NOVA Entertainment is set to take smoothfm out of the broadcast studio and into The Rocks when the smooth Festival of Chocolate makes its debut next month.

Extending the brand onto an experiential platform, the festival is sponsored by the second series of Network Ten’s Recipe to Riches, held in conjunction with Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority and part of Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Month presented by Citi. 

Despite the rain, we found Nova Entertainment's Program Tzar, Paul Jackson, in a self described “sunny disposition.” And why wouldn’t he be? He has all his ducks in a row - except for one.

After 70 intimate Red Room events featuring some of the world’s biggest stars, Nova Entertainment has decided that it’s time to look beyond Australia and to take on the world!

So from next month the Red Room will embark on a global tour taking jocks and listeners (and maybe even a radio scribe) to some of the hottest hotspots on the planet.

ARN is listed at number three followed by Nova Entertainment at four. Radio easily beats the mobile sites of online giants Optus, Yahoo 7 and NINEMSN.

NOVA Entertainment’s Jason West has won his place in B&T’s   30 under 30 Awards.

West, from Nova's CREATE team, was up against other bright candidates from across the media companies including: Fox International Channels, Multi Channel Network, Mindshare, Slingshot, FACEBOOK, Nine Entertainment and Carsales.com.
 
The awards are designed to recognise that young talent are the life-blood of the marketing, advertising, media and communications industries.

Responding to reports in Fairfax newspapers yesterday that the Nova network was up for sale, owner Lachlan Murdoch today sent an internal email to all Nova staff criticising the report and calling it "very unfair."

The internal memo, confirmed by radioinfo, says:
 

Speculation is rife that Lachlan Murdoch’s company Illyria is looking to unload Nova Entertainment now that he has rejoined his father’s News Corp conglomerate as co-chairman.

The Sydney Morning Herald reports: "Leading investment banks have sounded out interest among media companies for Lachlan Murdoch's radio business Nova Entertainment.

"It's estimated the sale of Nova could realise as much as $400 million."

Four stations share a 6.9 share

Peter Saxon gathers the thoughts of Duncan Campbell, Paul Jackson and Craig Bruce.

It’s a curious thing. Up until now, Sydney was the frontline of radio wars in Australia. Not that it’s without some skirmishes. But following the major upheaval of Kyle and Jackie O defecting to KIIS it all seems to have settled down. K & J have taken most of it’s listeners with them from 2Day-FM TO KIIS, leaving the former with the audience share that Mix 106.5 used to have – which is not much.

Way back in ancient times at the dawn of the 21^st century Radio was like an amoeba a simple business. A station would send content up through a transmitter which anyone within range could access through a radio. And they sold ads in between the content. Simples.