ARN Media

History

ARN Media had its origins in Provincial Newspapers (PN), a listed company that published regional newspapers in New South Wales and Queensland. The Herald & Weekly Times, which owned a significant proportion of PNQ, was taken over by News Limited in 1987. To comply with an order of the Trade Practices Commission, News Limited was required to sell its PN shares. The 48% stake in PN was acquired in 1988 by interests associated with the family of Tony O'Reilly, the principal shareholder of Independent Newspapers of Ireland.

The company was renamed Australian Provincial Newspapers Holdings and listed again on the Australian Securities Exchange in 1992 following a public share issue, and in 1998 the name was changed to APN News & Media.

In 2001, APN acquired 25% of Soprano Design, later going on to acquire stakes in Conversant Media and Unbnd Group. These acquisitions have been listed every year in their financial reports. Soprano Design was valued at over A$500 million in November 2019, giving APN over A$125m in equity.{{cite web |url-status = live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180321090049/https://www.asx.com.au/asxpdf/20180215/pdf/43rlf5jbbh6fdz.pdf |archive-date=21 March 2018

In June 2016, the company completed the demerger of its New Zealand radio and publishing business, New Zealand Media and Entertainment. However, the company maintained a presence in New Zealand via its outdoor advertising business, Adshel NZ. Also in 2016, the company announced it would sell its regional newspaper division, Australian Regional Media, to News Corp Australia for $36.6 million. The deal was reviewed but not opposed by the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission. The sale of ARM, encompassing APN's remaining newspaper assets, was completed in December 2016.

APN News & Media Limited changed its name to HT&E Limited in May 2017, changing its ASX Listing Code to HT1.

In June 2018, oOh!media purchased street furniture business Adshel for A$570 million from HT&E, in a competitive bidding war against rival (and former HT&E subsidiary) APN Outdoor.

In January 2023, the company sold its 25% stake in communications firm Soprano. In May 2023, Here, There & Everywhere was renamed ARN Media. In June 2023, ARN acquired a 15% shareholding in major competitor Southern Cross Austereo. In October 2023, ARN launched a takeover offer for SCA in partnership with Anchorage Capital Partners. To satisfy Australian Communications & Media Authority regulations that allow one party to only own two radio stations in one market, in capital cities ARN would own the KIIS and Triple M networks, while Anchorage Capital Partners would control the Hit and Pure Gold networks. The deal collapsed after Anchorage withdrew.

Assets

ARN operates 58 radio stations, targeting the 25-to-54-year-old demographic. These stations include

• the top 40 (CHR), adult contemporary, and active rock-formatted KIIS Network
• the adult contemporary, classic hits and oldies-formatted Gold Network
• the rhythmic top 40 and urban contemporary-formatted CADA
• joint venture stations Mix 106.3 and Hit104.7 in Canberra with Southern Cross Austereo
• other radio stations via DAB+ digital radio and iHeartRadio
• 46 radio stations acquired from Grant Broadcasters

KIIS Network

Main article: KIIS Network

Gold Network

Main article: Gold (Australian radio network)

Other stations

Digital radio

ARN also broadcasts a number of digital only radio stations.

Former stations

Outdoor/Advertising

• CODY Out-of-Home (Hong Kong)
• Emotive (creative agency)

References

|url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120322200101/http://panpa.org.au/2011/03/22/natural-disasters-hit-apn-news-media/ |archive-date=22 March 2012

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180311031504/http://htande.com.au/media/1057/market-announcement_hte-launches-hte-events-and-esports-business_final.pdf |archive-date=11 March 2018

|url-status = live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180321090049/https://www.asx.com.au/asxpdf/20180215/pdf/43rlf5jbbh6fdz.pdf |archive-date=21 March 2018

|access-date = 8 September 2015

|url-status = live|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150803151919/http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/apn-news-media-halted-selldown-amid-speculation-obrien-inm-exiting-bd-170335|archive-date = 3 August 2015

|access-date= 15 August 2016 |url-status = live|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160817113646/http://listofcompanies.co.in/apn-news-media-limited/ |archive-date= 17 August 2016

