ARN revitalises iHeartCountry Australia for new era
In an effort to expand country music’s reach across major markets, ARN is officially relaunching “iHeartCountry Australia as a National DAB+ Network”.
The revitalisation will see iHeartCountry added to ARN’s superbrands portfolio – a catalogue that already contains CADA, GOLD, KIIS and fellow country radio station KIX Country.
While under ARN, iHeartCountry and KIX are expected to work in tandem to deliver contemporary country music to major cities Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, and important markets, such as Darwin, Hobart, the Gold Coast and Canberra, giving ARN the ability to better service regional and metro country music audiences with a dedicated network.
Moving forward, iHeartCountry will supply fans with a range of country-dedicated content, including music updates, national news, a weekly countdown covering the genre’s top tracks, artist interviews, a daily ‘Artist of the Week’ offering, and a cover segment titled ‘Countrified’ where artists give a country twist to popular songs.
In addition to music from international country stars such as Miranda Lambert, Luke Combs and Morgan Wallen, listeners can expect to hear WSFM talent Steve Fitton with Breakfast; KIX Country interviewer Justin Thomson in the Afternoon, and KIX host and brother of divisive Sydney radio star Kyle Sandilands, Chris Sandilands, on Drive.
Celebrity guests are also expected to make guest appearances on the station.
“Country music is booming globally, and Australia, as the world’s third-largest market for the genre, plays a pivotal role in its growth,” ARN’s head of content for digital radio, Brett “Nozz” Nossiter, said.
“With the new iHeartCountry network, ARN is leading the charge by offering a platform that celebrates the diversity and passion of country music fans while championing international superstars, rising local talent, and the broader Australian music industry. This is a game-changer for country music in Australia.”
Officially launching today, iHeartCountry’s new era begins at a tumultuous time for ARN, who is reportedly gearing up to axe dozens of jobs in the wake of Kyle and Jackie O failing to capture the interest of Melbournians, and an unsuccessful takeover bid of rival network Southern Cross Austereo.
“Like many local media companies, we have had to make some changes to select roles and teams to position ARN for success in 2025,” ARN told Mumbrella when commenting on the expected job cuts.
“These changes have already been implemented, and we are deeply grateful for the professionalism and dedication of everyone impacted.”
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Matthew is the editorial assistant at Mumbrella. He joined the company at the end of September 2023.
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Brett Nossiter
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iHeartCountry Australia
Justin Thomson
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Steve Fitton
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