After a challenging year characterized by cost reductions and leadership changes, Lauren Joyce, Chief Audience and Content Officer of Australian Radio Network (ARN), outlined the organization’s strategy for stability and audience growth as they head into 2026. Her remarks followed a mixed performance in the most recent survey, where ARN’s flagship station KIIS 1065 maintained a strong presence in Sydney while facing challenges in other markets.
Performance Overview
In Sydney, KIIS 1065 recorded an overall share of 9.8%, a decline from 11.1% in the previous survey, with a weekly cumulative audience dropping by 46,000 to 1.119 million listeners. The popular Kyle and Jackie O breakfast show continued to lead the FM segment despite a drop from 15.3% to 13.6%. Joyce highlighted the resilience of ARN’s brands in Sydney, particularly commending the Jonesy and Amanda program for sustaining its performance, which held steady at 8.1% compared to 8.2% previously.
Joyce remarked, “I think that shows that the product obviously has that 25–54 appeal, which is what we want. So, I’m with where that’s landed.”
While KIIS remains a dominant force in Sydney, Joyce admitted that the audience growth has slowed, following a series of strong performances. The breakfast duo has achieved 54 survey wins, consistently outperforming competitors by a significant margin, holding over 10 share points ahead of the nearest rival among the 25-54 demographic.
In Melbourne, however, the picture was more complex. KIIS 101.1 saw a slight decrease from 5.6% to 4.9% but gained an additional 21,000 listeners, reaching a total of 967,000. The breakfast show experienced a marginal decline to 6%. Joyce expressed a measured outlook, emphasizing that results should not be evaluated in isolation, noting that the current figures remain within historical performance ranges.
Strategic Direction Towards 2026
As the network prepares for an important leadership transition, with long-time CEO Ciaran Davis set to depart in early 2026, Joyce described the upcoming year as a “rebase” phase. During this time, ARN aims to streamline costs, refine content strategies, and ultimately rebuild momentum. The transition will see Michael Stephenson, currently COO and former Nine commercial chief, assume the CEO role.
Joyce stated, “Looking ahead to 2026, we couldn’t be more excited. In a couple of weeks’ time, we’ll be revealing a lot of our plans, then it’ll be the catalyst for momentum going into 2026.” She emphasized that the changes, along with ARN’s comprehensive roadmap, signify a pivotal moment for the organization.
Furthermore, ARN’s sister station, Gold 104.3, remained a reliable performer, holding steady at 11.2% overall and gaining 71,000 listeners to reach 1.224 million. The Christian O’Connell breakfast show also improved its standing, increasing from 10.1% to 10.9%.
As ARN positions itself for the future, Joyce’s insights reflect a commitment to adaptability and growth in a competitive landscape, underscoring the network’s readiness to embrace new opportunities and build on its existing strengths.
