Southern Cross Austereo (SCA) has axed three regional radio programs and restructured its Hit and Triple M leadership, with Head of Broadcast Content – Audio Matt O’Reilly telling staff the decisions were “incredibly difficult.”
In an internal memo sighted by Mediaweek, O’Reilly confirmed the cancellation of Hit’s Dan & Christie, Triple M’s Robbie & Carly, and Hit’s Bronte & Lakey.
“We have had to make some incredibly difficult decisions regarding a few of our regional shows – choices that we don’t make lightly,” O’Reilly said.
The cuts follow a review of local revenue, audience, and competitive conditions in each affected region. To backfill the lost programs, Triple M Bunbury’s Michael & Angie will expand across Western Australia, while Hit Newcastle’s Jess & Rohan will broadcast to a wider audience.
New heads for Hit and Triple M regional
SCA has also overhauled its regional content leadership, introducing dedicated network heads for Hit and Triple M to mirror its metro structure.
Jase Allen steps up as Head of Hit Network Regional, bringing 18 years at SCA across Sydney, Adelaide, Perth, and Newcastle.
Phil Bradley takes the equivalent role at Triple M, with 26 years at SCA behind him, most recently as Content Director for Tasmania.
Blair Woodcock moves to focus solely on the Gold Coast as General Manager and Content Director, having previously overseen national and regional content across all 79 SCA stations.
O’Reilly credited Woodcock with growing Triple M’s regional 25-54 audiences by 14%. O’Reilly acknowledged the toll on departing staff. “They have played a vital role in our business and put in a mountain of hard work to connect with their listeners,” he said.
Matthew O’Reilly
A company under pressure
The regional cuts come as parent company Southern Cross Media Group (ASX: SXL) executes a broader cost-reduction program, with up to 300 employees set to exit the business before 30 June 2026.
The media group – formed from the merger of Southern Cross Media and Seven West Media (SWM) in January 2026 – has downgraded its FY26 underlying EBITDA guidance to $185 to $190 million, from a previous range of $200 to $220 million.
Group revenue is forecast at $1,860 to $1,870 million, approximately 2.5% below prior guidance.
Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Rohan Lund said the cuts were unavoidable given current market conditions.
“We must reset our cost base to meet current market conditions and capture the full benefits of scale across our trusted platforms for our audiences and advertisers, now and into the future,” Lund said.
“Unfortunately, this means saying goodbye to some talented colleagues who have helped build our business. We are deeply grateful for their contributions, and we are committed to supporting them through this transition.”