What's New
BY Sarah Patterson April 16, 2024
What's New November 22, 2023
Confirmed: Melbourne gets Kyle & Jackie O in 2024
Reporter
Kyle Sandilands and Jackie ‘O’ Henderson have re-signed with ARN in a landmark deal that will see the powerhouse duo remain on air with the network until the end of 2034.
The monumental agreement, announced by Kyle & Jackie O live on air this morning, also marks a new chapter for the The Kyle & Jackie O Show, which is set to expand into Melbourne in 2024.
Commenting on the new deal, Kyle Sandilands says “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 says “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.”
Ciaran Davis, ARN Media CEO and Managing Director, says “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.”
“Today’s announcement sets the foundations for the next chapter in ARN Media’s evolution as an audio company.”
The expansion to Melbourne means KIIS 101.1’s Jase & Lauren will not be returning next year, with Ciaran Davis saying, “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.”
The Kyle & Jackie O Show will launch on KIIS 101.1 in 2024.
Are the bean counters in Sydney stupid? Networked radio from Sydney into Melbourne does not work. Ask 3AW.
Remember when Kyle went off at SCA for dumping breakky shows as it was “killing localism”? Yeah, how about that
What a gut punch for all the staff at ARN who were just told they won’t be getting a salary review this year. Absolutely farcical.
Why not Brisbane as well?
Surely it would make sense as 973 is not rating well.
I thought Jase was signed til end of 2024?
Stations in NZ do this so it can work. Afternoon shows are networked around the country so this is much the same. The main issue will be if they can rate in a Melbourne market??
This is a such silly decision. I for one will be switching. Few in Melbourne will want to hear Kyle when they wake up. The Sydney show will also suffer as they go generic to avoid sounding like they are just a Sydney show beamed into Melbourne. Unless they just don’t and keep being Sydney focussed, which will tank in Melbourne even more.
Can everyone just relax about the ‘Sydney show not working in Melbourne’. Let’s not forget, the Melbourne show wasn’t working in Melbourne. Like the Adelaide show not working in Adelaide. Yes, death of local jobs and opportunities etc, but most other countries have already gone this way. K&J, regardless of your feelings for them, constantly reinvent the wheel. They nail live radio daily. Even their worst show, is better than most others best shows. The show will be the strongest show in any market it ends up being syndicated into. Now we sit and wait. Let’s not forget, the alternative seems to be retired AFL has-beens or reality TV trash.
Just wow is all I can say. Arn staff were told this wasn’t going to happen ..all media speculation. Can you really believe anything anyone of them says ever ? I wonder how a young announcer in say Port Augusta on minimum wage feels today…do they think this is something to aspire to or do they start to relise the wall in front of them . Kyle and Jack aside , there are shows all over arn that will never change, people have dropped roots and they ain’t moving no matter how good or bad they are. There is nowhere to go. What will happen is they will be swallowed by the machine… the future is networking it just is and it’s sad . If any 25 year old thinks they will be doing what they are doing today 10 years from now, they really are dreaming.
Any other radio shows on after 9am ? asking for a friend
I know we are only 2 longtime listeners but we will no longer be listening to KIIS once Jase, Lauren & Clint finish….of all people Kyle & Jackie O Sydney Breakfast show.
Here in a city of over 5 million in Melb and KIIS 101.1 Management thinks Melbourne & Victoria need a breakfast show based from Sydney…. I think new top management is needed here …whoever’s brainy idea,♀️ hopefully it falls over and KIIS101.1 falls in listeners in the breakfast ratings
Let’s just say ARN are able to buy SCA and build their “super network”, to then network all breakfast shows. After 5 years of this, Kyle dies. Who are they going to beam around the country? With no talent pipeline or opportunity to grow, they’re left with the option of importing someone from overseas or pulling someone from community radio. It’s so short sighted and stupid, but by then management would have collected their bonuses, cashed out their shares and retired leaving it to be someone else’s problem.
Networking is a sales/bean counter decision and you can see it from a mile away. It will not work. Ask Nova how their daytime networking went.
