ABC NEWS was again Australia’s top digital news provider in August with a monthly audience of 13 million people, according to the latest Ipsos iris data released today.
The audience was highly engaged, with an average time spent on the ABC NEWS website of 27 minutes per person.
Australians spent nearly five hours consuming news content online across August, in line with last month.
Local and national news stories which drove audience online included the shooting of two police officers in Porepunkah and the ongoing manhunt for Dezi Freeman, reporting on the anti-immigration rallies around the capital cities and coverage of the 2025 Logies red carpet and AFL “Mad Monday” celebrations.
In global news, the summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Alaska and updates on the ongoing conflicts abroad attracted the attention of Australian audiences.
The Hit Network’s Carrie & Tommy is partnering with Tourism and Events Queensland (TEQ), the Queensland tourism industry, and dentsu Queensland, inspiring Australians to discover the Pacific Coast Way Drive, Australia’s Holiday Highway. Carrie & Tommy will broadcast their national Drive show from four iconic Queensland locations this week as part of the new ‘Wheely Good Adventure’ campaign.
From Monday 22 to Thursday 25 September, Carrie Bickmore and Tommy Little will take their show on the road in a motorhome, showcasing Queensland’s breathtaking coastline and picturesque beachside towns.
Listeners will hear Carrie & Tommy live from some of Queensland’s most spectacular destinations – K’gari / Kingfisher Bay (Fraser Coast), Sixty6 Acres (Sunshine Coast), Sandstone Point (Moreton Bay), and Tallebudgera Creek (Gold Coast). Plus, listeners will also hear deeper destination stories that celebrate other destinations and experiences along Australia’s Holiday Highway, including the Whitsundays, Townsville, Gladstone, Mackay and Sealink, our connection to some of the Pacific Coast Way islands.
The national campaign is a collaboration between SCA, dentsu Queensland, some of Queensland’s tourism industry, plus Tourism and Events Queensland, created by The Studio, SCA’s in-house commercial creative team. In addition to the live broadcasts, the campaign includes daily on-air content across Carrie & Tommy, celebrating Queensland’s regions from the Gold Coast to the Whitsundays, along with a listener competition to win a $5,000 Queensland holiday.
TEQ Group Executive Marketing Kim McConnie said the ‘Wheely Good Adventure’ campaign not only showcases Queensland’s destinations along ‘Australia’s Holiday Highway’ the Pacific Coast Way, but it brings them to life.
“Leveraging the much-loved Carrie & Tommy Drive show to share the energy, excitement and adventure of a Queensland road trip along Australia’s Holiday Highway offers a dynamic way to connect with a national audience.
“This partnership allows us to lean into storytelling that celebrates the experience itself – building authentic connection and consideration, while also driving meaningful publicity outcomes for regional Queensland,” McConnie concluded.
“This is proof of that Team Queensland spirit in action,” said Emilia Ball, Integrated Partnerships Lead at dentsu Queensland.
“We’re incredibly proud at dentsu Queensland to play a leading role in creating this connected ecosystem for the marketing of tourism and events across our state. The integration with Carrie & Tommy – whose show is hitting the road in a motorhome for the first time – is a standout example, connecting our regions and operators and further elevating Australia’s Holiday Highway.”
Trevor Crook, SCA’s Head of Client Services & Partnerships, said: “This collaboration is a prime example of how we connect brands with audiences through engaging talent integration. Carrie & Tommy’s adventurous nature and love of taking their Drive show on the road aligns seamlessly with TEQ’s love of capturing the adventure of Queensland’s Pacific Coast Way.”
Carrie & Tommy’s Wheely Good Adventure:
Media partner: SCA & Hit Network – Carrie & Tommy Drive show
Brand: Pacific Coast Way
Client: Tourism and Events Queensland
Media Agency: dentsu Queensland
Creative: The Studio at SCA
About the Hit Network:
The Hit Network is Australia’s biggest radio network broadcasting across metro and regional markets with a unique collection of 50 FM and DAB+ stations. The Hit Network targets people aged 25 – 54, skews female and features a mood focused, ‘feel great’ pop music format alongside the most entertaining local breakfast and national drive shows. It is home to popular personalities including Carrie Bickmore, Tommy Little, Fifi Box, Brendan Fevola, Nick Cody, Abby Coleman, Matty Acton, Stav Davidson and many more.
