ARN has announced the relaunch of iHeartCountry Australia as a National DAB+ Network, bringing contemporary country music to Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide, while expanding into key markets including Hobart, Canberra, Darwin and the Gold Coast.

Joining ARN’s portfolio of superbrands, including KIIS, GOLD, and CADA, iHeartCountry strengthens ARN’s leadership in delivering premium country music content. Together with KIX Country, ARN now provides unparalleled access to both metro and regional audiences, making it the ultimate destination for country music fans across Australia.

Today marks the official launch of iHeartCountry, featuring an exciting lineup of hosts and shows. Steve Fitton kicks off the day with Breakfast, followed by Justin Thomson in the Afternoons and Kristof (Chris Sandilands) on Drive, joined by special guest appearances from celebrity artists. Listeners can also enjoy an impressive playlist of globally acclaimed country music, including hits from Morgan Wallen, Luke Combs, Lainey Wilson, Keith Urban, Kane Brown, Miranda Lambert, and rising Australian star James Johnston.

iHeartCountry delivers more than just music, it’s a complete destination for country music fans – from national news and the latest country music updates to exclusive artist interviews and a weekly countdown of top tracks. Highlights include the iHeartCountry Artist of the Week taking over the station from 3.00pm daily and a ‘Countrified’ segment, where artists transform popular hits into country-style renditions.

“Country music is booming globally, and Australia, as the world’s third-largest market for the genre, plays a pivotal role in its growth,” said Brett “Nozz” Nozziter, ARN’s Head of Content – Digital Radio.

“With the new iHeartCountry network, ARN is leading the charge by offering a platform that celebrates the diversity and passion of country music fans while championing international superstars, rising local talent, and the broader Australian music industry. This is a game-changer for country music in Australia.”

While iHeartCountry expands ARN’s reach in metro markets, KIX Country will continue to complement this offering with its dedicated regional programming, ensuring ARN delivers tailored country music experiences for both metro and regional audiences. This dual approach provides advertisers with separate, targeted opportunities for both markets.

 

Key Programming Highlights for iHeartCountry:

 

Artist of the Week (3PM daily):

Tanner Adell (from today, December 6)

Kip Moore (week commencing December 16)

Kaylee Bell (week commencing December 23)

Jess Moskaluke (week commencing December 30)

Max Jackson (week commencing January 6)

 

James Johnston iHeartCountry Takeover:

Premieres Friday 6 Dec 6.00pm AEDT this evening, with encore broadcasts at 10.00am tomorrow and 12 noon Sunday.

 

Tune into iHeartCountry Australia via DAB+, the free iHeartRadio app, or online, and experience the best of country music in Australia.

LiSTNR has wrapped up 2024, retaining its position as Australia’s #1 Sales and Representation Podcast Network recording 7,124,155 monthly listeners^, according to the November Australian Podcast Ranker results. With ongoing growth and advancements in podcast monetisation, LiSTNR continues to lead commercial podcasting in Australia.

Adoption of LiSTNR’s world-class AdTech Hub continues to drive growth, achieving an impressive 166% year-on-year increase in the number of podcast campaigns utilising its advanced capabilities. The AdTech Hub clearly differentiates LiSTNR from local competitors, delivering cutting-edge advancements in digital audio advertising. Combining effectiveness with efficiency, the AdTech Hub has delivered significant ROI for advertisers through innovative tools like Dynamic Creative Optimisation (DCO) based on age, gender, fuel prices, and live contests; enhanced audience targeting with proprietary conversational tools; and Advertiser Data Matching via clean room solutions.

The depth and quality of LiSTNR’s Podcast Sales Network continues to shine, with 62 podcasts ranked within the Top 200 on the Podcast Ranker*, the most of any network.  Popular podcasts in the top 50 include Hamish & Andy, Happy Hour with Lucy & Nikki, Crime Junkie, It’s A Lot with Abbie Chatfield, SmartLess, The Howie Games, and The Mel Robbins Podcast.

In November, several standout original podcasting titles demonstrated exceptional growth, including KICPOD growing its audience by 28.4% month-on-month to record 158,751 monthly listeners*. The Briefing also grew 11.6% to increase its audience to 157,475 monthly listeners*. Taking listeners through the wacky world of sport and animals, Bizarre with Mick Molloy and Titus O’Reilly grew its audience by 12.5% growth to 117,518 monthly listeners*. Further strengthening its lineup, LiSTNR will welcome The Imperfects to its sales network in January 2024, adding another premium title to its expanding slate.

