Kyle Sandilands and Jackie ‘O’ Henderson have re-signed with ARN in a deal that will see the duo remain on air with the network until the end of 2034.
The move comes as ARN is in the midst of an ambitious move to acquire the Triple M Network and more regional radio stations from SCA.
Kyle and Jackie O’s $200m deal
While ARN have not revealed the value of the new contract, it has been speculated their salary will be as high as $10m each annually. There will probably be performance clauses attached for them to reach the upper limits of the contract which means as much as $200m over the decade from ARN.
The duo revealed the deal on air this morning, just a day after Henderson spent Tuesday in Royal North Shore Hospital having tests after leaving her program yesterday.
The contract includes they have to take on their biggest challenge ever. In the past they conquered nights and drive for SCA, later successfully re-writing the rules of breakfast radio, first for SCA and later ARN.
That challenge is hosting a networked breakfast show, something that only drive programs have succeeded with on FM radio.
To make way for The Kyle and Jackie O Show in Melbourne, ARN has had to axe the Jase and Lauren Show on KIIS 101.1.
Kyle Sandilands commented today, “Fans of the show will be stoked to hear that this 10-year deal is the longest radio deal in Australian history. Love us or loathe us, Jackie and I will be continuing with our politically incorrect nonsense for a long, long time. Speaking of 10 years… 10 years ago the ‘other’ network we were once at told Jackie and I that we were past our used-by date and no longer relevant. So that’s a fun little observation that’s worth mentioning on such a momentous day. Cheers to ARN for the great partnership and to the future goals we’ll continue kicking together.”
Jackie O added: “When I was 18 years old, I rang a radio station, and never did I dream in that sliding doors moment that I would find something that has become the love of my life and would lead me to this phenomenal career and historic deal. I feel so grateful for our incredible listeners who have gone through life with us and will continue to do so for the next 10 years.
“It’s an honour to broadcast to Melbourne again after so many years, and to welcome them back to our craziness is really exciting. After 23 years of broadcasting with Kyle, I still pinch myself that our show continues to grow in ratings and in reach. We are incredibly thankful for the support ARN has showed us and the belief they continue to have in our show.”
ARN noted today that since launching KIIS 1065 in 2014, The Kyle & Jackie O Show has been Australia’s most successful radio show ever. Its audience share reached a peak of 17.9% in June, accompanied by a record cumulative audience of 921,000 listeners, marking a milestone unmatched by any other show.
ARN and The Kyle & Jackie O Show’s partnership has seen the show maintain its position as #1FM breakfast show for an incredible 39 surveys straight, while also claiming #1 overall in Sydney five times this year.
Ciaran Davis, ARN Media CEO and managing director, said, “Kyle and Jackie O have been an unstoppable force over the past decade, and the success of our partnership has surpassed expectations for listeners and commercial clients alike. Their ability to connect with their audience is second to none and we’re incredibly proud to have them continue as part of the ARN family.
“Kyle and Jackie O have evolved into a powerful brand that significantly contributes to ARN’s commercial success, and this new agreement strategically positions us for long-term growth that extends beyond radio. In an era marked by the globalisation of content, the value of a flagship show that delivers long-term returns has never been more evident, and investing in Kyle and Jackie O represents a lasting value proposition for ARN. Today’s announcement sets the foundations for the next chapter in ARN Media’s evolution as an audio company.”
Goodbye Jase and Lauren
Jason Hawkins and Lauren Phillips had an idea their show might be axed for Kyle and Jackie O. But would a radio show with a cume audience over 1m really be axed? Yes. Jase said this morning they were called by management yesterday with confirmation there would be no breakfast show on the KIIS network coming out of Melbourne.
This is not the first time Jase has had to give up a successful radio show to networking. Jase was the host of drive on 2Day FM when he stepped down for the station to take the Hamish and Andy show. Because of the size of Jase’s drive ratings, SCA held back Hamish and Andy from Sydney until they’d been broadcast into all other metro markets.
Goodbye Jase and Lauren
Ciaran Davis said, “The decision to conclude the show was not made lightly, and I would like to thank Jase, Lauren, Clint and the team for their tremendous efforts and contribution. Despite believing in the show’s potential, the competitive market and longstanding heritage shows meant we were unable to cut through in the way we wanted.
“For some time now, we’ve recognised the potential of The Kyle & Jackie O Show to broadcast beyond Sydney during breakfast. The strong uptake of their podcast and social followings in Melbourne demonstrates that Kyle and Jackie O already have significant appeal with Melburnians. Coupled with their record-breaking ratings this year, now is the ideal time to further extend the brand’s footprint.”
The Kyle & Jackie O Show will launch on KIIS 101.1 in 2024, with Chemist Warehouse set to expand their current alignment with the brand and become the foundation partner for the show’s first year in Melbourne.
See also: ARN keep Kyle and Jackie O: Their challenge is how best to use them