Kiis’s Robin Bailey asks ARN boss Michael Stephenson on air about ‘dumb-arse’ decision to sack her

January 19, 2026 10:56

The 2026 Upfront event held by new ARN chief executive Michael Stephenson was notable for a number of reasons … most of them for the wrong reasons.

Among the 14 press releases pumped out by the hardworking ARN comms team that day was one detailing how the Kiis 97.3 breakfast team of Robin Bailey, Kip Wightman and Corey Oates would be replaced by Craig Lowe.

In the weeks after the Upfront Stephenson performed a number of backflips. The biggest was perhaps replacing Lauren Joyce as head of content with Dave Cameron.

Days later the decision was announced to reverse the breakfast decision, keeping Robin, Kip and Corey and moving Craig Lowe to the FM radio wasteland of 9pm.

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James Manning

James Manning is the former Mediaweek editor and publisher and "perhaps the best known journalist inside the media industry."

Topics

James Manning Kiis Robin Kip and Corey

1 COMMENTS

Calm down 20 Jan 26

Robin needs to chill out. It was a 4th rating brekky show at the time they made the decision. Whilst they didn’t manage the comms particularly well, they also didn’t punt a top rating show.

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