The Hit Network entertains more than six million Aussie radio listeners across B105, 2Day, The Fox, SAFM, Mix94.5, Sea FM, 41 Hit stations plus DAB+ stations including Oldskool 90s Hits, Buddha Hits, Oldskool 80s Hits, RnB Fridays Radio and Dance Hits. All Hit Network’s content is also available live or on demand on the LiSTNR app.
Southern Cross Austereo has announced the promotion of Georgie de Visser to National Head of The Studio.
de Visser is a seasoned creative strategist with more than 15 years of experience leading multi-market high-performing teams and delivering integrated, award-winning campaigns across print, digital, and broadcast media, both within Australia and internationally. Known for driving brand growth and long term commercial results, her expertise spans strategy, creative direction, and multi-platform content development.
She will lead the campaign creative response division of The Studio, overseeing the team responsible for strategic creative direction, commercial alignment, and the monetisation of audience insights and creative output. The Studio’s five metro leads will report directly to de Visser. Her focus will be on delivering high-impact creative and strategic solutions, streamlining workflows, and fostering a high-performance culture that ensures consistent, high-quality outcomes across all markets.
Since joining SCA in October 2023 as Head of The Studio – Sydney, de Visser has played a key role in shaping the network’s commercial creativity, leading strategic and creative output across major national campaigns.
Prior to SCA, she held senior creative and strategy roles at a number of media organisations, including eight years at NOVA Entertainment, where she held several senior positions including Head of Create and Group Head of Strategy.
Trevor Crook, SCA’s Head of Client Services & Partnerships, said: “I’m delighted to announce Georgie’s appointment as National Head of The Studio. Georgie’s passion, strategic insight, and strong industry relationships make her ideally placed to guide The Studio into its next phase of growth. Working closely with Harriet Power and myself, her leadership will build on the strong momentum already achieved as reflected in the recent Media i Net Promoter Score cross-platform team results, and will further cement The Studio’s reputation for delivering innovative, results-driven creative solutions for our clients nationwide.”
Georgie de Visser said: “I’m thrilled to step into the role of National Head of The Studio and build on the momentum, performance, and impact the team has in delivering total audio solutions. This new role reflects SCA’s commitment and investment in monetising the audiences that matter. With audio consumption continuing to grow, the opportunity for brands to harness creative more effectively has never been greater, and my focus is on ensuring our work continues to deliver meaningful results for our clients whilst pushing the boundaries of creative thinking, output, and outcomes.”
Harriet Power, Head of Brand Experience & Commercial Integration, continues to lead the audience engagement and implementation arm of The Studio and will work closely with de Visser to bring campaigns to life in market. While de Visser oversees the development of commercially aligned campaign work, Power builds and delivers engaging audience promotions, brand partnerships and content initiatives, ensuring precise execution and managing end-to-end delivery and integration across platforms. Together, they drive a unified approach to creativity and execution, delivering seamless, high-impact campaigns.
The Studio at SCA was established in 2017 as SCA’s dedicated in-house creative and commercial content division. Since its inception, The Studio has evolved into a national, multi-platform powerhouse, delivering award-winning branded content and integrated campaigns across SCA’s leading radio networks, digital platforms, and the Total LiSTNR Audience Network. Creating campaigns built for audiences, backed by data and optimised on demand, The Studio combines strategic insight, audience understanding, and creative excellence to partner closely with brands in crafting compelling, results-driven campaigns that connect across audio, digital, social, and experiential channels.
The Studio continues to be recognised for creative and commercial excellence, recently earning a Cairns Crocodile Award for Data Driven Creativity with the “Refreshingly BWS Stats” campaign. The team also earned finalist nominations in the Branded Content and Entertainment category for the Federal Government’s “You Can Ask That” campaign, and in the Radio & Audio category for the KFC “Hot & Spicy The Yappening” campaign.
Georgie de Visser will report directly to Trevor Crook, SCA Head of Client Services & Partnerships and Market Lead Melbourne.
