Southern Cross Media Group

"Macquarie Media Group" redirects here. For the unrelated company formerly operating as Macquarie Radio Network, see Nine Radio.

Southern Cross Media Group (formerly Macquarie Media Group) is one of Australia's major media companies, as the parent company of Southern Cross Austereo. Its headquarters are in South Melbourne.

Southern Cross Media Group Limited

Company type	Public
Traded as	ASX: SXL
Industry	Media
Predecessor	Southern Cross Broadcasting
Founded	November 2007; 18 years ago (November 2007)
Headquarters	South Melbourne, Australia
Area served	Australia
Key people	Heith Mackay-Cruise (chairman) John Kelly (CEO)
Owner	ARN Media 14.8%
Subsidiaries	Southern Cross Austereo
Website	sca.com.au

It was announced in September 2025 that Southern Cross Media Group and Seven West Media were planning to merge by early 2026.^[1] The merger will be completed on 7 January 2026.

History

On 3 July 2007 Southern Cross Broadcasting recommended Macquarie Media Group's offer of A$1.35 billion, for a takeover of the corporation. Under the deal, Macquarie Media Group would then onsell the metropolitan radio stations to Fairfax Media.^[2] On 5 November 2007, the company officially acquired Southern Cross Broadcasting's assets.^[3] On 17 December 2009 shareholders approved a restructuring plan. The company was then renamed from Macquarie Media Group to its current name on 17 December 2009.^[4][5][6]

In March 2016, Macquarie Group sold a 15.7% stake in Southern Cross Media worth $130 million, and of that 9.9% was purchased by Nine Entertainment, the owner of the Nine Network.^[7][8] Nine sold this stake in the business six months later.^[9]

Following Seven West Media’s acquisition of Southern Cross Austereo’s remaining television assets in July 2025 and SCA’s exit from television, Seven West and Southern Cross Media announced their intention to merge by early 2026. The merger will be completed on 7 January 2026. Seven West Media’s CEO Jeff Howard is to lead the merged companies as CEO and Manager Director, with Southern Cross Chairman Heith Mackay-Cruise to succeed Kerry Stokes as group Chairman.^[1]

Assets

• American Consolidated Media (10% non-voting stake)^[10]
• Southern Cross Austereo
  • Hit Network – metropolitan and regional radio, hot adult contemporary
  • Triple M – metropolitan and regional radio, mainstream rock/modern adult contemporary