ARN has signed Today program host Karl Stefanovic and Eddie McGuire to join the network and create a new entertainment format only days after Stefanovic first hinted he had a future in radio at the Cairns Crocodiles.
Stefanovic and McGuire, who are currently employed by Nine, are ARN’s first major new talent signings since the company severed ties with Kyle Sandilands and Jackie Henderson. Their commitments with the Nine Network remain unchanged as part of the five-month arrangement.
The pair will co-create The Long Weekend – a “bold new weekly news, sport and entertainment format designed to be full of opinion, energy, and perspective”. The format promises three hours of music, unmissable banter, big personalities, big opinions and “no-holds-barred discussions that will set the tone for the weekend ahead”.
It will launch on 19 June across GOLD Network and run on Fridays from 12-3pm. It can also be accessed on iHeart global Network in New Zealand, Canada, Mexico, US and UK.
The show will also be available to stream on 9Now and Stan.
Stefanovic said: “Since I was born, I’ve been a student of radio and announcers. The intimacy of the medium is powerful. Working with Eddie makes it even more exciting for me. We’ve been friends for a long time. We are both ready to disrupt the status quo and let me tell you, we’ll have plenty of fun along the way. God, don’t we all need that. ARN have given us this opportunity, now watch us go and have a proper crack.”
McGuire added: “This is a wonderful new chapter. Karl and I have been talking about working together for years, and to do it on this scale, nationally on GOLD, internationally on iHeart, on 9Now and Stan and with JAM TV as a production partner is a once in a career opportunity. We’re going to bring our audience along to wherever the big news, sport and entertainment is happening, with great music in between. Karl is one of my closest mates in the industry. Now we get to do this together. Off we go.”
ARN chief executive Michael Stephenson, the former sales chief at Nine, described the pair as two of the biggest stars in Australian media.
“The Long Weekend is an excellent example of our strategy coming to life, premium audio and video content distributed across every platform, amplified on social and distributed across the globe on the iHeart Network. This is going to be brilliant.”
ARN content chief Kerri Elstub, another long-serving former Nine executive, said: “I’ve known Karl for 20 years from his first day on Today. When big moments happen, there is no one better – he has a unique ability to relate to Australian audiences. Eddie needs no introduction. His influence and broadcasting prowess is legendary. I can’t wait to show you what they can do together.”
Nine managing director of streaming and broadcast Amanda Laing welcomed the multi-platform arrangement, adding: “Nine has a deep commitment to audio through podcasting and vodcasting and it makes perfect sense for two of Nine’s talent to have their new show streamed on their home network.
“Karl and Eddie are great broadcasters and we look forward to showcasing The Long Weekend, adding to the expanding content available to our audiences on 9Now and Stan.”
ARN and McGuire Media will also collaborate on a new sport focused iHeart original podcast series for global distribution across the iHeart network. Both formats will be produced in partnership with JAM TV, Eddie McGuire’s production company.
Last week, Stefanovic told the Cairns Crocodiles, presented by Pinterest, that he may well end up on talkback radio in a fireside with Maz Farrelly.
In a candid and entertaining session, Stefanovic warned that mainstream media faces “huge problems” as shrinking advertising returns place pressure on talent salaries and production budgets.
