Duncan Campbell: ARN sets the FM pace, close to a five-market clean sweep

Posted on 14 March 2022

‘The two biggest radio markets have started the year very strongly for us’

ARN last week celebrated its 18th consecutive survey where it can claim to be Australia’s #1 network with an 18.8% share (including DAB+) with Australia’s biggest metro cumulative audience with 5.468 million listeners (including DAB+).

ARN chief content officer Duncan Campbell told Mediaweek the stations posted a record cume in survey one.

“We have started the year better than we finished last year. The network overall was very strong.” When pushed on where ARN might need to perform better, Campbell nominated Brisbane.

“We are #1 FM in four out of five markets.” ARN were close to a clean sweep in the metro markets, something Campbell said hasn’t been achieved since the 1990s when Greg Smith was programming Austereo.

Every survey in recent times it seems Gold 104.3 is an unstoppable force in the Melbourne market.

Campbell noted: “Credit is due to content director Sue Carter and Jason Staveley, the music director, who crafts the hours brilliantly. The big change has been of course Christian O’Connell, the man they said [some of ARN’s opponents] would never work in Melbourne. He is a unique broadcaster and the audience just love him. He’s very passionate and has the hunger, all the things you need to be successful in breakfast.”

ARN’s Jase and Lauren

It was also a good survey for the new Jase and Lauren breakfast combo at KIIS. “She’s a star,” said Campbell of Lauren Phillips. “Hopefully we can now get this station moving which it needs to do.

“The two biggest radio markets – Sydney and Melbourne – have started the year very strongly for us.”

The name change in Brisbane might have had some impact on the ratings. This was the first survey where the soft rebrand of 97.3FM saw it listed as KIIS 97.3FM in the survey book.

“The station still sounds very strong and Kip Wightman joining from Nova has contemporised the breakfast show. The departure of Bob Gallagher, who was there for a very long time, could be a factor too. I expect a bounce back to some degree next survey.”

Campbell admitted there are a couple of breakfast issues with the new Adelaide show but added: “We are on top of those. The new breakfast show could be a bit of an acquired taste, but we have two of the most recognisable South Australian women [Ali Clarke and Erin Phillips] on the show. The show is already getting better after a little time taken to find its rhythm and is already a great listen.”

Adelaide’s Ali Clarke Breakfast Show

ARN has handed over the reins of the breakfast show to two women broadcasters, who are joined by Eddie Bannon, something that doesn’t happen much, if ever, in commercial radio.

The biggest change across the ARN network was having a market leader in Perth. When asked if ARN could keep 96FM as the #1 station, Campbell replied: “That’s a good question. There might be a slight correction next survey, but we know 96FM has been a strong station and well put together by the team in Perth. It will be a battle and there is some work still to do, but I’d like to think it could continue to lead the market.”