Executive Head of LiSTNR Audience and Growth, Grant Tothill, said: “It’s great to see the gap between audience and monetisation starting to narrow. With 70% of podcast advertising now involving some form of AdTech, LiSTNR is well positioned to continue to drive the commercial podcast marketplace.

“Creating premium podcasts with our talented creators has always been a part of our DNA. It’s great to see audience growth month on month with some of our titles and for others to retain their audiences, helping us to continue to be the number one podcast sales network in Australia,” Tothill concluded.

Sources:

*Australian Podcast Ranker Top 200 Podcasts – November 2024

** All Australian Podcast Ranker Top 200 Podcasts – November 2024

^ Australian Podcast Ranker – Top Sales Representatives – November 2024

About LiSTNR:

LiSTNR is a curated and personalised, free app offering radio, podcasts, music, and news, creating a new audio destination for all Australians. Featuring a fun and intuitive onboarding process, LiSTNR delivers an audio destination that is built for individual listeners’ routines and preferences. Highly personalised, it provides listeners a new world of audio entertainment, with their own daily feed of audio and easy discovery of new content through curated recommendations. Available across a large array of devices including both iOS and Android, CarPlay and Android Auto, Google Assistant and Alexa and Android TV, LiSTNR enables a fantastic listening experience, anytime and anywhere. Open your Ears to a new world of audio – download the free app today. LiSTNR.com.

B105 Brisbane: #1 STATION and #1 BREAKFAST SHOW

Triple M Adelaide: #1 STATION and #1 BREAKFAST SHOW

SCA rounds out 2024 winning the ‘Audience that Matters’, continuing its record-breaking run of 28 consecutive wins^ of the key 25-54 buying demographic, in today’s GfK Radio360 Metro Survey #8 2024 results. SCA reaches more Australians every week than any other network, with more than 8.6 million listeners*, and remains the undisputed #1 25-54 radio network*.  In addition, SCA’s Hit Network was again #1 for women 25-54 (third survey in a row), while the Triple M network was #1 for men 25-54 (16 surveys in a row).

SCA’s Hit and Triple M metro station wins for Survey 8 include:

#1 Brisbane Station and #1 Breakfast show – B105 and Stav, Abby & Matt

#1 Adelaide Station and #1 Breakfast show – Triple M Adelaide’s Roo, Ditts & Loz

#1 and #2 Brisbane duopoly – B105 and Triple M Brisbane

#2 Melbourne FM Breakfast show – The Fox’s Fifi, Fev & Nick

SCA Chief Content Officer, Dave Cameron, said: “Today SCA celebrates outstanding results, with B105 marking a year of undefeated leadership followed closely by Triple M to deliver an incredible duopoly result in Brisbane. B105’s Stav, Abby & Matt have dominated Brisbane Breakfast, having also spent all of 2024 on top.

“We’re excited to see Triple M return as Adelaide’s Number one station, powered by Roo, Ditts & Loz with an extraordinary run of success – 18 consecutive FM breakfast wins.

“In Melbourne, The Fox’s Fifi, Fev & Nick have concluded an amazingly consistent and strong 2024, finishing the year as the Number two breakfast show. In what has been a year where Melbourne listeners have rejected interstate blow-ins and screamed that local shows with local content, from locally loved teams like Fifi, Fev & Nick, are what they want. While Triple M’s JB & Billy have achieved the highest Drive result since 2006, which puts them in a great position to extend their show to SA and WA next year.

“It’s a pleasing day to see a strong final result from Triple M Sydney’s Mick & MG, ahead of Mick Molloy’s return to Melbourne to take up the challenge of delivering even more locally loved content at breakfast on Triple M.

“This year has shown that breakfast localism is everything to listeners. In 2025 we will remain steadfast in our approach to continuing to deliver local Breakfast shows in all of our metro markets, which includes building six brand new breakfast shows focusing on local content for our 25-54 ‘audience that matters’ – a position SCA has again dominated over our competitors.”

SCA Chief Commercial Officer, Seb Rennie, said: “SCA continues to be the undisputed home of the 25-54 demographic, and we are proud to be the most listened to network in Australia, reaching a greater audience than any other network.

“With our SCA-ACE combined represented metro stations, the metro 25-54 audience share is 35.9%, extending our lead ahead of our nearest commercial competition by 7.5 share points.

“Our commitment to providing our advertising partners with innovative audio solutions, connecting with the right audiences and driving results across SCA’s broadcast and digital audio platforms, is unwavering. We congratulate our content teams who continue to deliver audio content that keeps our loyal audiences growing and engaged for longer.”

