ABC taps commercial exec to review radio as audience slumps

Romaro was the first female music director at 2SM before she became the inaugural content director for Triple M Sydney and 2Day FM. After a stint overseas, she returned to Australia to launch the MIX and Gold FM networks and more recently, led former classic hits station 2CH.

ABC sources said her arrival has unsettled some, who believe they are capable of overhauling the radio network without external expertise. Romaro said while ABC’s radio ratings had increased during national disasters like bushfires and floods, that performance was “disguising” existential challenges. The ABC declined to comment.

“This taskforce will ensure we face those challenges head-on,” Romaro said. “The introduction of new technology affords us the opportunity to frequently address how we can better service our audience and deliver a higher quality of relevant content.”

Romaro said the way news is delivered, talk radio’s format, and musical content and the branding – ABC Radio – were all up for review.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if some of our loss of audience is because now our name doesn’t stand out and say what our is offering is,” Romaro said.

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“It has served us well in the past but with podcasts and a plethora of new formats it needs to be reviewed.”

Australia’s national broadcaster is not the first media company to face existential challenges. All sectors – publishing, television and radio – have been forced to re-assess the way they reach audiences that prefer to stream, scroll social media and listen to podcasts.

The ABC began as a single radio service in 1932, and still considers audio a fundamental and important part of its existence. Like other media companies, the broadcaster has reassessed how it spends money to drive growth and meet the demands of young audiences.