What you need to know:

• ARN is fast-tracking its digital transformation, appointing Ben Campbell to lead digital strategy, data, and ventures.
• Chief operating officer Michael Stephenson said the audio sector needed to learn the lessons from other sectors and unite faster.
• Campbell will spearhead the overhaul of ARN’s iHeartRadio platform as ARN eyes SCA’s Listnr as a key competitor. 
• ARN now has a trio of senior ex-Nine executives involved in its digital overhaul more than five years ago.
• The digital ventures unit, under Campbell, is exploring strategic projects with potential broader industry involvement beyond ARN, Stephenson said.

Listed audio group ARN has completed a trifecta of senior Nine executives to spearhead its “accelerated” digital transformation with regarded digital media specialist Ben Campbell joining his former Nine sales and revenue colleagues, Richard Hunwick and Michael Stephenson.

Campbell will lead the overhaul of ARN’s circa $1m annual licensing deal with the US headquartered iHeart Radio platform as it hunts one-time acquisition target, SCA and its $50m-plus, locally-built Listnr rollout. 

When asked about ARN’s appetite for acquiring Nine’s radio assets, subject to broad industry conjecture but so far unconfirmed by Nine, Stephenson deflected to ARN chairman Hamish McLennan – a former global CEO at WPP’s Y&R, now VML – and CEO Ciaran Davis.

“That's really a question for Ciaran and Hamish right now, as opposed to me a few weeks in,” Stephenson told Mi3. “But I think what we are conscious of is focusing on the assets that we own or license and monetising them – because I think there's a long way to go on the current assets before we need to look at an AM network."

Stephenson’s strategic intent at ARN after joining in March is becoming clear – fast-track its move to digital audio, products and audience data via its iHeart alliance, build its commercial content and talent integration capabilities for advertisers, invest in emerging digital ventures and technologies with broader industry potential – and do it fast. 

“The audio industry has an opportunity to come together when it makes sense and do that at speed,” he said.

“There are a number of other strategic things in play right now which I can’t really talk about. The audio industry has an ability to come together and accelerate faster towards this digital future than perhaps other platforms have, because they've had the ability to learn from other platforms,” Stephenson said in a nod to his experience with TV broadcasters.

He backed the radio industry body, CRA, in its move to develop a single unique audience identifier across for the sector. “Having a unique ID to measure the incremental reach across all audio assets is critical, but having your own targeting capability and your own first party data within your own ecosystem will become increasingly important. And those that don't have that, obviously will struggle,” he said.

On Campbell’s appointment to drive ARN’s digital transformation and digital ventures, Stephenson said: “The digital ventures unit will be looking much more at strategic opportunities that we see in and around the digital space, so beyond the obvious. I can’t really share what they are right now but there’s a number of projects already underway that will be longer-term, more strategic. All of them will be for ARN but a number of them could be leveraged by the audio industry. In Ben we’ve got one of Australia’s leading digital experts with a proven track record in digital transformation, the development of data strategy and launching innovative new products”.

Stephenson pointed to Campbell’s lead on Nine Ads Manager, a platform targeting small and medium size enterprises with AI created campaigns and a booking and targeting system designed to lure smaller advertisers back to TV and BVOD from tech players.

Campbell said on his appointment: “Digital audio is the fastest growing segment in media and ARN is the market leader. We have a large first-party database, a long-term partnership with iHeart and the leading podcast network in the country. There is opportunity for growth everywhere, I’m looking forward to working with Rich and Michael again and I can’t wait to get started.”