Source:  *GfK Radio 360 Metro Survey #8 2024.  GfK Gold Coast, Newcastle, Canberra Survey #3 2024.  Other regional radio markets surveyed to 12/12/2024.  P10+/P25-54, Mon-Sun ROS, Market Share/Cume Reach (000’s).​

GfK Radio 360 Metro Survey #8 2024. P10+.P25-54/M25-54/F25-54, Mon-Sun ROS/Mon-Fri 05.30-09.00/Mon-Fri 06.00-09.00/Mon-Fri 15.00-18.00/Mon-Fri 16.00-19.00. Total Radio. Market Share/Commercial Share/Cume Reach.  ^ 28 consecutive #1 Surveys (Survey #5 2021)

 

About Southern Cross Austereo

Southern Cross Austereo (SCA) is one of Australia’s leading media companies and the home of LiSTNR, the Hit and Triple M networks and regional television stations, reaching more than 95% of the Australian population. The LiSTNR digital audio app hosts a library of free and compelling digital audio content available anytime, anywhere. It houses SCA’s 99 FM, AM and DAB+ radio stations, including AFL, NRL and international cricket coverage, 27 music genre stations, and over 600 podcasts from leading Australian and global creators, plus local news and information. With more than two million signed-in users, LiSTNR has something to entertain, inform, and inspire all Australians and helps advertisers to connect with highly engaged and addressable audiences. The LiSTNR digital audio sales network reaches over 8 million people a month. SCA owns 99 radio stations across FM, AM, and DAB+ radio under the Triple M and Hit network brands and provides national sales representation for 56 regional radio stations, with 8.8 million listeners across the Hit and Triple M networks nationally. www.southerncrossaustereo.com.au.

TOTAL RADIO 

Nine Radio has cemented its dominance in 2024, topping the key Breakfast and Mornings shifts in Sydney and Melbourne, as revealed in today’s GfK Radio 360 Survey 8.

2GB is Sydney’s No.1 Talk station with a 11.8 share with Ben Fordham No.1 in Breakfast, posting a commanding 15.1 share (up 2.8) and Ray Hadley concluding his legendary 43-year career as the outright No.1 in Mornings with a 13.7 share (up 2.6).

In Melbourne, Ross and Russ continue their winning streak as No.1 in Breakfast with a 20.0 share, and Tom Elliott solidifying his No.1 spot in Mornings with 15.6.

The station overall remains unbeatable, achieving a 13.6 share – more than two points ahead of its nearest rival.

Nine Radio’s Head of Content, Greg Byrnes, said: “We finish the year like we started, with the clear number one Breakfast and Morning shows in Sydney and Melbourne!”

“3AW has a unique relationship with the city of Melbourne and we thank listeners for embracing our new lineup in 2024 and making the station so strong. The market has never been tougher in Sydney but 2GB has recorded big audience increases right across the day and is the clear number one on weekdays.

“I’m also really pleased for the team at 6PR where we’ve had impressive gains and Millsy and Karl are now number two in Breakfast. However, for Nine Radio this week it’s all about Ray Hadley, who will be ending his career on a high when he switches off his mic for the final time tomorrow.”

COMMERCIAL RADIO SHARE	TOTAL RADIO CUME
15.6 (4 markets)	1.823 million listeners each week

STREAMING

Nine Radio is the nation’s indisputable go-to destination for live audio streaming, showcasing a dominant commercial streaming share of 27.3 and cume audience of 425,000.

Sydney’s 2GB and Melbourne’s 3AW are on top, with commercial streaming shares of 31.8 and 27.2, respectively.

Breakfast powerhouses Ross and Russ are No.1 in Melbourne with an impressive 45.2 share, and Ben Fordham solidifies his No.1 spot at 2GB with a 16.3 share.

In Mornings, 3AW’s Tom Elliott is No.1 with 27.1, and Ray Hadley ends his legendary career on 2GB as No.1 with a 33.2 commercial streaming share.

Greg Byrnes, said: “Yearly growth across the network of almost 16% across is extraordinary. Nine Radio has been the clear number one across all day parts since the introduction of Radio360 and we’re getting stronger each survey.”

“What’s now clear is that Australians know the best way to stay connected to our live and local content is through a digital device. It sounds great, it’s easily accessible and means the listener is always informed no matter where they are.”

