Southern Cross Media Group appoints Chris Jones to new sport leadership role – Southern Cross Media Group has announced Chris Jones as Director of Sport – TV, Audio and Streaming.
The newly created company-wide role is effective immediately. It will see Jones lead sports strategy across the group’s television, audio and streaming assets.
Jones will oversee the strategic direction of Seven and SCA’s combined sport portfolios. He will also lead sports rights negotiations across the wider group.
Chris Jones takes on expanded sport role
In the new position, Jones will help drive a unified sport strategy across broadcast television, audio, digital, publishing and social platforms.
The appointment brings together 7Sport, Triple M and LiSTNR under a single aligned structure. As a result, Southern Cross Media Group says the business will be able to build a stronger cross-platform sports content operation.
Jones brings more than two decades of sports media experience to the role. Most recently, he served as Director of Network Sport at Seven, a position he held from July 2024.
He has spent more than 16 years with Seven in senior leadership and production roles. During that time, he also spent six years as Executive Producer of 7Cricket.
Across his career, Jones has helped deliver major sporting broadcasts including the AFL, Australian Open, US Masters, Rio Olympic Games and Spring Racing Carnival.
7Sport, Triple M and LiSTNR align
Southern Cross Media Group says the unified approach will support more original programming and short-form content across platforms.
The group also says cross-promotion on Seven has delivered greater scale for Triple M and LiSTNR. Meanwhile, Triple M’s audience has supported year-on-year streaming growth on 7plus across cricket, AFL and horse racing.
Jones said the new structure would allow the group to share talent, resources and ideas across its sports assets.
“It’s a privilege to lead this merged team of some of the country’s most talented on and off-air broadcasters. Working closely with Ewan Giles and the SCA sport team, we now have an incredible opportunity to capitalise on our strengths, allowing us to share talent, resources, and ideas seamlessly while protecting what makes each brand distinctive.
“Bringing our sports offering together marks a major evolution in content consumption. By elevating digital and social media alongside traditional TV and audio broadcasts, we will capture fans who engage with content far beyond our traditional assets. Every platform matters, every audience matters, and everyone on our team plays a role across all assets.”
Jones said the combined team would also support other parts of the merged company.
“This team will heavily support, promote and launch our diverse scale of assets across the merged company – including our Western Australian products, 7NEWS, Sunrise and our entertainment slate across audio and TV, into every market around Australia.
“Sport audiences want great coverage whenever and however they consume it. By bringing together 7SPORT, Triple M and LiSTNR sport, we are building Australia’s most complete sports media operation, delivering engaging content wherever you are, throughout the whole day.”
Southern Cross Media Group strengthens sports strategy
Managing Director, TV and Streaming, Angus Ross said Jones’ experience made him the right person to lead the expanded sports strategy.
“Seven and SCA’s dominance in sport is unmatched, and bringing both businesses together has provided a massive opportunity to maximise our footprint across broadcast and audio.
“Chris has an incredible track record with Seven and the broader sporting industry. Having worked closely with Triple M over the years, it makes perfect sense to extend his expertise across audio to lead negotiations across all pillars.
“Chris has live sport in his DNA and has spent over 20 years delivering every major sporting code across the country. He has the deep respect of the sporting codes and a proven history of delivering great outcomes for the game, and bringing all these assets together under one sports strategy is a massive win for our audiences and advertisers.”
Managing Director, Audio, John Kelly said the unified strategy would create a major competitive advantage.
“Sport holds an unrivaled power to connect Australians, and this unified strategy delivers a massive competitive advantage. The SCA sports team already drives strong engagement through Triple M and LiSTNR, built on a legacy of passion, expert insight, and unmatched talent.
“By working closer with Seven under Chris’ leadership we are unlocking a powerful cross-medium ecosystem. For our audiences, it means the country’s most comprehensive sports coverage, and for our clients and partners, it provides an unprecedented scale to reach highly engaged fans at every hour of the day.”
Jones will report to Seven’s Managing Director, TV and Streaming, Angus Ross. He will also work closely with Managing Director and CEO Rohan Lund, Managing Director, Audio John Kelly, and SWM WA CEO Maryna Fewster.
Head of Sport Content – Audio, Ewan Giles, will report directly to Jones as the Seven and SCA sports teams work under the new structure.
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