Media Bubble

ARN Dropped 10 Announcements. We Scored Them

Wed, 11 Nov 2026 18:00:00 GMT

Ten episodes in, and ARN is the story. They dropped ten announcements at their upfront, and Irene, Ben and Pete score every one of them. Ticks, crosses and a few that are harder to call. Plus a first listen to the new Kiss Sydney breakfast show.

Clarkey Watch makes its debut, with Michael Clarke now on the 2DAYFM breakfast, Pete has a theory on the hire. Ben takes us through the AGM's for Seven Media Group and Nine, why Netflix and YouTube are keeping legacy media up at night, and the trouble sitting under Married at First Sight. Pete sits down with James Bayes from The Trade Desk and Media Therapy gets a very timely question just as the silly season kicks in.

Audio from Tim Burrowes’ interview with ARN’s Michael Stephenson, courtesy of Mumbrella. Hear the full interview here.

Sound design and Mixing by EARSAY - More than an audio production company.

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The Upfronts: New Talent, New Tricks and a Lot Riding on KIIS

Wed, 04 Nov 2026 18:00:00 GMT

Upfront season continues, and the Seven Media Group and Paramount have laid out their plans for 2027, with ARN preparing for one of its most closely watched announcements in years.

This week on Media Bubble, Reenie, Willee and Whitey unpack the big moves. The Seven Media Group is turning successful podcasters into national radio stars, with Lucy & Nikki and Lu & Jarch taking over Hit Network Drive. What's the commercial advantage of having the same talent across radio, podcasts and social?

Willee has the inside scoop on why SMG hired Michael Clarke for 2DAY FM Breakfast.

Paramount is experimenting with shoppable television through its Bunnings partnership. A smart new revenue opportunity or a gimmick viewers don't need?

And with ARN's upfront approaching, all eyes are on KIIS Sydney and the enormous challenge of replacing Kyle and Jackie O.

Plus, Google's AI dilemma, the latest advertising spend figures and why Black Friday is becoming a dangerous game for retailers.

Sound design and Mixing by EARSAY - More than an audio production company.

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Fresh Starts and Big Swings

Thu, 29 Oct 2026 00:09:10 GMT

This week on Media Bubble, we dig into ARN’s new breakfast show for Melbourne, Ash, Izzie & Elliot - we share our first thoughts on whether we think they can make an impact in a crowded market. Seven Media Group hosted their first Up Front last week in Sydney - we discuss some of the key announcements from the event, Lu & Jarch heading into Hit drive, the cross-platform sales pitch and the move nobody saw coming, Michael Clarke joining 2DAY FM Breakfast. And in tech news, Anthropic files for the biggest IPO in history, a valuation of up to US$2 trillion - what it says about AI as core infrastructure, and whether it points to a bubble.

Ben is climbing three of Victoria's highest peaks to raise money for UnLtd and disadvantaged children. Help him reach his goal - Donate here.

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C&T out. Is Nine about to swallow ARN? and Radio's Creator Problem.

Wed, 21 Oct 2026 23:32:27 GMT

Carrie & Tommy's exit from Hit raises questions about the value of radio talent - and what happens when big names move on.

Is Nine making a move on ARN? We unpack the rumours, the numbers and the commercial logic behind a potential deal, including what it could mean for Australian radio and the threat of global tech giants buying into local media.

Plus, are digital creators replacing traditional radio talent for brands? If creators bring their own audiences, control their own platforms and offer brands a direct line to fans, what's left for radio personalities?

And in Media Therapy, Ben and Pete go head-to-head on a question facing the entire industry: should advertisers keep more of their money in Australian media, or does every dollar have to earn its keep?

Ben is climbing three of Victoria's highest peaks to raise money for UnLtd and disadvantaged children. Help him reach his goal - Donate here.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Spotify's Non-Exclusive Play & The Bathurst Branding Machine

Wed, 14 Oct 2026 18:00:00 GMT

This week on Media Bubble, Reeney, Willie, & Whitey dig into the new Spotify and Joe Rogan licensing agreement and how Spotify recoups on the deal. From there, the focus shifts to Bathurst, looking at how nine hours of car racing delivers a masterclass in audience retention and massive brand integration and why some agencies are already using Al for close to 50% of voiceovers.