COMMERCIAL STREAMING SHARE	STREAMING CUME
27.3	425,000

PODCASTS 

The Nine Podcast Network achieved strong growth in November 2024, with 1.3 million listeners (+11% YoY) and 3.3 million downloads (+3% YoY).

From January to November, the network attracted 14.1 million listeners, generating over 40 million downloads and 18 million hours of listening across its premium Australian podcasts.

Ben Fordham Live led the network with 1.6 million annual listeners, while catch-up radio hits included 3AW Breakfast (616,000 listeners), The Ray Hadley Morning Show (608,000), and 3AW Mornings (575,000).

Nine’s True Crime Originals continued to dominate the charts with The Missing Campers Trial generating 657,000 listeners, The Ultimate Sacrifice (604,000 listeners), and Just Married: The Anthea Bradshaw Mystery (553K listeners).

Head of Podcasts and Digital Content Mia Stern said: “These results showcase the power and diversity of our content, from trusted news to gripping original stories. We’re proud to deliver premium listening experiences to Australians and look forward to bringing even more compelling content in 2025.”

TOTAL DOWNLOADS	TOTAL LISTENERS
3.3 million	1.3 million

YTD TOTAL DOWNLOADS	YTD AV TOTAL LISTENERS
40.68 million	1.47 million

Source: GfK Radio360 Ratings, Survey 8 2024, Mon-Sun 5.30am-12MN, Market Share % Total, Market Share Streaming %, Commercial Streaming Share %, Cume (000s) Total and Streaming, 3AW Breakfast Mon-Fri 5.30am-8.30am, 3AW Mornings 8.30am-12pm, AP10+, Nine Radio – 2GB, 3AW, 4BC, 6PR, unless otherwise specified.

Source: Triton Podcast Metrics, November 2024, Downloads, Listeners, Nine Entertainment, unless otherwise specified.

3AW dominates Melbourne’s airwaves as the city’s unrivalled number one radio station.

The latest GfK Radio 360 Survey 8 results, released today, confirm 3AW’s dominance with a leading audience share of 13.6 and a commanding commercial streaming share of 27.2%.

Each week, 3AW’s compelling mix of live, locally-driven talk radio draws a cumulative audience of 777,000 listeners across Melbourne.

Ross and Russ lead Melbourne’s breakfast radio scene with a 20 share – up 1 point on Survey 8 last year and a substantial 8.7 point advantage over their closest competitor. Each week, 486,000 Melburnians listen to the award-winning team – up 7% on the same survey last year. The duo also secured an impressive 45.2% share of the commercial streaming audience.

In his first year in the mornings slot, Tom Elliott was No. 1 in all eight surveys. He wraps up 2024 with a dominant 15.6 share and a weekly audience of 510,000. He also commands a strong 27.1% share of the commercial streaming market.

Tony Moclair leads the way as the top afternoon talk program, holding a 9.3 share – an impressive 5.5 points ahead of his nearest talk competitor.

Jacqui Felgate has solidified her position as Melbourne’s leading drive talk host, achieving an 8.7 share. Her dynamic and engaging style draws 289,000 Melburnians each week.

Denis Walter leads Melbourne’s evening radio listening, claiming the top position with a commanding 18 share – up 0.9 on Survey 7 and up a huge 4.5 points on the same time last year.

Darren James‘ Weekend Breakfast continues to lead the airwaves on Saturday and Sunday mornings.

3AW Station Manager, Stephen Beers, commented: “Survey 8 cements 3AW as Melbourne’s leading radio station. Ross and Russ continue to dominate breakfast, while Tom Elliott remains the top choice in mornings. We’re also delighted that Tony Moclair and Jacqui Felgate remain the most listened to talk programs in their slots. These results are a testament to the dedication of our on-air talent and the outstanding teams working behind the scenes. We’re incredibly grateful for the ongoing support of our loyal listeners, which we truly value.”

Source: GfK Radio360 Ratings, 3AW Melbourne Survey 8 2024, Mon-Sun 5.30am-12MN, Mon-Fri 5.30am-8.30am, Mon-Fri 8.30am-12pm, Mon-Fri 12pm-3pm, Mon-Fri 3pm-6pm, Mon-Thurs 8pm-12MN, Fri 7pm-12MN, Weekends 5.30am-12MN, Cume (000s), Market Share % Total Radio, Commercial Streaming share %, AP10+ , unless otherwise specified. 

2GB continues to reign as Sydney’s top choice for talk radio and commercial streaming, according to GfK Radio 360 Survey 8. The station today posted a 11.8 radio share, and dominant 31.8 commercial streaming share, taking out the No.1 talk spot. 

