Jen Seyderhelm tells you how to enter the new Australian Audio Awards and hears about the behind the scenes moves that led to the launch of the new awards.

Steve Ahern's advice is to start thinking about your entry now. "While you're preparing your Christmas best-of tape, put aside some material to use in your audio entry."

He also explained to Jen the behind the scenes preparation that led to the awards announcement:

"We have thought about the importance of radio and podcasting to Australia, so part of the judging criteril will include impact and how your work has helped to build the Australian audio industry... These will be part of all the other judging criteria you would expect for an entry."

Tim Burrowes said:

"When Steve and I realised were were both working on similar ideas, it made sense to work together... the audio sector in Australia is collegiate, so we're glad to work together on creating a ceremony that Australia's audio industry deserves."

Enter at https://mumbrella.com.au/audioawards 

Moredetails at: https://radiotoday.com.au/radioinfo-radiotoday-to-launch-new-awards-for-the-australian-audio-industry/ 

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See all our coverage of the ARN Upfront announcements here.

In this podcast Jen summarises the ARN changes and we speak to: 

• Chief Audience and Content Officer Lauren Joyce about the network changes and longer range plans for Kyle and Jackie O  

• Ben Campbell Director of Digital Strategies, Data and Digital takes a deep dive into iHeart’s new data partnerships and ad tech 
• Chief Operating Officer Michael Stephenson (pictured) talks with Steve Ahern about how partnerships will work to the best serve ARN advertisesrs.

Smallzy was confirmed to be joining the KIIS network with The Smallzy Show which will air from 3-4pm weekdays and a night edition from 7-9pm. He will be heard on KIIS 1065, KIIS 1011, KIIS 97.3, KIIS 102.3 and KIIS DAB+ Perth from January 2026. This will mean the end of The Pick Up with Brittany Hockley and Laura Byrne who previously hosted the early drive 3-4pm spot. It was already confirmed that their Life Uncut podcast would no longer be associated with ARN iHeart. Will and Woody will continue on Drive.

ARN’s KIIS and GOLD networks are going fully national in 2026, in a move which brings Kyle & Jackie O to a new audience in Perth, via a new KIIS DAB+ station. Adelaide’s Mix102.3 will rebrand as KIIS 102.3.

In consolidating the GOLD brand, Perth’s 96FM becomes GOLD96FM. Adelaide’s Cruise1323 evolves into GOLD1323, and new GOLD DAB+ stations will launch in Brisbane and Adelaide.

Jonesy & Amanda will have a GOLD Network National Drive program with Steve Fitton also announcing that he is leaving his drive role with the network at the end of this year. 

The new hosts of Mix 102.3, which will become KIIS 102.3, will be Ben and Liam (Ben Harvey and Liam Stapleton) with Belle Jackson returning to her off air role as producer.

The new host of KIIS 97.3 will be Lowie, Craig Low, returning to Australia and radio after a long period in the US.

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Last week the Community Broadcasting annual conference was held in Hobart.

Jen Seyderhelm reviews conference highlights and we hear from several conferecne speakers.

• The opening keynote was from Adrian Sargeant, Professor of Fundraising at the Institute for Sustainable Philanthropy and Research Director at Philanthropy and Fundraising International.
• ABC Radio Sydney breakfast presenter and known force for change Craig Reucassel wrapped things up. He spoke to Steve Ahern.
• Then it was the Community Radio Awards and we’ll also hear from CBAA board member Dave Houchin from 3RRR wrapping proceedings up
• Finally the conference debuted the Community Radio Airplay Charts to further champion Australian music and acts. I caught up with CBAA Music director Andrew Khedoori about that and I’ll introduce you to the Community Radio Airplay Chart No 1,

Tile Picture: CBAA CEO Jon BIssett

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The Radio Today special Survey 6 edition with Jen Seyderhelm.

• Steve Ahern chats to Greg Byrnes, Peter Clay, Lauren Joyce, Matthew O'Reilly and Jon Vertigan about their network ratings results
• Big wins for Nine stations 2GB in Sydney and 3AW in Melbourne

• Cume gains for The Fox FM and Gold in Melbourne
• Kyle and Jackie O slightly down but a bigger hit for Jase and Lauren on Nova 100
• CADA and smooth still dominating DAB+

     and the National Radio Airplay Chart song of the week, Taylor Swift's Ophelia.

 

 

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Jen Seyderhelm looks back at the fortnight in Australian Radio, beginning with today's news that Ciaran Davis will leave ARN at the end of this year. Also:

• The ACRAs cancelled for good

• SCA and Seven Media to merge
• Kyle and Jackie O in trouble with the ACMA again
• Mix on top in GfK Survey 3 of Canberra
• Bill Mcdonald departs 4BC, a tribute to legendary news reader and leader Ali Drower

Plus the National Radio Airplay Chart song of the week: Where is my Husband?

