ARN goes national, gets loud with iHeartLIVE and women's sport push

ARN has used its first-ever upfront event to reveal a sweeping 2026 strategy that leans heavily into national scale, live experiences, and digital product innovation, anchored by the expansion of its KIIS and GOLD networks, a significant investment in iHeartLIVE, and a new women’s sports audio network.

Chief audience and content officer Lauren Joyce said the goal was to reframe how brands connect with Australians through entertainment, not just radio.

“It’s fun, fast, and everywhere our audiences are – on air, online and in person,” Joyce said. “Our 2026 strategy is about more than just radio. It’s about delivering entertainment through star talent and creative ideas that deliver unforgettable experiences for audiences and results for our commercial partners.”

At the heart of ARN’s 2026 play is iHeartLIVE, a multi-platform fan experience that merges live performance with broadcast, streaming, and social. The network plans to stage 20 shows across major cities and regional centres next year in partnership with promoters, agents and labels. The events will be simulcast on air and made available via video on demand, with brands offered integrated sponsorship opportunities both at the venues and across ARN’s digital ecosystem. The upfront featured a live Q&A with 5 Seconds of Summer and a performance by Amy Shark to demonstrate the calibre of talent iHeartLIVE will continue to attract.

Elsewhere, ARN announced it will unify its KIIS and GOLD brands nationally, giving advertisers access to two fully integrated networks across the five metro markets.

GOLD will bring together stations in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide and Brisbane under a consistent national brand. Perth’s 96FM becomes GOLD96FM, Adelaide’s Cruise1323 will rebrand as GOLD1323, and new DAB+ stations will launch in Brisbane and Adelaide. Programming will remain locally anchored with news and weather, but key shows such as The Christian O’Connell Show and Jonesy & Amanda will be broadcast nationally across breakfast and drive.

KIIS will also expand to five metro markets. Adelaide’s Mix102.3 will become KIIS 102.3 with Ben & Liam returning to host breakfast. In Brisbane, Craig ‘Lowie’ Lowe will lead the KIIS 97.3 breakfast show after returning from LA, while Perth will receive a new DAB+ station featuring Kyle & Jackie O. The network will also launch KIIS X, a digital-only channel focused on music and rising artists, while building out visual content from purpose-built video sets.

In a further move, ARN and Making The Call unveiled the launch of the iHeart Women’s Sports Network – a national audio platform dedicated to women’s sport, spanning news bulletins, podcasts and original programming. The network will be led by broadcaster Rana Hussain and feature content from major talent including Liz Ellis, Catherine Cox, Chloe Dalton and Cricket Australia, alongside new shows hosted by Abbey Gelmi, Georgie Tunny and others. A portion of advertising revenue will go toward funding pathways for women and non-binary voices into sports media.

“iHeart Women’s Sports will celebrate incredible athletes, share their stories, and show just how powerful women’s sport is,” said Joyce. “But it’s about more than coverage – we’re creating real pathways into sports media while building the biggest women’s sports audio network in the country.”

ARN also announced the next-generation iHeart app for Australia. Designed to replicate the simplicity of car radio with digital capabilities, the redesigned app includes new features such as presets, scan functions, interactive lyrics and trending content rankers. The free update begins rolling out today on Android and iOS.

Finally, ARN confirmed the extension of its partnership with TikTok. The TikTok Trending station will continue broadcasting 24/7 via iHeart, while a new slate of TikTok Viral Chart Shows will launch across KIIS, CADA and regional stations. The partnership is positioned to give advertisers greater access to youth audiences by aligning TikTok’s cultural influence with ARN’s reach and data infrastructure.

The company described the new strategy as a major step forward in turning attention into action – for both audiences and advertisers – as it accelerates its push into live, social and streaming experiences beyond traditional broadcast radio.