LiSTNR showcases the power of audio and SCA hints at a name change

This week, SCA hosted a special LiSTNR event in the historic Campbell’s Stores in The Rocks, inviting Radio Today to the immersive showcase highlighting the power of audio.

The showcase was not a run-of-the-mill display. Guests began at one end of the conjoined Stores building before being led from room to room, traversing through different scenes with each room showing examples of how LiSTNR users consume audio and the services they’re provided. 

In each room, an actor moved with the audio presentation detailing the services LiSTNR offers with a screen projected to show the app in use with the catalogue of popular creators and customisable playlist offerings.

The demographics highlighted the average Australians and how they all consume LiSTNR’s audio catalogue differently. 

The most notable feature highlighted in the showcases was LiSTNR’s ability to target specific demographics based on their listening and offer them tailored product advertisements that can be accessed via shaking their phone for more information.

Once the LiSTNR Audio Amplified walk-through experience had finished, the final room featured a panel of speakers to discuss the power of audio and the future of LiSTNR. 

The panel included SCA CEO Grant Blackley, LiSTNR’s head of factual and drama content Jennifer Goggin and LiSTNR’s heavy hitters Abbie Chatfield and Mark ‘Howie’ Howard. 

With the general manager of digital audio, Grant Tothill, hosting the panel, the speakers discussed questions ranging from the power of audio to the statistics of its consumption and the future of LiSTNR. 

Abbie and Howie also weighed in on some of their most powerful moments to highlight opportunities for human connection through audio.

Howie detailed the pain he has endured this year with the passing of friends and Australian sporting icons Shane Warne and Andrew Symonds. 

After the shock passing of the Australian legends, Howie got in touch with friend Adam Gilchrist to record a spontaneous podcast expressing their heartache and most cherished memories. 

Howie said it was the first time he showed himself so vulnerably by letting his professional guard down. The response was that listeners were really able to connect with the honest and heartfelt content.

“That’s the first time I have put myself out there in that way in media,” said Howie.

“I haven’t been able to listen back on that yet.”

Abbie explained how her stand out content was hosting a porn star and that the podcast content she records are real conversations she would have with friends

She noted that not only does she not get embarrassed by confronting topics, but her radio show and podcast would not have been a success if she did embarrass easily.

“Conversations on the podcast are the ones I have with my friends over dinner,” said Abbie.  

“The great thing about podcasting is it’s a chance to have long conversations for as long as you want, as deep as you want, there’s less fear from guests and the host as well.”

Towards the end of the discussion, SCA CEO Grant Blackley hinted that in the future, SCA might adopt the LiSTNR brand as the new name and title of SCA. 

“One day you might even see that we’re no longer called SCA, you might see us called LiSTNR,” said Blackley.

“When I joined the company just over seven and a bit years ago, it fundamentally was a radio company called Austereo, and it was a television company called Southern Cross Broadcasting, which became Southern Cross Austereo. 

“I could see a world where in actual fact, if [LiSTNR] is in the centre of our universe and it is driving all of our growth and ambitions and houses all of our product, maybe there’s a natural extension there.”