{"id":36500,"date":"2025-08-01T03:25:13","date_gmt":"2025-08-01T03:25:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/36500\/"},"modified":"2025-08-01T03:25:13","modified_gmt":"2025-08-01T03:25:13","slug":"jonesy-amanda-confirm-they-are-heading-to-drivetime-radio-slot","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/36500\/","title":{"rendered":"Jonesy & Amanda confirm they are heading to drivetime radio slot"},"content":{"rendered":"

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After more than two decades on Sydney breakfast radio, Brendan \u2018Jonesy\u2019 Jones and Amanda Keller<\/a> have confirmed they are moving to the drive slot.<\/p>\n

The change is understood to be part of Australian Radio Network\u2019s (ARN) broader ongoing rebrand of WSFM to Gold 101.7, which began at the beginning of 2025.<\/p>\n

\u2018We\u2019re excited\u2019<\/p>\n

The duo made the announcement to listeners on their show this morning, with Keller beginning by saying to Jonesy, \u201cYou and I have some big news.\u201d<\/p>\n

She continued: \u201cWe have re-signed here at Gold. Re-signed. But there are going to be some changes. Brendan and I are going to go to the drive shift.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jones then added that the pair \u201cwouldn\u2019t have otherwise mentioned this, but there\u2019s a podcast that\u2019s going to come out on Saturday about it\u201d referring to the popular industry podcast Game Changers and reports in other media, including Mediaweek.<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Jonesy<\/p>\n

Jonesy and Amanda<\/p>\n

Keller then chimed in saying the pair thought \u201cthey should own the news\u201d about the move.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe could have stayed doing breakfast for years. We\u2019ve never fought the hours we we\u2019ve spent 20 years with you guys, and this is the thing, we\u2019re going to drag you kicking and screaming with us to drive,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n

As for who will now take over the coveted Breakfast slot? While not yet confirmed, only one name makes sense: Christian O\u2019Connell.<\/p>\n

If Sydney is to wake up with the Melbourne-based O\u2019Connell in 2026 it would mean that ARN will be taking another gamble at rolling out a networked breakfast show across two cities.<\/p>\n

As it currently stands, their original gamble with KISS FM\u2019s The Kyle and Jackie O Show hasn\u2019t delivered the expected results.<\/a><\/p>\n

But that\u2019s a deep dive for another time.<\/p>\n

The changing face of Sydney<\/p>\n

The rebrand of WSFM to align with Gold104.3 in Melbourne had been planned for some time.<\/p>\n

According to an industry source, the current networking configuration that rolled out earlier this year was built around the expectation that Jonesy and Amanda would move to drive, and that\u00a0O\u2019Connell would take over the Sydney breakfast shift via a national network feed.<\/p>\n

\"Gold<\/p>\n

Gold 104.3\u2019s Christian O\u2019Connell.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt Gold, the station\u2019s structure was specifically built around the expectation that Jonesy and Amanda would shift to drive,\u201d the source told Mediaweek.<\/p>\n

\u201cCurrently, all the shows besides breakfast on the station are networked out of Melbourne, with the sole exception of the drive show, which still comes out of Sydney, a set-up designed to allow a seamless transition whenever the shift happened.\u201d<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, ARN\u2019s recent ratings success appears to support the network\u2019s confidence in a nationalised Gold strategy.<\/p>\n

Melbourne\u2019s Gold104.3 took out the top spot in the latest GfK survey with a 12.1% share, up from 11.6% last book. That result pushed longtime leader 3AW down to 11.9% and marked its second consecutive dip.<\/p>\n

Keep on top of the most important media, marketing, and agency news each day with the\u00a0Mediaweek\u00a0Morning Report\u00a0\u2013 delivered for free every morning to your inbox.<\/a><\/p>\n