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.
Southern Cross Austereo has announced the promotion of Georgie de Visser to National Head of The Studio.
de Visser is a seasoned creative strategist with more than 15 years of experience leading multi-market high-performing teams and delivering integrated, award-winning campaigns across print, digital, and broadcast media, both within Australia and internationally. Known for driving brand growth and long term commercial results, her expertise spans strategy, creative direction, and multi-platform content development.
She will lead the campaign creative response division of The Studio, overseeing the team responsible for strategic creative direction, commercial alignment, and the monetisation of audience insights and creative output. The Studio’s five metro leads will report directly to de Visser. Her focus will be on delivering high-impact creative and strategic solutions, streamlining workflows, and fostering a high-performance culture that ensures consistent, high-quality outcomes across all markets.
Since joining SCA in October 2023 as Head of The Studio – Sydney, de Visser has played a key role in shaping the network’s commercial creativity, leading strategic and creative output across major national campaigns.
Prior to SCA, she held senior creative and strategy roles at a number of media organisations, including eight years at NOVA Entertainment, where she held several senior positions including Head of Create and Group Head of Strategy.
Trevor Crook, SCA’s Head of Client Services & Partnerships, said: “I’m delighted to announce Georgie’s appointment as National Head of The Studio. Georgie’s passion, strategic insight, and strong industry relationships make her ideally placed to guide The Studio into its next phase of growth. Working closely with Harriet Power and myself, her leadership will build on the strong momentum already achieved as reflected in the recent Media i Net Promoter Score cross-platform team results, and will further cement The Studio’s reputation for delivering innovative, results-driven creative solutions for our clients nationwide.”
Georgie de Visser said: “I’m thrilled to step into the role of National Head of The Studio and build on the momentum, performance, and impact the team has in delivering total audio solutions. This new role reflects SCA’s commitment and investment in monetising the audiences that matter. With audio consumption continuing to grow, the opportunity for brands to harness creative more effectively has never been greater, and my focus is on ensuring our work continues to deliver meaningful results for our clients whilst pushing the boundaries of creative thinking, output, and outcomes.”
Harriet Power, Head of Brand Experience & Commercial Integration, continues to lead the audience engagement and implementation arm of The Studio and will work closely with de Visser to bring campaigns to life in market. While de Visser oversees the development of commercially aligned campaign work, Power builds and delivers engaging audience promotions, brand partnerships and content initiatives, ensuring precise execution and managing end-to-end delivery and integration across platforms. Together, they drive a unified approach to creativity and execution, delivering seamless, high-impact campaigns.
The Studio at SCA was established in 2017 as SCA’s dedicated in-house creative and commercial content division. Since its inception, The Studio has evolved into a national, multi-platform powerhouse, delivering award-winning branded content and integrated campaigns across SCA’s leading radio networks, digital platforms, and the Total LiSTNR Audience Network. Creating campaigns built for audiences, backed by data and optimised on demand, The Studio combines strategic insight, audience understanding, and creative excellence to partner closely with brands in crafting compelling, results-driven campaigns that connect across audio, digital, social, and experiential channels.
The Studio continues to be recognised for creative and commercial excellence, recently earning a Cairns Crocodile Award for Data Driven Creativity with the “Refreshingly BWS Stats” campaign. The team also earned finalist nominations in the Branded Content and Entertainment category for the Federal Government’s “You Can Ask That” campaign, and in the Radio & Audio category for the KFC “Hot & Spicy The Yappening” campaign.
Georgie de Visser will report directly to Trevor Crook, SCA Head of Client Services & Partnerships and Market Lead Melbourne.
This is a full-time position based in Fortitude Valley, Meanjin/Brisbane, QLD. The Station Manager is responsible for the everyday operations of 4ZZZ. This role works with the Board of Directors to set the strategic direction of the station. The Station Manager reports to the Board of Directors monthly, and manages a team of paid staff, volunteer coordinators and broadcasters to deliver the strategic vision. The role is fast-paced and varied. It requires critical thinking, problem solving and strong communication skills. Prior experience in the areas of fundraising, volunteer engagement, broadcasting, organisational strategy & culture is preferred.
