ARN’s Lauren Joyce: “Kyle & Jackie O remains an incredibly popular show”

It’s all systems go for the 2026 national expansion of The Christian O’Connell Show and Jonesy & Amanda’s move to national Drive, with ARN’s Gold Network stations going gangbusters in the latest radio ratings.

Melbourne’s Gold 104.3 and Sydney’s Gold 101.7 both enjoyed share gains across every shift in GfK Survey 7.

For ARN’s Chief Audience and Content Officer Lauren Joyce, this offers reassurance and confidence that its strategy is resonating with audiences ahead of next year’s changes.

On the other side of the ARN fence, the ACMA has spoken, delivering its strongest warning yet around the content of the KIIS Network’s Kyle & Jackie O Show.

And according to Joyce, the message has been heard by the hosts … loud and clear.

“Absolutely,” says Joyce. “Kyle and Jackie O have been incredibly collaborative in coming up with the reviews to our current process and our editorial framework.”

Speaking post-survey to Radioinfo’s Steve Ahern, Joyce says “We respect the regulator, of course, and the Commercial Radio Code of Practice and our responsibilities as a licence holder. We’ve always taken that seriously.”

“We will deliver a formal statement with regards to the proposed condition on the licence as and when the time is right, but we’re still not at a point in the process where we’re able to give that formal statement yet.”

“We’re working hand in glove with Kyle and Jackie O on how we move forward to continue to deliver the content that they are renowned for and have become successful at doing, whilst remaining respectful of the Code of Practice and our responsibilities as a licence holder.”

Joyce says there’s no decision yet on whether K & J’s behind-the-scenes team will be expanded as part of that.

“We’ve got some time between the ACMA’s intent – that they announced a couple of weeks ago – and the condition being put in place, so we’re still working through that.”

Despite a share drop in both Sydney and Melbourne, the latest cume figures show more than 1.5 million people listen to the Kyle & Jackie O Show.

“There’s actually 1.6 million total who tune in to their show, if you include the Hour of Power, which is syndicated nationally,” Joyce says. “So it remains an incredibly popular show.”

Joyce also points out that today marks Kyle and Jackie O’s 55^th consecutive #1FM result in Sydney.

“You really can’t contest the fact that they are incredibly popular and have an audience that show up each and every day to listen to them. They remain a success and today’s continued record number shows that.”

Congratulations are also in order for the departing KIIS Brisbane team of Robin, Kip and Corey Oates, who enjoyed a 1.2% share rise in Breakfast, which Joyce says is a testament to their hard work.