursday, Nine’s share price dropped three cents to $1.15, down from $1.18 the day prior and significantly lower than its September high of $1.76.
Nine’s share value had already been declining since August following CEO Mike Sneesby announcing shareholders would receive a special dividend tied to the sale of Domain to US company CoStar – an announcement that briefly lifted the stock before a downward trend resumed.
News.com.au submitted questions to Nine on Thursday evening, requesting clarification on whether Stefanovic had been spoken to over the alleged comments to Sandilands, and seeking confirmation on whether the remarks were made.
The outlet also asked whether the network had been losing clients and revenue since Stephenson’s departure.
Those questions remained unanswered at the time of publication. Nine has denied the claims.
Stefanovic has previously come under pressure for comments made about internal matters. In 2018, he made headlines after an Uber driver overheard a 45-minute phone call in which Stefanovic and his brother Peter criticised colleagues – including Georgie Gardner and Richard Wilkins – as well as senior Nine management.
Stefanovic later addressed the controversy in a radio interview with Sandilands, saying, “Channel Nine weren’t happy, and upstairs weren’t happy … Whatever comes out of my mouth, I’m responsible for, and if that brings the company into disrepute or whatever, that’s on me. I accept full responsibility.”
He also acknowledged Sandilands’ influence at the time, stating he had called the broadcaster – whom he described as a “mentor” – for guidance.
“I said, ‘Mate, this is a bad place I’m in now … and there’s a lot of other stuff going on’. And (Kyle) said to me, ‘Mate, I don’t think it’s a big deal, you’ve gotta say sorry, blah blah blah … But when you’re losing advertisers, that’s when you’ve got to worry!’”
Sandilands was already facing controversy earlier in the week following backlash to his planned appearance at the Supanova Comic Con event in Brisbane, where he is set to promote his cameo in the film Zombie Plane alongside Sophie Monk.
A Facebook page promoting his appearance attracted a surge of negative comments, prompting event organisers to disable comments and issue an apology.
“We apologise for any confusion surrounding our upcoming Brisbane event,” organisers said in a statement.
“Kyle Sandilands is scheduled to attend exclusively as part of the Zombie Plane cast and creative team, participating in the group panel hosted by Radioactive Pictures. He has never been announced or contracted to appear as a Supa-Star guest …
“We recognise that Kyle Sandilands can be a polarising media personality and respect that everyone will have their own response to this announcement. We fully understand if some fans choose not to attend Brisbane’s cast and crew Q&A.
“We also hope that this will not detract from your support of the talented cast and crew of Zombie Plane … and that you’ll accept our apology for bumbling Mr Sandilands’ promotion and our delayed response.”
By Thursday, the webpage had been taken down, citing “maintenance.”
Sandilands’ involvement in the event has drawn speculation it forms part of ARN’s efforts to boost his profile in Brisbane – his hometown – as the network prepares to expand The Kyle & Jackie O Show into that market. ARN recently cancelled its Brisbane breakfast program Robin & Kip with Corey Oates, opening the prime slot for a new lineup.
Images: 60 Minutes
