ARN’s iHeart continues as Australia’s podcast powerhouse, reaching 7.7 million monthly listeners and delivering more than 24 million monthly downloads. iHeart now connects with 35% of all weekly Podcast Ranker listeners, underscoring its broad reach and influence in the Australian podcasting landscape.

Standout performers for iHeart include:

• Life Uncut surged back into the Top 10, climbing 5 places to #7 overall and reaffirming its position as Australia’s #1 Relationship podcast.
• The Kyle & Jackie O Show ranked at #14 overall
• The Daily remained a consistent presence at #15, while The Daily Aus also performed strongly at #23 overall
• Stuff You Should Know continues to deliver at #28 overall and holds the crown as Australia’s #1 Knowledge podcast.
• On Purpose with Jay Shetty ranked at #32 overall.
• She’s On The Money climbed 4 places to #37 overall, consolidating its position as one of Australia’s most loved finance podcasts.
• BBC’s Global News Podcast held firm at #38 overall
• No Such Thing As A Fish gained momentum, up 2 places to #50 overall.
• Dyl & Friends moved to #56 overall
• Stalked made one of the month’s biggest moves, climbing a remarkable 66 places to #90 overall.
• You’re Dead To Me also surged, up 28 places to #111 overall.

Corey Layton, ARN’s Head of Digital Audio, said: “This month’s results highlight the depth, diversity and strength of iHeart’s slate. From market-leading homegrown voices like Life Uncut and The Kyle & Jackie O Show to global favourites like Stuff You Should Know, we’re connecting millions of Australians to the content they love. With our Upfronts just around the corner, we’re looking forward to sharing the next evolution of our slate.”

Overall, iHeart represents more podcasts in the top 300 than any other representative, with 84 of the Top 300 podcasts in the latest Australian Podcast Ranker. A diverse slate of titles across news, entertainment, lifestyle and knowledge continues to deliver scale and impact for audiences and advertisers alike.

Phoenix FM began broadcasting in 2008 and secured a full licence in 2010. With a general licence, the station delivers a wide variety of content – from First Nations programming and Spanish and Filipino language shows to LGBTQIA+ topics, local sports, and an eclectic mix of music genres including country, Celtic, jazz, folk, electronic, and heavy metal. In recent years, an influx of younger presenters has introduced fresh styles while still honouring the station’s long-standing programming, helping to broaden its audience.

A key shift has been Phoenix FM’s increasing focus on local and Australian music, strengthening the station’s identity and supporting homegrown artists. This commitment has become a defining part of its programming and appeal.

Despite this diversity, Phoenix FM found that listeners and interviewees often missed out on programs because they couldn’t tune in live. Many asked if there was a way to listen back, but without an on-demand option, the station couldn’t meet this demand.

The CBAA’s Omny podcast and on-demand platform offered the perfect solution. Phoenix FM secured sponsorship to cover costs, trained with the CBAA team, and launched with 12 shows. Promotion through on-air announcements, eBulletins, social media, and a new website page helped drive awareness. The number of participating programs has since grown to around 25, with some also producing standalone podcasts.

The ability to listen back to Outside Broadcasts has been particularly valuable. These events feature live interviews with community members and groups who can now revisit and share their stories with their own networks – a powerful benefit of the on-demand service.

The results have been impressive: stronger listener engagement, new sponsorship, better data for discussions with supporters, and opportunities for presenters to build skills and pride in their content. Younger presenters and listeners have been particularly drawn to the platform, bringing fresh energy to the station.

As Brett from Phoenix FM puts it:
“This platform has exceeded our expectations, not only in downloads but in engagement by listeners, sponsors and presenters.”

Commercial Radio & Audio (CRA), in partnership with Triton Digital, has released the August results for the Australian Podcast Ranker. The Ranker is the country’s only official, third-party verified podcast measurement system, governed by a cross-industry Steering Committee and backed by strong collaboration across commercial, independent, and non-commercial publishers. It sets the benchmark for podcast data in Australia. 

