All regional general managers at audio company ARN have been made redundant.
The restructure comes after ARN acquired family-owned regional radio broadcaster Grant Broadcasters last year in a deal worth over $300 million.
The deal left ARN with a combined 58 stations across 33 markets as well as 46 DAB+ stations. It also brought together 1,000 permanent staff and 400 casual employees. At the time, it was not clear if there would be any redundancies, but ARN’s parent company HT&E insisted the acquisition wasn’t a cost synergy exercise.
Now, however, ARN said its integration plans were well underway, and the responsibilities previously sitting with regional GMs had now been absorbed by other functions and teams.
“Since ARN’s acquisition of Grant Broadcasters earlier this year, we have been working through a comprehensive integration program to develop a simple, effective and agile organisational design that takes advantage of the broader resources of the ARN business,” a spokesperson told Variety Australia.
“With central support now provided by enabling teams, and better systems and processes in place, the responsibilities previously sitting with the regional general manager (RGM) have shifted.
“As a result, we have made the difficult decision to make the entire management layer of RGM roles redundant.”
The audio company insisted the move was in the best interests of the local stations and their listening communities.
“Our focus in the regional business area has always been on local markets and connections within the community, and these latest changes are designed to deliver ARN’s ‘Leaders in Local’ strategy by empowering the local general managers and their teams.”
The spokesperson also expressed thanks and gratitude to the outgoing regional GMs for their enormous contribution.
Variety Australia understands the restructure directly impacts four staff.