Founded in 2001 as ninemsn, nine.com.au came into being as a joint venture between Microsoft and PBL (later PBL Media), aiming to create a dominant online portal for news and entertainment in Australia. The idea sparked from the desire to combine Microsoft's technological expertise with PBL's strong media assets to capture a significant share of the burgeoning Australian internet market. Today, nine.com.au is owned by Nine Entertainment Co., a major Australian media company that also owns the 9Network television channel, major newspapers, and other digital properties . Today, nine.com.au is run by Nine Entertainment Co. and is mainly focused on a wide array of news and entertainment content, including breaking news, politics, business, sport, lifestyle, and entertainment . They are based in North Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, and have made a name for themselves as a comprehensive source for Australian and international happenings, offering content across their various platforms like 9Now, Stan, and their print publications . One interesting fact: A unique fact about nine.com.au is its significant role in broadcasting major sporting events in Australia. The platform, through its parent company Nine Entertainment Co., holds broadcast rights for highly popular events like the State of Origin rugby league series, often setting viewership records and demonstrating its massive reach in Australian sports media .