4 ways ARN plan to grow its radio business

APN has released its results for the 2016 calendar year, showing a 2% increase in ARN’s revenue, to $225.3million.

Although it was a disappointing second half of the calendar year, ARN maintained a strong EBITDA margin of 38%.

And they hit the finish line with a strong book in survey eight too, which included the #1 FM stations in Sydney, Adelaide and Brisbane. ARN also had the #1 and #2 FM breakfast shows in Sydney.

But challenges in Melbourne and Perth contributed to ARN’s flat revenue rise, which was below the industry average. The company has already taken turnaround action in Perth with a relaunched music format for 96FM.

APN CEO and MD Ciaran Davis said, “The Melbourne market is not performing as we would have wanted. There still is room for improvement and growth in audience numbers at KIIS 101.1 in Melbourne and we’re working hard to make sure that is the case…

“We’ve launched a new positioning in the market and I’m confident that will see audience levels increase, which again will see our national profile increase and see our national advertisers increase.”

Davis also said that with technology disrupting advertising models APN believes ad revenue will move toward outdoor, radio, and digital – mediums, he says, are “capable of delivering greater engagement, mass reach and less fragmentation”.

Davis outlined four strategic key pillars for ARN to drive the business forward; Grow its audience base, diversify revenue streams, expand its digital and data capabilities and lastly, to optimise integration.

This week ARN also confirmed a new Melbourne-based commercial director had been appointed to assist in growing the KIIS and Gold brands.