ARN has unveiled its 2026 content slate, marking a new phase of national growth and purpose-led programming. The rollout includes the westward expansion of Kyle & Jackie O into Perth, the consolidation of KIIS and GOLD as national networks, and the launch of iHeart Women’s Sports, Australia’s first dedicated audio network for women’s sport.
Kyle & Jackie O Go West
In 2026, ARN will make its most significant network expansion to date with the launch of KIIS Perth, bringing Kyle & Jackie O to a new major market. The move positions KIIS as a fully national entertainment network, spanning Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and now Perth.
It is a bold move for the network, which has experienced a rocky start to its Kyle and Jackie O expansion. In the last GFK radio survey, the show’s Melbourne offering slipped even further to a 7.9 per cent share. And, even in Sydney, where to program was once a guaranteed ratings winner, it was beaten out by 2GB, slipping by 0.8 to a 13.6 per cent share in Breakfast
Speaking to B&T ahead of the upfronts, Lauren Joyce, ARN chief audience & content officer, said that the network uses much more than just the GFK metrics to measure the success of its programs.
“We are definitely paying attention to the numbers, but for us, we look at total footprint,” she told B&T. “We’ll look at a combination of those numbers, our streaming numbers, the podcast numbers, and then our socials. The future of entertainment really isn’t sitting in one medium. It’s about being where our audiences are and delivering the content in the format that they’re choosing to consume. So we’re focused on building out the entire footprint, not just the audio”.
While KIIS Perth marks the next chapter in ARN’s ambition to build a truly national entertainment brand, the move also highlights a shift in how success is measured across the network. In an industry where linear listening is increasingly fragmented, ARN’s bet on “borderless entertainment” suggests that the Kyle & Jackie O brand will be used not only to grow local market share, but to strengthen the network’s cross-platform ecosystem across radio, streaming, podcasts, and social.
“We do believe that Kyle and Jackie O’s content does have huge entertainment value. It’s ubiquitous. Audiences, irrespective of medium, become more used to content that is borderless. We really feel that Kyle and Jackie O have the level of entertainment value that lends itself to them going into Perth. We are sure they will find an audience over there,” she explained.
“Just because people live in different locations doesn’t mean that they don’t necessarily find content entertaining in a similar way to their counterparts living over East, for example”.
The expansion forms part of ARN’s broader 2026 strategy to unite its two national powerhouses, KIIS and GOLD, delivering true cross-platform entertainment and advertising scale across every major Australian market.
iHeart Women’s Sports
Complementing its entertainment expansion, ARN will launch iHeart Women’s Sports, a dedicated network celebrating women’s sport and increasing representation in sports broadcasting.
Developed in partnership with Making The Call, the network will deliver a mix of live coverage, podcasts, and original content featuring female athletes, commentators, and creators. It will also fund training and mentorship opportunities for women and non-binary individuals entering the industry, creating a pathway for more diverse voices in sports media.
Despite the growth, women’s sports still only receive around 15% of media coverage nationally. iHeart Women’s Sports seeks to help close that gap, using the reach of ARN’s metro and regional broadcast network and digital platforms.
The network will deliver daily news bulletins and updates across ARN’s metro and regional stations, celebrating the best of women in sport every day. The bulletins will be led by broadcaster Rana Hussain – a leading voice in inclusion and belonging.
iHeart Women’s Sports will sit within ARN’s growing digital audio ecosystem, providing advertisers with access to highly engaged audiences passionate about sport, equality, and storytelling.
The network will bring together some of Australia’s top sports podcasts:
- No Dribble from netballers Liz Ellis AO, Catherine Cox AM and Carolyn Swindell.
- The [Female] Athlete Project with Olympian Chloe Dalton
- Cricket Australia’s entire podcast slate is joining iHeart, including their Women’s Cricket Podcast The Scoop
- Plus titles from around the world, including podcasts from tennis great Rennae Stubbs and WNBA icon Sheryl Swoopes
The iHeart Women’s Sports Network will also feature new and returning iHeart Original productions:
- Two Good Sports with journalists Abbey Gelmi and Georgie Tunny
- New sports entertainment shows with AFLW star Kirby Bentley and sports presenter Brihony Dawson.
Emma Race, Director of Making The Call, said: “Australian women’s teams, athletes and fans have kicked sport into the future. We are proud and excited to have ARN as our teammate. Together we will give that future its voice and amplify it.”