The ACRAs will be even more pointless in another 3-5 years…
The Melbourne Market is the weakest it’s been in its history. The shows are appalling atm. This is as good a time as any to come in and sweep the market… and no reason in this modern day why they won’t just do that.
I really feel for Jase, Lauren and the whole team behind them, you could hear in there announcement how gutted they all were and unexpected it must have been… surely most people can see syndicating a breakfast show from Sydney just isn’t going to fly in Melbourne but hey aslong as ARN can save a quick buck.
This show will 100% be ARN network wide in the very near future.. ARN need an ROI on the 200mill so they will throwing this out to the spares as soon as they can.
Needs to be piped into Adelaide.
You can be as local as you want , but if its not entertaining to the listener ? no ones gonna bother to listen
You can be as local as you want , but if its not entertaining to the listener ? no ones gonna bother to listen
Hoping ARN read the comments because they are clueless. The staff layoffs they have caused and then realising the impact after the horse has bolted is plain stupidity. I don’t even work in the radio sector but know of the things that have occurred. I won’t listening to ANY ARN owned stations!
The time is now and ARN lead the way. If the SCA deal happens, which is very likely, ARN will own the audio space. Fox can bag out all they like, they will be the small player.
Good on you KJ!
Been listening in from Melbourne on tune in and Iheart since 2014. 6 oclocker and listen until 11am each day. DO NOT change a thing. Local traffic would be good so I know when the monash is stuffed, but keep news and everything else the same.
You will be beating both Nova and fox by this time next year
Hopefully they do well in Melbourne and the high ups at ARN see the money they will generate. If ARN has any sense they would do a whole week in Melbourne and do a live broadcast maybe give away a car or something in the first week.
No radio show in the country gets this amount of traction, interest and engagement. Say what you want about KJ, but people sure love talking about them and feeding into their pop culture relevance. That’s exactly what Melbourne’s missing – a show that’s brash, gets people talking and makes headlines .
The Sydney Morning Herald’s Michael Koziol brilliantly pointed out today: “Truth be told, it will probably work fine. The program is pitched at tradies in the suburbs, not latte sippers and macchiato makers in Collingwood and Fitzroy. Most of the content is about celebrities, or sex, or games where listeners can win prizes. On Thursday, the prime minister is due to appear. Nothing about that is particularly parochial.”
Is it death to localism if they manage to pull off localism for both markets.
The duo have proven time and time again they can buck trends, and prove bean counters wrong.
Congrats on being a successful team! It’s also fantastic to see you have out lived all the top tier execs that thought you were past your use by date.
Melbourne listener here. Can’t wait for Kyle and Jackie O to air here – radio’s a snoozefest here. Stream them at the moment on iHeart. Best show by a country mile.
I hope Melbourne listeners are more intelligent than Sydney’s…. And they are not going be fooled by that few hours of insults and talking about penises. ARN should invest in proper HR department….
So sorry for Jase and Lauren , they’ve been doing very good last surveys…. Unfortunately big EGO of Kyle caused loss of jobs in the industry and it’s only beginning….
Jase and Lauren are currently an 8 share – they’ve increased their share position by 2 points this year. This is a breakfast show that is growing an audience. On the other hand, Ben and Liam are now a 5 share, they started the year in the 7s. Oh, and one other small point – the Nova Adelaide breakfast show is now back in the pack on a 9 share. Brendan Taylor would have been on the phone first thing this morning – in one move he can make Nova Melb better and put Nova Adelaide back in the game with Ben and Liam back to where they should be.
Kyle and Jacko Rio in Melbourne. They will not get anything more than four or 5% this is the truth. Hope SEN gets Jace and Lauren after management and have not given them a fair go.
Every ARN breakfast team around the country will be reading Melbourne 2024 surveys with bated breath. However you feel, it’s a clear testament to the power of K&J. Huge.
“What The” Of all people you get, the rudest people possible who treat their listeners like crap. Cost of living crisis, this sort of money could be donated instead look at what you have done you sure have done an injustice to your station. Melbourne listeners are loyal but treat them like this and you have no listeners.
