Seven West merger: Stokes to step down as chair
Kerry Stokes, the billionaire chair of Seven West Media, is set to retire from the media group’s chairmanship in February 2026 if the proposed merger with Southern Cross Media proceeds. Stokes, who has steered Seven West since 2008 after taking a substantial stake in the company in 1995, will see a shift in control as the merger folds in Southern Cross Austereo’s radio networks with Seven West’s TV, publishing and digital assets.
The deal would restructure ownership, with Seven Group Holdings (SGH) exiting a larger stake in the merged entity. SGH has historically held about two-fifths of Seven West; under the merger it would control roughly one-fifth of the combined company, illustrating a major realignment of influence in Australia’s media landscape.
Leadership changes accompany the consolidation. Heith Mackay-Cruise, currently the chair of Southern Cross, is slated to become chair of the combined group. Stokes will retire from the board in February 2026 but said he plans to stay involved to support the transition: “I have every confidence Heith will continue to guide the combined group successfully. Following my retirement from the Board in February 2026 I intend to continue to support the Chair and Board wherever I can add value.”
Joining Mackay-Cruise on the new board will be Ryan Stokes, Kerry Stokes’ son, who has served on the Seven West board since 2012 and has headed SGH as chief executive since 2010. The Seven West chief executive, Jeff Howard, will remain CEO of the merged company and will sit on the board, alongside two additional Seven West directors and two representatives from Southern Cross. The merger is still subject to regulatory approval, and the companies expect to achieve annual savings of between $25 million and $30 million through shared overheads and operations.
Implications for investors and viewers
The proposed merger signals a significant consolidation of Australia’s regional and national media assets, potentially expanding cross-platform access for audiences across television, radio, streaming, and digital publishing. For investors, the scale could offer enhanced negotiating power and cost efficiencies, while viewers may benefit from broader programming and integrated news coverage. The deal, however, hinges on the approvals of regulators and competition authorities, who will weigh the impact on competition and consumer choice.
Optus outages: government demands accountability
Separately, the Australian government has pressed Optus and its parent company Singtel to take full responsibility for recent outages that interrupted emergency calls. Communications Minister Anika Wells met with Singtel group CEO Yuen Kuan Moon and Optus executives to stress that Optus must be fully transparent as the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) investigates the outages and assesses remedies to prevent recurrence. Wells said Optus must meet its legal obligations to ensure emergency numbers are reachable and has asked Singtel to appoint external advisers to review network plans to restore public confidence.
Wells reiterated that Optus is accountable to the community and warned that outages of the triple-zero service cannot be allowed to happen again. The government has directed ACMA to continue its probe and expects the company to demonstrate robust reform to prevent future failures. While the immediate focus is on accountability and technical fixes, the broader objective is restoring trust in critical communications services during emergencies.
What’s next for Australia’s media and telecoms sectors
As Seven West Media and Southern Cross Media pursue regulatory clearance, all eyes will be on how the merged entity navigates competition, content strategy, and cross-platform monetisation across a rapidly evolving media environment. Separately, the Optus situation underscores ongoing regulatory scrutiny of Australia’s telecommunications sector and the balance between corporate accountability and consumer protection. The coming months will reveal how leadership transitions, consumer safeguards, and regulatory decisions intersect in shaping Australia’s information landscape.
Bottom line
Kerry Stokes’ planned retirement marks a pivotal moment for Australia’s media sector as a major consolidation unfolds, while government intervention after Optus outages highlights heightened scrutiny of essential services. Both developments will shape industry dynamics, regulatory expectations, and consumer confidence in the months ahead.
