{"id":295362,"date":"2026-01-21T06:34:09","date_gmt":"2026-01-21T06:34:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/295362\/"},"modified":"2026-01-21T06:34:09","modified_gmt":"2026-01-21T06:34:09","slug":"new-arn-cco-doubles-down-on-kyle-and-jackie-o-bet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/295362\/","title":{"rendered":"New ARN CCO doubles down on Kyle and Jackie O bet"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Seven days into the year \u2013 and with only two of those spent with network talent officially back on air \u2013 the Australian Radio Network\u2019s (ARN)\u00a0 brand new Chief Content Officer,\u00a0Kerri Elstub,<\/strong> found herself fielding questions about the network\u2019s most talked-about asset.<\/p>\n

Kyle Sandilands<\/strong> was absent on day two of his 2026 return, prompting KIIS Sydney to air a Best Of Breakfast show. It was a collar-tug moment, opening a New Year already defined by big bets, difficult decisions and intense scrutiny, but Elstub is clear-eyed about where ARN stands and where it\u2019s heading.<\/p>\n

\u201cKyle was crook today,\u201d she told Mediaweek matter-of-factly.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut you will have more of that dynamic duo later this week.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a pragmatic note to strike, and one that reflects how ARN is reading Survey 8: steady improvement in Sydney, unfinished business in Melbourne, and a significant reset in Brisbane.<\/p>\n

\"Kyle<\/p>\n

Sydney shows signs of stability<\/p>\n

In Sydney<\/a>, ARN\u2019s numbers suggest a gradual settling after a period of softness.<\/p>\n

KIIS edged up overall from 9.3 to 9.5, while Sandiland\u2019s Breakfast show, which he co-hosts with Jackie \u2018O\u2019 Henderson, lifted from 12.5 to 12.7 \u2013 marking their 56th consecutive Survey win in the FM spot. GOLD also strengthened, with overall share rising from 8.7 to 9.1 and breakfast jumping from 8.9 to 9.7.<\/p>\n

For Elstub, the figures align with what she\u2019s seeing inside the business.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe feeling in the Sydney office is incredible,\u201d she said. \u201cThere is so much energy since all our hosts returned.\u201d<\/p>\n

She\u2019s comfortable acknowledging what\u2019s come before \u2013 including a year marked by job cuts, scrutiny over that $200 million deal<\/a>, and grassroots campaigns targeting the station\u2019s advertisers \u2013 but her focus is firmly on the future.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m happy to look at what has been achieved in the last year,\u201d she said. \u201cI am firmly focused on 2026 and what we are going to bring to audiences around Australia.\u201d<\/p>\n

Melbourne remains a work in progress<\/p>\n

Melbourne remains ARN\u2019s most challenging market.<\/p>\n

Survey 8 showed KIIS 101.1 lifting slightly overall, from 5.2 to 5.4, but Breakfast slipped again, falling from 5.5 to 5.0.<\/p>\n

The figures underline the challenge facing Kyle and Jackie O\u2019s long-running attempt to crack the Melbourne market, with traction proving harder to lock in than hoped.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think they can absolutely turn it around,\u201d she said. \u201cResults have been fairly flat over the last two years, but I think we\u2019ve got the team back and energised.\u201d<\/p>\n

A renewed Melbourne focus is central to that thinking, alongside new leadership and a more visible on-ground presence.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith a renewed focus on Melbourne \u2013 and let\u2019s include Dave Cameron<\/strong> in this conversation, who\u2019s going to come in as our Head Of Content across Metro \u2013 he\u2019s got some great ideas, and some great focus,\u201d Elstub said.<\/p>\n

That plan starts immediately.<\/p>\n

\u201cKicking off already next week with the $100,000 ball drop where K&J will be broadcasting from Melbourne,\u201d she said. \u201cYou will see them more in Melbourne, and I think you will notice a really big difference over the next 12 months.\u201d<\/p>\n

Elstub\u2019s forward-looking pitch marks a clear shift from Sandilands\u2019 early stance on Melbourne, when he openly rejected the idea of adapting the show to local tastes. At the time, he dismissed the usual on-the-ground rituals\u00a0 \u2013 from riding trams to pledging loyalty to an AFL club \u2013 as unnecessary window dressing.<\/p>\n

\u201cI said, \u2018No effin\u2019 way,\u2019\u201d Sandilands said at the time. \u201cWhy would I be on a tram? I don\u2019t do public transport. That\u2019s not my thing \u2026 we\u2019re not gonna march into town and try all this hokey local rubbish.\u201d<\/p>\n

Despite the dirty laundry, Elstub is clear about why ARN remains committed to the duo making it work in Melbourne.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe make no mistake that this is the K&J show,\u201d Elstub said. \u201cThere\u2019s a reason they have been so successful. I think Melbourne will embrace them, and I\u2019m looking forward to seeing that shift.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Dave<\/p>\n

Dave Cameron<\/p>\n

Brisbane\u2019s reset becomes a defining moment<\/p>\n

In Brisbane, Survey 8 reflects both growth and the aftershocks of a major programming decision.<\/p>\n

KIIS 97.3 lifted overall from 10.0 to 10.4, continuing momentum from the previous survey, while breakfast eased back from 11.2 to 10.2 \u2013 numbers that arrived shortly after ARN reinstated Robin, Kip and Corey Oates to the Breakfast slot, after axing the show just over a month prior.<\/p>\n

For Elstub, that reversal is less about retreat and more about listening.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think one of the best things in life you can do is acknowledge your mistakes and learn from them,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

That honesty, she says, was mutual.<\/p>\n

\u201cRobin said how upset she was,\u201d Elstub said, but she also acknowledged how rare it is for management to admit a major mistake and move quickly to correct it. \u201cIt\u2019s very rare for management to acknowledge a massive mistake and do a 180 to fix that.\u201d<\/p>\n

For ARN, Elstub said, the response was straightforward. \u201cWe heard from Brisbane, heard from the audiences, and we reacted,\u201d she said. \u201cWe didn\u2019t just stand there and say no. We said we were wrong \u2013 and there\u2019s no better evidence than that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Familiar voices, new audiences<\/p>\n

Even as ARN continues to adjust its strategy, Elstub is clear that the network is still anchored by its most recognisable voices. For her, the value is not just in the numbers but in the commitment that keeps audiences coming back.<\/p>\n

On Christian O\u2019Connell<\/strong>, she points to dedication over metrics.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe is dedicated. He is loyal,\u201d Elstub said, recalling how O\u2019Connell was still calling back listeners he had spoken to on air earlier in the week. It is the kind of off-mic effort that rarely shows up in a survey, but matters deeply to listeners.<\/p>\n

That same mix of legacy and momentum sits at the heart of Jonesy and Amanda.<\/p>\n

Elstub describes them as \u201ctwo of the most beloved radio broadcasters and entertainers in the country\u201d, adding that a planned 15-minute catch-up recently stretched to an hour. Why? \u201cThey\u2019re excited to bring their beloved Breakfast show to an entirely new audience on Drive,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Keep on top of the most important media, marketing, and agency news each day with the\u00a0Mediaweek\u00a0Morning Report\u00a0\u2013 delivered for free every morning to your inbox.<\/a><\/p>\n

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