Lizzie Young, CEO of CRA said: “The Australian Podcast Ranker doesn’t just measure audiences – it identifies the communities that directly influence consumer decisions, providing advertisers with insights to turn listeners into loyal customers.” 

Who’s Listening, What’s Trending?

Father’s Day has come and gone, but men’s podcast listening paints a clearer picture of what they may value most.  

Demos+ data reveals of all males aged 25-54, 60% listen to Sports podcasts, 53% Technology podcasts, and 51% Leisure podcasts. While Science (45%) and Music (46%) complete their top five genres. With 81.4% employed full-time during peak earning years, these consumers combine established purchasing power with active content exploration across five distinct categories. This demographic’s podcast library directly predicts purchase intent, with media consumption signalling exactly which products resonate.[i]  

Australian Podcast Ranker top five genres August 2025
Genre		Monthly Listeners
1	News	5,108,656
2	Society & Culture	4,637,107
3	Sports	3,967,080
4	True Crime	3,464,753
5	Comedy	2,897,793

Australian Podcast Ranker top five podcasts August 2025
Podcast		Producer	Monthly Listeners
1	Hamish & Andy	LiSTNR (SCA)	855,315
2	ABC News Top Stories	Australian Broadcasting Corporation	821,367
3	Mamamia Out Loud	Mamamia	586,668
4	Sky News Australia Update	News Corp Australia	466,847
5	Conversations	Australian Broadcasting Corporation	449,342

 Please note: access the complete datasets and interactive analytics are available here 

About the Australian Podcast Ranker

The Australian Podcast Ranker is a monthly snapshot of the top 300 podcasts listened to by Australians, and the top 300 Australian podcasts. The Australian Podcast Ranker is an industry initiative commissioned by CRA and published by Triton Digital. Results comply with IAB Podcast Measurement Technical Guidelines.

[i]Triton Digital Demos+ Australian Survey Data (Q4’23 – Q2’25). All percentages represent composition of each genre’s monthly P18+ podcast audience

Southern Cross Austereo (SCA) today announced an exclusive sales representation and LiSTNR distribution agreement with Audacy, a leading US-based audio content and entertainment company, for the Australian market. 

Audacy has a well-established radio broadcast pedigree with over 200 radio stations in 45 markets in the US, and an award-winning podcast portfolio powered by over 300 titles. 

Australian advertisers will now be able to access Audacy’s top-tier titles as part of their audio campaigns, creating new opportunities to align with premium content and audiences. The partnership broadens the breadth of available content for LiSTNR audiences and increases the reach for clients, with access to a range of popular titles including Office Ladies with Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsley, Fly on the Wall with David Spade and Dana Carvey, Search Engine, The Moth and dozens of podcasts from CBS Sports and CBS News & Entertainment.

The addition of Audacy’s podcast slate further enhances LiSTNR’s digital audio app, which offers free and compelling content across live radio, sport, music, and podcasts including SCA’s FM, AM, and DAB+ stations, live coverage of AFL, NRL and international cricket, more than 50 music playlists, local news, and over 800 podcast titles from leading Australian and global creators.

With more than 2.4 million signed-in users on the LiSTNR app and a Total LiSTNR Audience Network reaching over 10 million Australians each month*, this agreement provides advertisers with access to an even broader inventory of premium, high-engagement digital audio content, including Audacy’s award-winning podcast portfolio which spans titles spanning investigative documentaries, true crime, sports, news, comedy, and health and fitness.

Grant Tothill, Executive Head LiSTNR Operations and Audience, said: “Audacy is one of America’s leading audio content and entertainment companies, with many similarities to SCA in its commitment to delivering trusted local news, passionate sports coverage and the music audiences love. With a network spanning more than 220 radio stations, premium podcasts, live events and digital experiences reaching over 200 million listeners every month, we are delighted to be partnering with the Audacy team to represent them in Australia.”

“We believe in the power of being everywhere – bringing our stories, voices and award-winning podcasts to audiences wherever they are,” said Leah Reis-Dennis, Head of Podcasts, Audacy. “Partnering with SCA and LiSTNR allows us to extend that reach to even more listeners around the world, creating new opportunities for connection while giving advertisers access to some of the most passionate and engaged audiences in audio.”

