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BY Sarah Patterson June 4, 2026
What's New January 28, 2025
ARN chairman takes aim at media ownership laws
Reporter
ARN Media chairman Hamish McLennan has reportedly taken aim at Australia’s media laws – whilst also expressing an interest in buying Nine Entertainment’s network of talkback stations.
The Financial Review (subscription required) quotes McLennan saying in an interview that the Nine Radio stable – which includes Melbourne’s 3AW, Sydney’s 2GB and Brisbane’s 4BC – would “tuck in nicely under our wing.”
“We’d definitely have a look at it if we could, but we’re precluded from doing that [by the media ownership regulations].”
According to the paper, McLennan described the current rules – which prevent one media group owning more than two radio licences in the same city – as archaic.
“They were designed last century. We should look to level the playing field and make it easier for all media companies to compete.”
Last year, ARN’s attempted takeover of Southern Cross Austereo fell through after its partner Anchorage Capital Partners pulled the pin on the joint acquisition bid.
“It’s no secret that we are interested in Southern Cross, but we won’t do a deal at any price,” McLennan said.
In 2025, ARN continues to expand the digital side of its business by working on the content that it has been producing.
“What the recent US election shows with podcasting, and Joe Rogan in particular, is how influential radio and audio can be,” said McLennan. “We see a massive opportunity for the sector, and it’s going to be really interesting to see how that manifests going into the local election cycle.”
Mr McLennan also noted that there could be an upside to a weaker advertising market, predicting that 2025 will see more deals being made.
“There’s stress in the economy, and that’s usually a great catalyst for deals to be done.”
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BY RadioToday Network June 3, 2026
Thank god the media laws are in place, if we’ve proved anything over the last 6 months its that to few owning the information and news cycle is dangerous and can easily be manipulated…. It is already a huge issue for our national media sector and if anything, there needs to be steps to make it more diverse.
Given the *standards* this man has overseen on KIIS FM, I wouldn’t allow him any more influence.
If it really is a situation where there’s no money to adequately pay and keep stations staffed, how can they afford to purchase additional assets?
The rules were written to safeguard against exactly what you’re attempting, dilution of diversity of voice in the marketplace and avoid a few people being able to skew public discourse for the many. I wouldn’t call them archaic they’re younger than you.
Everyone else has the same set of rules. Including digital native platforms, they cannot just go and buy a radio license now can they? But you can start a streaming service. You can start a podcasting service. You can start a social network.
Is this the same ARN that current flouts ownership laws by broadcasting a “Western Sydney” station and a “Katoomba” station into the Sydney area, and an “Ipswich” station into the Brisbane area?
@an employee
More stations, less support staff. Keep the guts of the shows (producers + Talent), most of the sales staff and kill off all the backend staff, take a couple journos, knock off the others – tech, promos, admin, Directors, executives…
I hate it as much as the next person, but increasing profitability with the way media companies are driving the product into the ground has no other options than increasing revenue streams, and reducing cost streams. It’s completely illogical (they are only accelerating the demise), but if enough people push in one direction, then theres a chance of it moving.
Generally, I think this is bait, try and get the laws changed with a thought of ‘oh yeah, 3 stations; one hit music, one classic and one talkback is still diverse’ for them to then swoop in on SCA with Nova in a duo, ARN to take triple M and Nova to take H!T or something to that effect and wipe out direct competition rather than reaching into another world of streaming.
Media. Oligarchy.