When Lauren Joyce took on the role of Chief Audience and Content Officer at the Australian Radio Network (ARN), she was open about the immediate challenges.
The company had consistently been in the headlines over the repercussions from its ten-year, $200 million contract with Kyle Sandilands and Jackie ‘O’ Henderson.
But that’s not all.
A few months before Joyce took over ARN backed out of a takeover attempt of rival Southern Cross Austereo (SCA).
Then came the bloodletting.
Near the end of 2024, the company announced a round of redundancies where up to 50 staff would lost their job.
Another round of redundancies were later announced in April of this year. At the time, Mediaweek was told the full number of roles set to be axed would depend on discussions held over the coming months.
Now, six months into the role, Joyce is steering ARN through a strategic transformation.
The company has announced a three-year cost-cutting plan to reduce $40 million from its operating base. The aim is to free up capital to fuel audience growth and future-proof the business.
Joyce, who spoke to Mediaweek following the launch of Kyle & Jackie O’s new Melbourne TVC, remains optimistic despite the challenges and her support for the duo is clear and unwavering.
Data-led creative
“Everything we do at ARN is driven by data,” Joyce said, explaining the foundation of the new creative. “We’ve been tracking brand perceptions since Kyle & Jackie O launched in Melbourne and have a long history of brand and show tracking in Sydney.”
According to Joyce, ARN’s insights point to a few consistent themes: the show’s self-deprecating humour, its ‘addictive unpredictability’, and its tendency to veer wildly off-script. That chaos, Joyce says, is part of the charm, and the creative brief.
“You go in expecting one thing, and before you know it, it’s gone off on another tangent. The TVC captures that in a comedic way. It delivers on the show’s promise because it’s built on what the audience actually loves.”
The Melbourne challenge: launching a legacy brand in a new market
Despite being radio royalty in Sydney, Kyle & Jackie O continue to face headwinds in Melbourne, where their KIIS 101.1 breakfast show is yet to find strong footing.
After a small bump from a 5.1% share in Survey 1 to 5.8% in Survey 2, the cume audience actually dropped by 43,000 to 969,000 listeners.
Despite the slight ratings uptick, the numbers suggest their Sydney success isn’t fully translating across the border just yet.
But Joyce is realistic about the slow burn.
“There’s been a lot of criticism around the show, but I think people forget it’s still brand new to Melbourne audiences. In Sydney, people have lived through 20 years of evolution. In Melbourne, that context doesn’t exist yet.”
While their celebrity precedes them, many listeners only knew the duo through segments aired in the The Kyle and Jackie O Hour of Power, which airs in metro markets from 6pm to 7pm on the KIIS Network. “They’ve never been fully immersed in the show. We still have work to do helping people understand what it actually is,” she said.
Why Kyle & Jackie O remain ARN’s north star
Joyce is quick to credit the pair for driving the show’s creative direction. “They know the type of show they want to put out better than anyone. Yes, there’s a team around them, but Kyle and Jack steer the content.”
Joyce believes its success lies in challenging the mainstream: “They ask questions everyday Australians usually only ask in group chats. They break echo chambers. They say things others won’t, and that leads to great dinner party conversations.”
She adds: “In a landscape filled with vanilla content, Kyle & Jackie O create space for people to form real opinions.
“So, it’s got a really important role to play when you consider the more vanilla content that is out there and its inability to provide perspective or help people form an opinion about a certain issue”.
Joyce’s comments differ from those of ARN media chairman Hamish McLennan who, earlier this year, admitted the pair had “pushed the envelope too hard” in their Melbourne debut.
McLennan continued: “I lived in Melbourne, you know? I think it is a distinct market, and so we haven’t got the content platform right.”
“Some of that stuff I wince at too, and we’ve had those conversations with Kyle, and we’re fully aware of our obligations with the ACMA (Australian Communications and Media Authority) and we take that very, very seriously.
“We have censors who sit and listen to the program. I apologise if that goes over the mark from time to time”.
Rebuilding trust: From “We’re Behaving” to “Radio Gone Rogue”
The launch of the Melbourne ‘We’re Behaving’ campaign was a critical turning point. After early Melbourne listenership dropped, the team needed to reconnect with its base.
“We acknowledged we lost the audience. That campaign was about reengaging lapsed listeners,” said Joyce. “The data shows we did that. Those listeners came back, and they’re sticking.”
With something of a core audience now relatively stabilised, Joyce says the aim is to target new listeners, and the new campaign, ‘Radio Gone Rogue’ is about owning the brand’s ‘unique’ space.
“It’s not just about being naughty,” Joyce clarified. “It’s about being maverick. It’s radio, but not as you’d expect. That unpredictability keeps people coming back.”
Cost cuts and long-term playbooks
Joyce was also clear about ARN’s broader strategy, including the widely reported cost-saving measures.
“Yes, the $40 million cost-out plan is real, but it’s not tied to Kyle & Jackie O. Every broadcast media company is working to become more efficient,” she said. “Media is cyclical, and this is the point in the cycle we’re in.”
When it comes to the redundancies, Joyce is both practical and defensive towards the notion the losses are linked to the broadcast duo’s mega contract: “Nobody likes the associated human impact, but I think the two things aren’t connected”.
For Joyce, the $200 million Kyle & Jackie O investment is a long-term strategic bet, more akin to a sports rights deal than a short-term ratings fix.
“We never expected overnight returns. But we are seeing marginal audience gains. And we’re committed to running a responsible, efficient business while delivering value for shareholders.”