“iHeart Women’s Sports will celebrate incredible athletes, share their stories, and show just how powerful women’s sport is. This network is about inspiring the next generation, giving every fan a chance to connect with the game, and putting women’s sport front and centre. But it’s about more than coverage – together with Making The Call, we’re creating real pathways for women and non-binary individuals into sports media, building the biggest women’s sports audio network in Australia while supporting the next generation of talent,” said Joyce.
Speaking with B&T, Corey Layton, head of digital audio at ARN said that this wasn’t the right time to invest in women’s sport, but it was, in fact, too late. “I wish most of the media had done this years ago, and I’m surprised most or all media have not yet done this,” he said.
“For me, it is such an important thing to be doing, and something that should have been done a long time ago, and I am super passionate about what we’re building, the immense amount of existing shows, new shows and creators we have on board, which is only going to be the start. And I’m really excited for who else gets in touch to go ‘Hey, we want to be part of that too'”.
On top of increasing diversity in the sports media space, a percentage of every dollar invested in iHeart Women’s Sports will go toward funding pathways into sports media through Making The Call, reflecting iHeart’s ongoing commitment to equity and inclusion across the sports industry.
“We’re only at the starting line of what I think is a really long-term and exciting play,” Layton said.
Smallzy Enters The Chat
The 2026 lineup also sees Kent “Smallzy” Small join the KIIS Network to host The Smallzy Show, airing across two national timeslots.
Smallzy is renowned for his unmatched access to the world’s biggest stars and his unique ability to connect with audiences through music, celebrity, and pop culture. Over a career spanning more than 20 years, Smallzy has created one of the country’s most successful radio brands, earning multiple Best Music & Entertainment Presenter awards at the Australian Commercial Radio Awards and praise from global artists, including Ed Sheeran, for consistently broadcasting “at such a high level.”
Starting January, The Smallzy Show will air in two national timeslots on the KIIS Network and on demand via the Heart app. In 3-4pm early drive, Smallzy will kick off the afternoon with a fresh, fast-paced show, bringing the day’s pop culture highlights to listeners. Featuring interviews with the world’s biggest stars, trending global stories, and once-in-a-lifetime prizes, the new show promises to supercharge the school-run timeslot with music, entertainment, and fun for the whole family.
Later in the evening from 7-9pm, Smallzy returns with a night edition that keeps audiences plugged into what’s trending, from celebrity news and social media buzz to chart-topping and emerging artists.
“I’m excited the news is finally out… I’ve made the switch to KIIS from 2026! It was a big YES when I heard the company’s vision for the future and the part I get to play in it on the KIIS Network alongside Kyle & Jackie O. If the enthusiasm and support I’ve received before even starting is anything to go by, I know the switch to KIIS is the best career decision I’ve made. I can’t wait to get back on air, meet the loyal KIIS listeners, and make plenty of new ones,” said Small.
Lauren Joyce, ARN Chief Audience & Content Officer, said: “We’re thrilled to welcome Smallzy to the KIIS Network. He brings the energy, celebrity access, and musical edge that will make both afternoons and evenings unmissable for audiences. Smallzy is the perfect talent to take these timeslots to the next level, delivering the mix of music, entertainment, and family-friendly fun that listeners and advertisers love.”
Speaking to B&T, Joyce called Smallzy’s edition an “investment for the future”.
“It’s about our pipeline of talent. It’s not just looking at 2026; Smallzy really plays into the entertainment proposition of Kiss, and that’s something that we’re absolutely elevating in 2026. You’ll see him popping up here, there and everywhere across the KIIS network. We’re so excited about what he can bring and think that he will add a lot of kind of style value to our whole proposition”.
iHeart Originals & Ruby Studio
ARN has also announced it will debut iHeartMedia’s branded content studio Ruby in Australia, dedicated to crafting meaningful, impactful, and culturally relevant storytelling with partners through branded podcasts.
Now, through the debut of Ruby Australia, ARN will seamlessly be able to connect brands to audiences by translating brand messaging, products, and services into original and engaging stories that audiences love.
In the United States, Ruby has built the industry’s largest slate of branded podcasts, producing more than fifty original titles with partners and delivering proven results for the world’s biggest advertisers, including Audible, HBO, IBM, Salesforce, and more.
Ruby allows advertisers to engage audiences with creative, long-form native content. Now, with ARN launching Ruby Australia, local advertisers have the capability to create holistic podcast concepts that resonate with their targeted audiences in a unique environment, with opportunities for storytelling that are not possible anywhere else in their media mix including social video.