Station environment and structure
4ZZZ is run by a small but dedicated crew of staff and volunteers, and it’s been this way since we hit the airwaves in 1975. We are a non-profit organisation, driven to connect and broadcast the voices of our communities and powered by our subscribers and sponsorship revenue. We are committed to providing opportunities for volunteers to gain skills and experience in all facets of community radio with ongoing training and support.
Please read the full Position Description attached before applying.
Selection Criteria
Ability to lead an organisation, and experience in the strategic management of organisational resources including financial, technological, information, communication and human resources.
Ability to build and sustain a motivated and skilled workforce, which includes volunteers, and to create a high degree of morale, team cohesion and effectiveness.
Commitment to community broadcasting and its objectives; and ability to understand and work with 4ZZZ’s station culture and program format.
Integrity and commitment to ethical practice, equity and diversity; and the ability to apply Equal Opportunity and Occupational Health and Safety principles and practices.
Outstanding written and verbal communication skills.
Ability to recognise opportunities, devise innovative proposals and undertake research and development projects which may involve risk taking.
Success in establishing rapport and maintaining productive relations and effective networks within the work place and with organisations, business and government.
Any questions regarding the role, please contact the recruitment panel at jobs@4zzz.org.au, using the subject line: Station Manager enquiry
The ABC recorded the highest number of titles in the August Triton Podcast Ranker, released today, with 47 podcasts in the top 300, including four in the top 10.
The ABC saw growth across its podcast slate with 3.2 million listeners in August, an increase of 158,000 (+5%) compared to July.
ABC News Top Stories remained the ABC’s most popular podcast, holding its position at No 2 overall with 821,000 listeners.
The Case Of, formerly Mushroom Case Daily, landed at No 6 with 440,000 listeners, only slightly down on Mushroom Case Daily’s huge July result. August included some Mushroom Case Daily episodes in addition to the first The Case Of episodes.
After covering the trial of the NT croc wrangler The Case Of is now looking at the story of Perth woman Donna Nelson, who said she was going to Japan to meet the man she was going to marry but was arrested at a Tokyo airport carrying two kilos of methamphetamine.The Case Of Romance Scam: Who is Donna Nelson? is presented by Stephen Stockwell with the ABC’s North Asia Correspondent James Oaten and Australian Story producer Olivia Rousset. Jessica Radburn, Head of ABC On Demand, said the August Triton results were very encouraging across the ABC’s slate.
“The Case Of result is testament to our team’s work to respond to audience interest in the court system and successfully pivot the success of Mushroom Case Daily into the ABC’s court and crime podcast destination,” she said.
Conversations lifted four spots to No 5, achieving its highest monthly audience this year of 449,000 listeners, up 70,000. The result comes after the podcast completed a 20th anniversary live tour throughout August and the release of a special collection of stories from across the program’s history.
ABC News Daily rounded out our top 10, remaining at No 8 with 410,000 listeners, an increase of 28,000.
If You’re Listening wasNo 25, up 12 spots and recording its highest monthly figures with 264,000 listeners, up by 69,000.
Politics Now rose four places to No 31 with 224,000 listeners, an increase of 25,000 on July. Global Roaming with Geraldine Doogue and Hamish Macdonald saw a huge lift, up 24 places to no 76 with 98,000 listeners, an increase of 32,000.
ABC Sport podcasts also recorded a strong month as we move into AFL and NRL finals season. Roy and HG – Bludging on the Blindside was up 10 spots to No 83 and ABC AFL Daily was up 22 places to No 149, lifted in part by the award-winning ABC AFL Saturday which won best radio program at the 2025 Australian Football Media Awards overnight and sits in the ABC AFL Daily feed.
The full Triton Australian Podcast Ranker can be found here.
Audiences can enjoy all the ABC’s podcasts for free and ad free on ABC listen.
The Australian Podcast Ranker is a regular monthly snapshot of Australia’s most popular podcasts. The Ranker has been reporting podcast listening in Australia since 2019 and includes a wide cross section of Australian podcast publishers, from both radio and non-radio backgrounds.
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.”
