Pedestrian is a news website aimed at a youth audience founded by Chris Wirasinha and Oscar Martin in 2005. Following its acquisition by Nine Entertainment in 2018 Pedestrian was adopted into Pedestrian Group, a merger of both Pedestrian and Allure Media, which comprises a range of other Australian media brands including Business Insider Australia, Gizmodo AU, Kotaku, Lifehacker Australia, Openair Cinemas, Refinery29 and Vice Media (Australia).
Nine Entertainment first purchased 60% of Pedestrian in 2015 for $10 million. In 2018 Nine Entertainment bought the remaining 40% stake for $39 million. Mr. Wirasinha and Mr. Martin initially stayed on with Pedestrian in advisory roles before beginning to “explore new ventures,” while Nine Entertainment’s director of sales for publishing, Matt Rowley, was appointed CEO.
Speaking to the Australian Financial Review with regards to the purchase in 2018, Mr. Wirasinha stated that “the biggest value that Nine brings is that fact that it's probably been the most successful media company in Australia in terms of its incubation of new venture.”
Mr. Wirasinha also stated with regards to the merger alongside Allure Media that “the combination of the brands alongside Pedestrian’s existing commercial relationships that include Tinder and Big Flick Energy, and our new exciting TV partnership with 9Go, will give advertisers unprecedented opportunities to reach more millennials and Gen Zers than ever before.”
According to Nine Entertainment’s 2022 ASX Release, Pedestrian Group contributed to a combined revenue of $594 million and $180 million in earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation, a 53% increase compared to the previous financial year.