Ben Fordham Live is Sydney’s No.1 in Breakfast, dominating both radio and streaming with a stunning 15.1 share (up 2.8) and a 46.3 share in commercial streaming. Meanwhile, broadcasting legend Ray Hadley concludes his remarkable 43-year career as No.1 in Mornings across both platforms, with a 13.7 share (up 2.6) and a 33.2 share in streaming.

2GB Content Manager Luke Davis said: “What a way to end the year! Ben Fordham takes No.1 in Breakfast, and Ray Hadley finishes his legendary career exactly where he belongs – at the top of Sydney Mornings. This has been a huge year in news and sport, and as we look ahead to 2025, which will be a big Federal Election year. Our team is energised and ready to be Sydney’s go-to destination for live news, sport, opinion and debate.”

Further highlights of Gfk Radio 360 Survey 8 in Sydney:

• Afternoons with Michael McLaren posted a 9.6 (up 1.8) (Mon-Fri 12pm-3pm)
• Drive with Chris O’Keefe recorded an 8.0 share (up 1.5) (Mon-Fri 3pm-6pm)
• Wide World of Sports recorded a 6.5 share (Mon-Fri 6-7pm)
• Money News with Deborah Knight posted a 8.1 share (Mon-Thu 7pm-8pm)
• Nights with John Stanley remains the clear No.1 with a share of 16.6 (up 1.4) (Mon-Thurs 8pm-12am, Fri 7pm-12am)
• Weekends with Luke Grant posted a share of 11.1 (Sat-Sun 9am-1pm)
• Overnights with Clinton Maynard is No.1 with a 19.7 share (Mon-Fri 12am-5.30am)
• The Garden Clinic is No.1 with 16.3 (Sat-Sun 6am-8am)

Source: GfK Radio360 Ratings, 2GB Sydney Survey 8 2024, Mon-Fri 5.30am-9am, Mon-Fri 9am-12pm, Mon-Fri 12pm-3pm, Mon-Fri 3pm-6pm, Mon-Thur 7pm-8pm, Mon-Thur 8pm-12MN, Fri 7pm-12MN, Sat-Sun 9am-1pm, Fri 7pm-11pm, Sat 1pm-10pm, Sun 1pm-6pm, Market Share % Total Radio, Streaming share % AP10+ .

Tune in tomorrow as 2GB Sydney teams up with the St Vincent de Paul Society NSW for the highly anticipated 2GB Vinnies Christmas Radiothon – an inspiring day dedicated to raising vital funds for families facing challenges this holiday season.

Now in its third year, the Radiothon has already raised an incredible $300,000 over 2022 and 2023, proving the extraordinary generosity of the 2GB community.

Throughout the day, from Ben Fordham in Breakfast (5.30am-9.00am) to Ray Hadley in Mornings (9.00am-12.00pm), Michael McLaren in Afternoons (12.00pm-3.00pm), and Chris O’Keefe in Drive (3.00pm-6.00pm), 2GB will showcase the life-changing work of Vinnies and rally support for their Christmas Appeal.

Luke Davis, 2GB Content Manager, said: “Each year, the Radiothon is such an uplifting day for our listeners and staff, so the 2GB family jumped at the chance to partner with Vinnies for our third annual Christmas Radiothon.”

“On a daily basis, our listeners remind us how tough it is for everyday Australians to make ends meet. We also know that our community and partners are extraordinarily generous. Collectively, we can make a significant and very real difference to the lives of many this Christmas, and we’re looking forward to spreading some magic on Wednesday.”

CEO of the St Vincent de Paul Society NSW, Yolanda Saiz, said: “We’re excited to be partnering with 2GB once again for the Vinnies Christmas Radiothon. The generosity of listeners over the past three years of the radiothon has been heartwarming and this year is more important than ever as households struggle with ongoing cost of living pressures.”

“All the funds raised through the radiothon will go straight back into the community, allowing our members to provide support to people experiencing disadvantage including food, clothing, accommodation and household expenses. We ask people to give what they can, every dollar will make a difference.”

Mark your calendar and be part of a day filled with stories of hope, kindness, and community spirit. Every donation helps bring joy and support to those who need it most this festive season.

The 2GB Vinnies Radiothon will air from 5.30am-6.00pm, tomorrow Wednesday 11 December 2024.

Individual and corporate donations can be made on the day by visiting 2GB.com or by calling 13 18 12.