Bibliography

• {{cite journal |access-date= 14 August 2016

References

1. (14 August 2019). "Gfinity Esports Australia to cease operations in November".
2. (18 February 2014). "APN confirms ARN & TRN buyout".
3. "iHeartRadio – ARN – Australian Radio Network".
4. (1 August 2021). "The Australian Radio Network is no more, as company rebrands to just 'ARN'".
5. [https://web.archive.org/web/20211112182334/https://www.mediaweek.com.au/hte-buys-grant-broadcasters-and-will-merge-it-with-arn-network/ HTE buys Grand Broadcasters and will merge it with ARN network] ''[[Mediaweek (Australia). Mediaweek]]'' 12 November 2021
6. [https://web.archive.org/web/20211111235326/https://mumbrella.com.au/arns-parent-company-acquires-grant-broadcasters-712939 ARN's parent company acquires Grant Broadcasters] ''[[Mumbrella]]'' 12 November 2021
7. [https://lendingassociation.com.au/hte-to-acquire-grand-broadcasters-for-307-5m/ HT&E to acquire Grant Broadcasters for $307.5m] {{Webarchive. link. (3 December 2021 ''Lending Association'' 12 November 2021)
8. [https://www.radiotoday.com.au/grant-broadcasters-sale-completed/ Grant Broadcasters sale completed] ''Radio Today Australia'' 5 January 2022
9. [https://asx.api.markitdigital.com/asx-research/1.0/file/2924-02678290-3A620374?access_token=83ff96335c2d45a094df02a206a39ff4 Notice of initial substantial holder] ARN Media 21 June 2023
10. [https://web.archive.org/web/20231020101751/https://announcements.asx.com.au/asxpdf/20231018/pdf/05w5wzqvqydcl6.pdf Non-binding Indicative Proposal to Acquire SCA] ARN 18 October 2023
11. [https://www.asx.com.au/asxpdf/20160629/pdf/438694rdy80fcb.pdf NZME Demerger Implemented] {{webarchive. link. (21 March 2018 APN Market Announcement to ASX, 29 June 2016)
12. [https://www.asx.com.au/asxpdf/20161128/pdf/43d7w2ms776cdv.pdf APN Retains Ownership of Adshel NZ] {{webarchive. link. (21 March 2018 APN Market Announcement to ASX, 28 November 2016)
13. "APN chairman lauds 'milestone' $36.6m News deal".
14. [https://www.accc.gov.au/media-release/accc-will-not-oppose-news-corporation’s-proposed-acquisition-of-apn’s-australian-regional-media-division-–-arm ACCC will not oppose News Corporation's proposed acquisition of APN's Regional Media Division] {{webarchive. link. (15 December 2017 Australian Competition & Consumer Commission 8 December 2016)
15. [https://www.asx.com.au/asxpdf/20161228/pdf/43f0zlynxfm9sx.pdf APN Completes Sale of ARM] {{webarchive. link. (20 March 2018 APN Market Announcement to ASX, 28 December 2017)
16. [https://www.asx.com.au/asxpdf/20170505/pdf/43j28vn0k7lzm5.pdf Change of Company Name and ASX Listing Code] {{webarchive. link. (20 March 2018 APN Market Announcement to ASX, 5 May 2017)
17. Kelly, Vivienne. (23 June 2018). "Ooh Media to purchase HT&E's Adshel for $570 million". [[Mumbrella]].
18. (3 October 2018). "Adshel NZ sale confirmed".
19. [https://radiotoday.com.au/hte-sells-its-stake-in-communications-technology-company-soprano/ HTE sells its stake in communications technology company Soprano] RadioToday 4 January 2023
20. [https://announcements.asx.com.au/asxpdf/20230518/pdf/05pth94hmjg5q1.pdf Change of company name and ticker code] ARN Media 18 May 2023
21. [https://mumbrella.com.au/hte-rebrands-to-arn-media-following-shareholder-vote-787584 HT&E rebrands to ARN Media following shareholder vote] ''Mumbrella'' 18 May 2023
22. (21 June 2023). "Notice of initial substantial holder". ARN Media.
23. (18 October 2023). "Non-binding Indicative Proposal to Acquire SCA". ARN Media.
24. [https://www.afr.com/companies/media-and-marketing/arn-throws-hail-mary-to-revive-collapsed-radio-merger-20240513-p5jd2t ARN throws a Hail Mary to revive collapsed radio merger] ''Australian Financial Review'' 13 May 2024
25. [http://www.arn.com.au/brands/digital-radio/ ARN Digital-radio] {{webarchive. link. (10 June 2012)
26. (25 January 2002). "FM partner buys 4BH from ARN". [[Fairfax Media]].
27. "About Us".
28. "Home – Emotive".