About Southern Cross Austereo:

Southern Cross Austereo (SCA) is one of Australia’s leading media companies and the home of LiSTNR, as well as the Hit and Triple M networks. 

The LiSTNR digital audio app, offering free and compelling digital audio content including SCA’s FM, AM, and DAB+ radio stations, live AFL, NRL, and international cricket coverage, over 50 music playlists, local news and over  800 podcast titles from leading Australian and global creators. With more than 2.4 million signed-in users on the LiSTNR app and with a total LiSTNR Audience Network that reaches an estimated ten million* people each month. 

SCA owns 104 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 more than 9 million listeners across the Hit and Triple M networks nationally.

About LiSTNR:

The LiSTNR digital audio app, offering free and compelling digital audio content including SCA’s FM, AM, and DAB+ radio stations, live AFL, NRL, and international cricket coverage, over 50 music playlists, local news and over  800 podcast titles from leading Australian and global creators. With more than 2.5 million signed-in users on the LiSTNR app and with a total LiSTNR Audience Network that reaches an estimated ten million* people each month. 

*Triton Streaming Metrics, Triton Podcast Metrics, & Edison – July 2025 

About Audacy

Audacy is a leading audio content and entertainment company. As champions of audio, we connect with people in the moments that matter — delivering trusted local news, passionate sports and your favorite music across 220+ radio stations, premium podcasts, live events and digital experiences that reach more than 200 million listeners every month.

We create compelling content, foster deeply engaged audiences and deliver outcomes that matter for advertisers. Learn more at www.audacyinc.com and join the conversation on LinkedIn, X, Facebook and Instagram.

The Organisation

The Indigenous Community Television (ICTV) Board is now welcoming expressions of interest for the role of Chief Executive Officer (CEO). ICTV is a community television service with over one hundred members residing in remote and very remote Indigenous communities around Australia, with a Board of Directors elected from this membership.

About the Role

This is a special role in a great organisation. As the CEO, you will be involved in all areas of the organisation, but your role is to provide oversight, leadership and to ensure that organisational health, sustainability and cultural safety are high priorities.

Contract: Full-time, three (3) years (extension subject to funding and performance)
Salary: $140,000 – $160,000 (depending on experience), plus:

• Salary sacrificing (up to $15,900)
• Remote area allowance ($15,900)
• Relocation support (for interstate candidates)

Location: ICTV Office – 10B Wilkinson Street, Alice Springs NT, (some hybrid work possible by Board approval).

For further information, please read the candidate pack.

Applications will be accepted via email only, hello@jadelillie.com with subject line: ICTV CEO EOI.

Applications close on Sunday 12 October at 11.59pm.

Nine Radio‘s award-winning talk radio stations are enhancing the listening experience with sync commentary on the 2GB, 4BC, 3AW and 6PR apps during AFL and NRL coverage. The new sync feature will allow footy fans the power to synchronise the award winning 3AW Football, 6PR Football and Continuous Call Team game calls with any live match, whether they’re at the ground or watching on television.

The sync technology, integrated directly into the app’s live streaming player, underscores Nine Radio’s commitment to delivering best in class app experiences for our listeners. With a selection of In-Stadium, Free to Air TV or Streaming and a simple on-screen slider, users can sync the commentary, allowing for a perfect match with live stadium action or any television broadcast.

How the Audio-Sync Feature Works

The feature is available now for footy finals. Listeners simply need to:

1. Ensure they have the latest version of the app, available on the App Store and Google Play

2. Stream the football or CCT broadcast during any live match

3. Tap the ‘Change Audio Sync’ icon that appears at the bottom of the player

4. Select your viewing experience – in stadium, free to air TV, or streaming

5. Adjust the simple slider to delay the audio until it perfectly matches the live action.

The Audio-Sync feature cements Nine Radio’s position as footy fans number one destination for football coverage, combining a legendary commentary team with cutting-edge technology to serve the most passionate fans in the country.