Production & Sound Design: Earsay - More than an audio production company.

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The NRL Won. The AFL Won. Who Actually Won?

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 23:36:09 GMT

This week on Media Bubble, we get into the NRL Grand Final and the media circus around it - from the ratings battle with the AFL and that much-discussed 11-minute pre-game entertainment show, to advertising, sponsorship, gambling and Peter V’landys.

We look at Tesla removing broadcast radio from some of its new models and what that means for the way Australians listen in the car.

Plus, Austereo is about to disappear as a corporate name, Channel 10 is shutting down regional services, Tapt Media has reshuffled its Sydney lineup, and Triple M has launched racing as it looks for new commercial opportunities.

The week in media, unpacked.

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Melbourne’s New Radio War, the Grand Final Wars & Who Wants ARN?

Thu, 01 Oct 2026 00:48:37 GMT

ARN has finally revealed the new breakfast team for Melbourne - Ash London, Isaac Smith and Elliot Garneau. Is this the more interesting of ARN’s two new breakfast bets?

We get into the AFL Grand Final as a media event, from Kylie Minogue’s pre-game performance and its 4.35 million reach to the battle for attention between the AFL and NRL. Can the Knights and Roosters follow it? And what exactly is Peter V’landys planning for those mysterious 11 minutes of entertainment?

Then Macca’s becomes a media company. We get under the hood of retail media, the money moving out of traditional media, the data sitting inside your Everyday Rewards card - and why, apparently, every retailer now wants a slice of the advertising pie.

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From KIIS to Kick Off - Radio Risks and Footy's Billion Dollar Bonanza

Wed, 23 Sep 2026 23:35:03 GMT

ARN finally pulls the trigger on the new KIIS 106.5 breakfast show - Dr Chris Brown, Amy Gerard and Jack Charles. We tackle the announcement from three different sides of the media business: content, sales and the media buyer’s perspective. What does the new line-up say about the direction of KIIS, and can this combination create the kind of live radio chemistry that Sydney has been used to?

And it's AFL Grand Final week - we’re looking at what the AFL’s biggest week means for the media - from audience and attention - to the huge commercial machine that builds up around the game.

Audio and sound design by EARSAY - more than an audio production company.

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Big Events, Big Ads, Big Attention

Thu, 17 Sep 2026 04:41:27 GMT

Upfronts, the NFL in Melbourne and the Sydney Sweeney ad. Three big media stories, one big question: what actually gets our attention now?

We unpack how media events are changing, why sport is becoming an even bigger audience driver, and what advertisers can learn from controversy, culture and the power of a good headline.

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Inside the ARN Bubble: The CCO Who Sold Kyle & Jackie O Breaks His Silence

Wed, 09 Sep 2026 15:41:23 GMT

Welcome to the first episode of Media Bubble - Irene Hume, Ben Willee and Pete Whitehead unpacking the week in Australian media from three different sides of the industry.

Pete Whitehead spent seven years as ARN's chief commercial officer, responsible for around $250 million in revenue across metro, regional and digital. He left just on twelve months ago and hasn't talked about any of it publicly until now.

And Ben Willee on the record Meta settlement that changes nothing about how Meta makes money.

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Media Bubble Podcast Trailer

Mon, 07 Sep 2026 10:34:26 GMT

A brand new podcast about what's really happening inside Australian media.

Hosted by Irene Hulme, Ben Willee and Peter Whitehead - three experienced media operators who see the industry from very different sides.

From radio, television and streaming to podcasts, advertising, platforms, talent and the big deals driving the industry, we unpack the week, what happened, why it happened, who benefits, who loses and what's coming next.

New episodes every Thursday. Follow now so the first one lands in your feed.

The Australian media industry, from inside the bubble.

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