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Time Out Australia Franchise Agreement

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Time Out Group plc has entered into a long-term franchise agreement with Vinyl Group Ltd, an Australian media business, to transition Time Out Australia's media operations to Vinyl Group. Under this agreement, Vinyl Group will acquire the operating entity of Time Out Australia and become the exclusive franchise partner for the Time Out brand in Australia for an initial five-year term with automatic annual renewals. Time Out will receive ongoing royalty payments and annual minimum guaranteed payments, while continuing to provide brand support and editorial guidance. This transaction aligns with Time Out's strategy to generate capital-light revenue streams by partnering with established local operators.

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Time Out Group plc (AIM: TMO), the global media and hospitality business, is pleased to announce that it has entered into a long-term franchise agreement with Vinyl Group Ltd (ASX: VNL) ("Vinyl Group", or "Vinyl"), a leading Australian media business, as part of the transition of Time Out Australia's media operations to Vinyl.

Under the agreement, Vinyl Group will acquire the entire issued share capital of Print & Digital Publishing Pty Ltd, the operator of Time Out Australia, and will become the exclusive franchise partner for the Time Out brand in Australia.

The franchise agreement has an initial term of five years and provides for automatic annual renewals thereafter, subject to customary termination provisions.

Under the terms of the franchise agreement, Time Out will receive ongoing royalty payments together with annual minimum guaranteed payments. Time Out will continue to provide brand support, editorial standards and strategic guidance to ensure the Time Out brand continues to serve audiences across Australia.

The transaction supports the Group's strategy of partnering with established local operators in selected territories while generating recurring, capital-light revenue streams from the Time Out brand.

Completion of the transaction is expected to occur on 24 June 2026, subject only to the expiry of a customary cooling-off period.

Rob Biagioni, CEO of Time Out Media, said: "Australia is an important territory for Time Out, and we're proud of the business and audience we have built over many years. Vinyl has a strong track record of growing premium media brands and connecting audiences with real-world experiences, making them the ideal partner for Time Out in Australia. We are excited to work together to continue growing the Time Out brand and helping Australians discover the very best of their cities."

Vinyl Group CEO & Executive Director, Josh Simons, added: "This is a highly strategic acquisition that brings one of the world's most iconic culture brands into the Vinyl Media portfolio. Time Out strengthens our position at the intersection of content and real-world experiences, and expands our reach into high-value audiences across Australia. It is another important step in building a scaled, premium publishing platform."

About Vinyl Group

Vinyl Group is a diversified adaptive media and music technology company that connects culture with commerce. Its portfolio spans two divisions, publishing and platforms, with tools and services that empower fans, brands and creators. The publishing division, Vinyl Media, is a powerhouse of culture, premium content and live experiences, operating Concrete Playground, Mediaweek and Tone Deaf, and holding Australian licences for Rolling Stone, Variety, Refinery29, POPSUGAR, BuzzFeed and Tasty, and LADbible Group (including LADbible and SPORTbible). The platforms division includes Vinyl.com, a leading e-commerce destination with more than 60,000 titles; Vampr, a social-professional network and talent marketplace with 1.6 million creators in over 190 countries; and Serenade, a pioneer in physical and digital collectibles supporting more than 200 global artists.

Cleaned text: letterheads, contacts and legal notices removed. View the original announcement ↗ · Company filings. Not investment advice.

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