Tom Malone, Nine Radio Managing Director, said: “This new feature is the next step in providing our listeners the flexibility to consume our audio content, however, wherever and now alongside whatever other content they want. Audi-sync fuses the unparalleled ‘live and local’ strength of our stations with technology that makes our content more accessible and engaging than ever before.”

Juliane Djidi, Product Manager Audio and Streaming, said: “I am thrilled to launch Audio Sync! It’s incredibly rewarding to deliver a feature you know your users will love, and Audio Sync is a perfect example of this. It brings our sports fans even closer to the action and provides them with a new way to enjoy our live commentary, no matter how they’re watching the game.”

With the 2025 NRL Telstra Premiership Finals Series about to kick-off, and anticipation at fever pitch, Triple M is gearing up to deliver league fans its biggest finals series yet. From the opening whistle to the final siren, Triple M will be there for every bone-rattling hit, try-saving tackle, and finals-defining play. Every NRL finals game will be called live, backed by seven days a week of league chat, and the most experienced commentary team in the game, to guide listeners through every exhilarating moment.

Triple M remains the #1 NRL audio broadcaster in the country, with more than 434,000 fans tuning in each week across Brisbane and Sydney.* In 2025, Triple M’s premier commentary roster was strengthened with league legends Nathan Hindmarsh, Shane Webcke, and Kevin Walters joining the call. They bolster an already illustrious lineup including Emma Lawrence, Tony Squires, Dan Ginnane, Anthony Maroon, Ben Dobbin, Gorden Tallis, James Graham, Aaron “Woodsy” Woods, and Wade Graham, there’s no better team to deliver all the footy action as it happens than Triple M.

The expanded NRLW finals series – now with six teams competing – will also be front and centre on Triple M, capped off with live coverage of the NRLW Grand Final. Expect expert insight, player access, and analysis that goes well beyond the scoreboard, with a commentary team headlined by Emma Lawrence.

Off the field, Triple M delivers seven days a week of league talk with the shows that set the agenda, spark debate, and break the stories that will get fans talking. In NSW, The Rush Hour NSW with Maroon & Hindy takes listeners through footy news every afternoon with Anthony ‘Maroon’ Maroon, Nathan “Hindy” Hindmarsh, Millie Elliott, and Adam Peacock. In Queensland, Ben “Dobbo” Dobbin and Elliott Lovejoy steer The Rush Hour with Dobbo & Elliott with no shortage of breaking news and insider scoops, while Brisbane’s #1 Breakfast show Marto, Margaux & Dan will keep the city talking footy from sun-up. In Sydney, Beau, Cat & Woodsywill be live from a different finalist’s hometown each Friday of the finals, with Grand Final tickets up for grabs throughout the show in the fortnight before the decider.

Triple M’s dedicated league shows also fire up across the weekend: The Thursday Scrum sets the weekend’s agenda while The Saturday Scrum and Sunday Sin Bin crunch the biggest issues, and match previews and reviews, live from 12pm. Fans wanting a midweek fix can binge on NRL Daily plus The Journos podcast with Danny Weidler, Michael Chammas, and Adam Peacock, all available on the Triple M NRL feed on LiSTNR.  

Ewan Giles, SCA Head of Sports Content, said: “With the Raiders breaking a 30-year drought to claim the minor premiership and the Panthers chasing five premierships in a row, this finals series is shaping up to be one for the ages. Triple M has the legends, the stories, and the passion to match the intensity on the field. No matter where you are, if you love your league, the M’s will be your ideal soundtrack to finals.”

Triple M’s NRL coverage and dedicated sports shows are available across the network and can be streamed free on LiSTNR.

Source: GfK Radio 360 Ratings. Metro Survey 5, 2025. Sydney / Brisbane. – Thursday 1800-2200, Friday 1800-2000, Saturday 1200-1700, Sunday 1200-1600. P10+ / People 10-69 / People 25-54. Cume Reach / Market Share %

About Triple M: 

For more than 40 years, Triple M has been one of Australia’s most recognisable radio brands, providing listeners with a unique blend of Greatest Hits, Sport, and Comedy. With 49 stations nationwide – including six digital stations – Triple M is renowned for delivering music’s greatest hits, alongside iconic talent and standout shows that lead the way in sport and entertainment.  

