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ARN Faces Pay Revolt After Kyle and Jackie O Fallout Cuts $22 Million in Ads

The shareholder rebuke highlights deep concern over the company’s handling of content risk, pay, and governance.

Overview

  • ARN investors at Thursday’s annual meeting voted more than 90% against the executive pay report, forcing the company to revise it for the next vote.
  • Chief executive Michael Stephenson said advertiser ‘brand safety’ concerns tied to the Kyle and Jackie O saga cost about $22 million in metro revenue out of a $26 million ad decline last year.
  • Chair Hamish McLennan kept his position with roughly 80% support and said he will invest $500,000 in ARN shares as a show of confidence.
  • Australia’s media regulator, ACMA, ordered ARN’s radio licensees to enter an 18‑month enforceable undertaking after repeated failures to respond to listener complaints within 30 days.
  • Kyle Sandilands and Jackie ‘O’ Henderson are pursuing claims exceeding $160 million over their terminated 10‑year deals, as new filings allege ARN promoted their on‑air blow‑ups to make money and the company mounts countersuits.