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Australia’s audio landscape is entering a new phase of scale and strategy as two of the country’s largest networks unveil ambitious developments. Southern Cross Austereo has introduced a new DAB+ music brand under the Heart banner, while Australian Radio Network has announced that its KIIS and Gold networks will become truly national in 2026.
SCA launches Heart network to capture DAB+ growth
SCA announced the launch of the Heart Network, a new national music brand debuting on DAB+ and via its LiSTNR app platform. The initial offering includes two stations: Heart and Heart Hits. Heart is positioned as an adult contemporary format designed for a predominantly female audience, playing a mix from the 1970s, 1980s, and today, featuring artists such as Whitney Houston, Taylor Swift and ABBA. Meanwhile, Heart Hits targets nostalgia-driven listeners with hits from the 70s, 80s and 90s, including Madonna, Elton John, Queen and U2.
SCA says the goal of Heart is to engage new and diverse listeners through a digital-first music experience, addressing demand for more personalized and mood-based content in the digital audio space. The company noted that it already leads DAB+ with 1.3 million listeners and has more than 2.4 million signed-on users on LiSTNR. From a commercial perspective, Heart is designed as a scalable platform offering advertisers a brand-safe environment with clearly defined audiences and listening occasions.
Matthew O’Reilly, SCA’s head of broadcast content, said, “Heart strengthens SCA’s already diverse music portfolio and marks our entry into the world’s most popular format … and now SCA has a powerful adult contemporary brand of its own. Heart is built for listeners seeking a more personal and mood-based experience, while expanding our reach as the Number 1 network on DAB+.”
ARN takes KIIS and Gold coast-to-coast
At its first-ever Upfront event on Oct. 29, ARN revealed its 2026 content strategy, announcing that its familiar KIIS and Gold networks will become fully national platforms for advertisers and listeners alike.
In 2026, Gold will span all major metro markets. Sydney’s Gold 101.7 and Melbourne’s Gold 104.3 remain anchors; Perth’s 96FM becomes Gold 96FM with Lisa Shaw and Russell Clarke; Adelaide’s Cruise 1323 evolves into Gold 1323 with refreshed programming; and new DAB+ launches in Brisbane and Adelaide will complete the national footprint. Key shows will include “The Christian O’Connell Show” (breakfast) and “Jonesy & Amanda” (drive) — now broadcasting across all five metro markets. Lauren Joyce, ARN’s chief audience and content officer, said this would give audiences “a consistent listening experience wherever they are, while still keeping that local flavor they love.”
In 2026, KIIS expands to include Adelaide (Mix102.3 rebranded as KIIS 102.3), Brisbane (KIIS 97.3 with Craig ‘Lowie’ Lowe at breakfast) and Perth (a new KIIS DAB+ station bringing the “Kyle & Jackie O Show” to a new audience) and “Will & Woody” returning for National Drive. Also, Kent “Smallzy” Small, one of Australia’s most recognizable and influential entertainment broadcasters, has signed with ARN to launch a brand-new show across the KIIS Network (3 p.m. and 7 p.m. live and on demand). KIIS, said Joyce, is being built as “fun, fast and everywhere our audiences are — on air, online and in person.”
From a commercial vantage, ARN says the national rollout of these two networks offers advertisers a unified platform across audio, visual, social and live experiences — built on star talent, premium content and measurable impact. “Our 2026 strategy is about more than just radio,” Joyce said. “It’s about delivering entertainment through star talent and creative ideas that deliver unforgettable experiences for audiences and results for our commercial partners.”
Two accelerating trends
Taken together, these announcements highlight two accelerating trends in the Australian market: the shift toward digital audio and DAB+ platforms and the move from local or regional broadcast models to national brand ecosystems.
SCA’s Heart network underscores the rise of mood-based, personalized listening — a digital-centric experience shaped around lifestyle and emotion rather than format alone. Meanwhile, ARN’s KIIS and Gold expansions signal a redefinition of what it means to be a “radio” network — as stations evolve into cross-platform entertainment brands integrating audio, video, social and live experiences under a single creative framework.
As SCA and ARN roll out their next-generation strategies, the message is clear: radio’s boundaries are dissolving. What was once confined to FM towers and city markets is becoming a unified, national, digital and data-driven medium. The transformation is beyond technology — it’s about re-imagining connection in an era where attention is fragmented, and loyalty is earned across multiple touchpoints.
You can find more details about SCA’s DAB+-first plans here, and about ARN’s national rollout here.
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