Reaching more than 4.9 million radio and on-demand listeners each week, Triple M is home to some of the country’s most respected sporting legends, beloved comedians, and music personalities, including Mick Molloy, James Brayshaw, Billy Brownless, Luisa Dal Din, and Jack Archdale – to only name a few! Triple M’s content is available live or on demand on the LiSTNR app.  

SCA today announced the appointment of Ed Kirkwood as Content Director for B105 in Brisbane. 

Kirkwood returns to SCA with over a decade of experience as a strategist and content leader bringing with him a wealth of knowledge from some of Australia’s most prominent broadcast brands.

Most recently, Kirkwood was Content Lead at ARN for the KIIS Network’s national drive shows, overseeing Will & Woody, Zach and Dom, and The Pick Up. Prior to that,  he spent four years as Executive Producer of Will & Woody, driving the show’s creative strategy, developing high-performing production teams, and delivering strong ratings and commercial results across the network.

Kirkwood’s career spans major roles at the ABC and triple j, producing flagship Breakfast, Drive, and Evenings programs, before moving into commercial radio at SCA, where he worked as Senior Producer across key shows on Fox FM and 2DayFM. His return to SCA brings a proven track record of content leadership, innovation, and audience growth to the national content team.

On his appointment, Ed Kirkwood said: “I’m incredibly excited to be rejoining SCA, with all that it has to offer in the way of professional excellence and a high performing culture. I especially feel privileged to be working alongside the B105 team, whose reputation for hard work and compelling content precedes itself. Stav, Abby & Matt are an absolute juggernaut and an essential part of Brisbane culture and its identity, and I can’t wait to contribute to the success of the show in any way I can.”

Amanda Lee, Head of Hit Metro Content, said: “We’re excited to welcome Ed back to SCA. His proven record in growing shows, developing high performing teams and creating content that genuinely connects with audiences makes him a valuable addition to the B105 team. Ed also brings deep experience in integrating brands seamlessly into content and has a strong focus on podcast strategy and growth, a combination that will strengthen our offering across multiple platforms.”

Ed Kirkwood will officially commence as B105’s Content Director on Monday 13th October.

Outcomes of our 2025 investigations

Program or issue	Station/licensee	Description	Outcome	Report published
Marty Sheargold Show	Triple M Sydney Pty Ltd	Decency	Breach of 2.2 [generally accepted standards of decency] of the Commercial Radio Code of Practice 2017 (ref. BI-724)	11 September 2025

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has found four broadcast licensees in breach of decency rules due to comments broadcast on the Marty Sheargold Show about women’s sport.

The ACMA investigation found that Triple M Sydney Pty Ltd, Triple M Brisbane Pty Ltd, Gold Coast FM Pty Ltd and Maryborough Broadcasting Company Pty Limited all contravened the Commercial Radio Code of Practice by allowing derogatory language and sexist themes to be broadcast on the program.

These included comments that the Australian women’s national football team, the Matildas, were behaving like “Year 10 girls”, with the host proceeding to mimic a Year 10 girl, perpetuating stereotypes of women’s behaviour. 

The sexist comments, expressed in a demeaning and sarcastic tone, demonstrated a level of contempt and disdain for women’s sport, and more generally of women. 

The offensive themes were then exacerbated by the host referring to his genitalia in a further degrading comment about women’s sport.

Authority Member Carolyn Lidgerwood said the demeaning and insulting language used by the host went beyond generally acceptable standards of decency. 

“Sexist comments like this don’t belong in Australian broadcasting. Even if the comments were an extremely ill-judged attempt at humour, a reasonable listener would have found them offensive and to have crossed the line,” Ms Lidgerwood said.

The ACMA notes that following the broadcast, Southern Cross Austereo (SCA), the parent company of Triple M, made the decision to cancel the show and mutually parted ways with Mr Sheargold.  

The ACMA is currently considering enforcement action against the licensees for breaching the code and will publicly announce the outcome once it is finalised.