This won’t work. Just because they’re #1 in Sydney doesn’t mean they’ll be #1 in Melbourne. I hope like hell it backfires. You need localism. Plus Kyle & Jackie O have crossed the line many times, and as someone who is on community radio, if I pulled some of the stunts they’ve seemingly got away with scot free (because of ratings) I’d be pulled from air.
You might not like Kyle or Jackie, but how long has KIIS breakfast in Melbourne been tanking? PJ was flipped (and blamed) and now after six years… It’s a business after all.
Radio Today commenters beware, the last time you all shouted about a new breakfast show in Melbourne being “madness” and destined to fail big time was… Christian O’Connell. Remember? “He’s not even Aussie! What a ridiculous idea. I give him three months.” I bet a few listeners will moan about the changes on Facebook for a couple of weeks then carry on listening.
Does anyone care that we are still the only 100% live and local station on The Gold Coast. Why isn’t everyone talking about this? I don’t get it?!!
How out of touch with Melbournians can KISS possibly be? I think the backlash says it all. Kyle and his narcissistic misogynistic personality is the last thing we need driving to work or taking our kids to school. Listener’s will be leaving in droves. Read the room KISS. We aren’t Sydney and deserve our own morning radio.
Here is the actual situation everyone. (Careful what you congratulate here people).
1. Your jobs are at risk if you are at ARN anywhere outside of Sydney.
2. Extraordinary costs like this spent on 2 greedy people will have a profound effect on others. This increase in costs doesn’t grow on trees, it has to come from taking out huge costs elsewhere. Don’t think for a moment anyone else in ARN will be getting a salary increase anytime soon.
Again….see point 1.
What ARN staff should actually be asking their CEO and board now is…how does this affect us?
If you’re congratulating this move, just pause and reflect on what you’re actually congratulating here. 2 even richer bogans and a profound negative effect on 99% of the rest of the company and country.
Still clapping?
This comment has been edited.
This is hard news for the current KIIS Melbourne breakfast team who have slowly grown their share over the last couple of years, radio can be a tough biz.
But you have to admire ARN for making big gutsy moves. First luring K&J in 2014 (seems obvious in hindsight but it was a HUGE gamble at the time), acquiring Grants a couple of years back, offering to buy all the best bits of SCA, and now this. They are making massive waves.
I don’t think K&J will work in Melbourne.
But they have proven so many times that you don’t bet against them. Kyle is the Howard Stern of Australian Radio, you won’t win friends by admitting that you listen but heaps of people DO listen. And it’s a great time to give it a try, the FM breakfast scene in Melbourne is at its weakest for years. The Fox team are reliably successful, but Marty hasn’t shown up for weeks and the Nova team seem nice but just aren’t gelling with a Melbourne audience and will continue to decline.
2024 is going to be very interesting
Hey Kid Cudi, Ben and Liam were Number 1 overall in Adelaide and this is only their 7th survey in Melbourne. It takes at least 2-3 years for new shows to break through in sophisticated markets like Melbourne. For example Marty Sheargold, Jase and PJ / Lauren. Nova would be insane to try and swap the 101.1 show with Ben and Liam.
Jase’s whole act is Kyle “ lite “ and Lauren is a mini me Jackie, so they would be exposed as the imitators they really are. All that has happened here is Kyle has held a gun at ARN’s head and they have given him whatever he wants. Will backfire on them at some stage. Leopards don’t change their spots. Watch, could end in tears.
This is the sort of trash radio that makes me think this society is about to break. I have noticed a few things recently on Melbourne radio (KIIS in particular) that make me NOT want to listen. This will be the last straw. The penultimate straw for KIIS was when they were advertising SEXPo at 8:45am (in school drop off). Who the F do you guys think you are? Now putting on Koke and O-face… Not welcome (unless you go streaming – in which case fill ya boots with your repugnance). Stop forcing your version of base-humanity on people. This isn’t about what works in Sydney – that’s a failed market – let’s understand that we are not THEM.
Looks like the majority of these comments have been written by employees of the old breakfast radio crew.