 

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This week Jen Seyderhelm covers:

• Ben, Liam and Belle to depart the Nova Network, last day on air December 12

• Hamish and Andy aloft the August podcast ranker with some aces for the ABC
• LiSTNR and Audacy form a podcast partnership
• The ACMA find Marty Sheargold and Paul Burt in breach of classification and decency rules
• Archie and Bretz take on Mix Drive on the Sunshine Coast and other movements

The National Radio Airplay Chart song of the week is Dancing2

 

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Jen Seyderhelm takes a look at GfK Radio 360 Survey 5 2025 -

• Kyle and Jackie O back to No 1 overall in Sydney and gaining ground in Melbourne
• 3AW the big winner there
• CADA the top DAB+ station in Sydney, smooth everywhere else
• Smooth Sydney tops the cumes
• Chats with Nine National Content Director Greg Byrnes, Matthew O’Reilly - SCA Head of Broadcast Content, Smooth Network Head of Programming Peter Clay and Lauren Joyce, ARN Chief Strategy and Connections Officer
• and the RCS Media Monitors National Radio Airplay Chart song of the week

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This week Jen Seyderhelm covers:

• Surveys of Newcastle and Warrnambool

• Podpoll 2025 
• CRA showcases the power of audio while RNZ flounders
• Russell Clark joins Lisa Shaw on 96FM breakfast
• 4GR (Triple M Toowoomba) turns 100
• Well wishes for Andrew Moore, Darren James and Steve Bedwell

and the National Radio Airplay Chart song of the week.

Jen also mentioned the Asia Podcast Award finalists, you can find them here. 

The winners will be announced at the RadioDays Asia conference in Jakarta on 2nd September. Radiodays Asia program lineup here. Register here.

 

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In this week's podcast with Jen Seyderhelm:

• Jonesy and Amanda to move to drive with Christian O’Connell going national

• Hot tomato on top on the Gold Coast
• The dismantling of former giant of podcast networks Wondery
• The end of an era for the Sunshine Coast’s Mix and other movements

The National Radio Airplay Chart song of the week Guy Sebastian's Get it Done 

 

Are you going to RadioDays Asia in Jakarta next month? Information and registrations here.

 

 

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It’s only been just over a month since the release of survey 3. Survey 4 last year was a fairly stable affair. This time though there’s been some significant change at the top with new No 1 stations in Sydney and Melbourne.

Let’s start in Melbourne with Gold 104.3 No 1 in the city. This ends the long reign of Nine’s 3AW and is the first time that station has reached No 1 since 1992. Congrats to them. 

Ross and Russ retained top spot in breakfast with Nova 100’s Jase and Lauren No 1 FM and Gold’s Christian O’Connell right behind. Kyle and Jackie O were up .5 which will make ARN happy. The new Triple M breakfast show of Mick Molloy, Roo, Rosie and Titus had the biggest gains overall perhaps in part attributable to being mid AFL season. SEN 1116 too was up across the board.

In Sydney, Nine’s 2GB also lost top spot and while Ben Fordham held onto No 1 breakfast, Mark Levy dropped behind smooth 95.3 in the morning and all day parts and even weekends took hits, except for John Stanley in the evening. 

KIIS 1065 however had a great survey. Kyle and Jackie O were up 1.4 and the station 1.1. The other biggest breakfast winner was ABC newsradio which I’m at least in part putting down to coverage of the mushroom trial which has proved to be a listening boon for the ABC. Outside of 2GB Nova 969 had the biggest losses at breakfast but I suspect that the absence of Kate Ritchie from that show will be resolved before survey 5.

Brisbane, Triple M held top spot overall and reclaimed it for Marto, Margaux and Dan on breakfast. Nova 106.9’s Ash Luttsy and Nikki Osborne dropped 1.0 to third in breakfast after just clinching top spot last survey. It’s very tight in the city. 4BH had a great survey, BBQ Bob on breakfast up to a 10% audience share. KIIS 97.3 not so much. They’re now 5th overall behind 4BH and Bob.

Adelaide - Mix 102.3 saw the biggest drop and Triple M the biggest gains but still are No 1 and 2 overall respectively. Triple M’s Roo Ditts and Loz took back No 1 in breakfast from Hayley and Max at Mix. fiveaa’s David and Will saw the biggest improvement in breakfast for the talk station, up 1.7 to an 11.4 audience share.

Finally Perth and 96FM retained No 1 overall from Nova 93.7 but both had more than 2% losses and Nath, Nat and Shaun on Nova breakfast were down 4% but so dominant in the spot they were still clear No 1. Triple M’s Xav and Katie were up 3.4% to sneak into second spot in breakfast with that new this year pairing, and AFL season working for the station which was up 1.7 to a 10.9 audience share. 6ix had a great survey too, up 1.5 overall and 1.6 in breakfast.

 

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