Radio Headlines: 5 stories you need to know today

1. Why Ryan wants to thank his birth mother

Ryan Jon has never met his biological mum, but if he ever came face-to-face with her the first thing he would say to her is “thank you”.

The Canberra radio presenter is, in his own words, best known for “stupid calls, fun topics and talking about the news of the day” with co-host Tanya Hennessy on Canberra’s Hit 104.7 breakfast show. [News.com.au]

2. Southern Cross Austereo mulls new NZME approach

Southern Cross Austereo is believed to be considering a fresh move for NZME’s radio assets as it searches for acquisitions. On Wednesday, New Zealand’s competition regulator rejected a merger proposal between NZME and Fairfax NZ.

The Grant Blackley run Southern Cross, which owns The Hit Network and Triple M, is a known admirer of NZME’s radio assets, which include The Hits, ZM, Mix and Radio Hauraki. [AFR]

3. Radio in the bush

The ACMA undertook quantitative research in 2016 to examine the role of AM radio in the contemporary communications environment. Radio in the bush—A study of radio listening in remote Western Australia explores the radio listening habits of people living in remote and very remote Western Australia.

The research shows that radio is important to people in the bush. Remote Western Australians spend significantly more time listening to the radio (AM, FM and online) than the nation as a whole. The number of hours spent listening to AM radio in the bush is double the regional and national levels, with the majority of time spent listening to radio in the car. [ACMA]

4. Radio indie makes showbiz podcast with The Sun

Independent production company Wisebuddah is working with The Sun newspaper on a new celebrity podcast, hosted by Bizarre columnist Dan Wootton.

Bizarre Life is going to be a weekly podcast, which the paper promises will feature ‘world exclusive interviews from the world’s biggest stars’. [RT UK]

5. Government support for community radio good for the arts

With arts coverage steadily decreasing in major metropolitan newspapers, yesterday’s announcement by Senator Mitch Fifield, Minister for Communications and the Arts that the Federal Government will increase funding for the community radio sector by $6.1 million over two years is good news for the arts sector.

Independent artists and small to medium arts organisations in particular are increasingly dependent on the coverage they receive on programs such as Arts Breakfast on Radio Adelaide, Canvas: Art & Ideas on Sydney’s FBi and Arts Weekly on Melbourne’s 3MBS. [ARTS HUB]