ARN hit refresh: Better Music and More of It

ARN will today announce new music-positioning for WSFM in Sydney and GOLD104.3 in Melbourne, Radio Today can reveal.

Better Music and More of It isn’t just a pretty facelift. Both station’s playlists are to be refreshed, which ARN predicts will “further cement both WSFM and GOLD104.3’s heritage as genuine, music-led stations with popular on-air talent”.

Over on the KIIS Network’s 96FM, Better Music and More of It was included in ARN’s recently announced changes for the underperforming Perth station and was first used by SCA’s Today Network (now Hit Network) in the late nineties.

The launch of ARN’s latest marketing campaign signals a strategic move as we head into week four of the current survey period. It’s the biggest shift since the Pure Gold rebrand that rolled out in 2014.

ARN’s national CD Duncan Campbell said, “The ‘Better Music And More Of It’ positioning is part of our key strategy for the Pure Gold Network to be music-led stations that connect with our core Gen X audience.

“We are now playing more music than ever with a strong focus on what our audience love from the 80s, along with the best hits of the 90s and 2000s.”

Today’s announcement also coincides with the departure of much-loved WSFM music director, Eddie Hribar.

Radio Today can confirm that WSFM’s Jason Staveley has replaced Hribar as music director, and will continue to host drive in Sydney.

“The new role was created as a result of an internal review and replaces the role of WSFM Music Director, previously held by Eddie Hribar, who has left ARN,” Campbell told Radio Today.

Both WSFM and GOLD104.3 have claimed multiple #1 FM positions in their respective markets since 2014’s relaunch that included new creative for its breakfast shows; Brendan ‘Jonesy’ Jones & Amanda Keller in Sydney, and Jo Stanley & Anthony ‘Lehmo’ Lehmann in Melbourne.

“At their heart, WSFM and GOLD104.3 are committed to playing the music each city loves, complemented by the strong connection our audiences have with on-air talent, Jonesy & Amanda in Sydney and Jo & Lehmo in Melbourne.”

As we edge closer to survey one results on 14 March, it’s no surprise that the focus is on Sydney and Melbourne for Campbell and ARN – smoothfm performed remarkably well across both cities last year.

In Melbourne, breakfast at GOLD104.3 and smoothfm 91.5 tied at 6.3 points. In Sydney, WSFM’s Jonesy & Amanda ended the year with 8.7 points in survey eight, up two points up on smoothfm 95.3.

The new ARN campaign will see a mix of outdoor sites across high-traffic areas in each market, and tailored digital and social activity.