At the heart of Ruby is a simple promise: brands invest in the media, and Ruby covers all production, talent and distribution costs – delivering premium content and measurable ROl as added value to a hardworking media plan. Ruby Australia will aim to provide a complete end-to-end service, handling every step of the branded podcast journey:
Ben Campbell, ARN Director Digital Strategy, Data & Digital Ventures, added: “Ruby has transformed the way brands in the U.S. connect with audiences, and we’re excited to bring that proven model to Australia. With Ruby, advertisers don’t just buy media – they get a full-service content partner that handles everything from ideation and production to promotion and measurement. By creating turnkey solutions, we’re making it easier than ever for brands to unlock the power of podcasts.”
With the arrival of Ruby Australia, ARN will now offer advertisers a full-service branded content solution that delivers impactful, long-form storytelling at scale – across audio, visual, social, and live experiences.
ARN’s iHeart is also expanding its slate of iHeart Originals, offering audiences and brands more ways to connect with premium, high-engagement entertainment content.
New and returning iHeart Originals in 2026 include:
- Love Island Australia: Officially Unpacked, premiering tomorrow in a landmark partnership between iHeart, ITV Studios Australia and Nine. The iHeart Original gives fans the ultimate all-access pass to Australia’s most talked-about reality series.
- Follow the Call – GOLD FM’s Christian O’Connell helps his 21-year-old daughter Ruby navigate life after university and discover her calling, delivering a heartfelt, multi-generational series that will resonate with audiences across Australia.
- Dr KIIS – where Embarrassing Bodies meets Dr Pimple Popper; this revealing series dives into the weird, wonderful, and sometimes cringe-inducing world of real-life medical mysteries.
- RAUKUS – an insider’s look at the extreme sport otherwise known as Australian politics, unpacking the decisions, indecision, and psychological warfare shaping the nation.
- Double A Chattery – GOLD FM host Amanda Keller and forensic psychologist Anita McGregor deliver a weekly mix of smart, funny, topical, and sometimes delightfully irreverent conversation.
- Saucy Secrets with Jana Hocking – the new, unfiltered and highly revealing podcast, radio and You Tube series is set to become nothing short of addictive.
New local podcasts include:
Leading the 2026 slate are several highly anticipated new podcasts, including Australian True Crime, The Lazy CEO, The Mums’ Group and Access Granted.
Popular podcasts returning to iHeart in 2026 include The Daily Aus, She’s On the Money, Two Doting Dads with Matty J and Ash, Outspoken, The Buck Up with Kate Langbroek and Nath Valvo, The Nutrition Couch, Wiggle Talk, Dr Justin Coulson’s Happy Families, The Psychology of Your 20s, How I Work, The Tennis, Concealed with Art Simone, The Rise & Conquer Podcast and the entire Clubby Sports lineup including Dyl & Friends
ARE Media Partnership
In addition to a suite of new original content, ARN has partnered with Are Media to distribute and represent a range of premium podcasts, alongside cross-platform commercial opportunities for some of Australia’s most iconic brands – including WHO, ELLE, marie claire, Belle, Home Beautiful, The Australian Women’s Weekly and Gourmet Traveller.
The collaboration kicks off with marie claire’s “You’re Gonna Want to Hear This” which debuts today, hosted by marie claire Editor Georgie McCourt and featuring intimate conversations with
trailblazers including Jacinda Ardern, Brittany Higgins, Grace Tame, Asher Keddie, Cindy Crawford, and Celeste Barber.
The partnership also opens up integrated commercial opportunities, allowing brands to leverage the combined strength of Are Media and ARN, and provides a seamless solution for brands to engage Australian women with maximum impact in a single brief.
“Are Media’s brands have been cultural institutions in Australian homes for generations and have now exponentially grown audiences through digital and social. That deep audience connection is what sets us apart,” said Jocelin Abbey, general manager, homes & lifestyle, Are Media.
“We’ve already built strong momentum in video and audio, and this partnership with iHeart supercharges that growth. It amplifies the trust our audiences have in our storytelling across more platforms, giving them richer ways to connect with the brands they love, and giving advertisers confidence in premium, brand-safe environments.”
Abbey added: “Almost one in three Are Media consumers have listened to or watched a podcast in the past month. That insight continues to shape how we create, supported by our new, purpose-built studios in Sydney’s CBD, which give us the agility and scale to bring stories to life quickly and seamlessly.”
“ARN’s partnership with Are Media unites two of Australia’s most trusted voices in storytelling. Together, we’ll give audiences more ways to connect, advertisers more impactful ways to engage and creators a platform that reaches millions of listeners every month,” said Layton.
