KIIS 106.5
| Company type | Commercial radio station |
|---|---|
| Industry | Broadcasting |
| Predecessor | 2UW, Mix 106.5 |
| Founded | February 13, 1925 in Sydney, Australia |
| Fate | Rebranded from Mix 106.5 to KIIS 1065 in 2014 |
| Headquarters | North Sydney , Australia |
Area served | Sydney metropolitan area |
Key people | Kyle Sandilands and Jackie O (hosts of The Kyle and Jackie O Show) |
| Products | Radio broadcasting (contemporary hit radio) |
| Owner | ARN Media |
| Parent | Australian Radio Network (ARN) |
| Website | www |
KIIS 1065 (call sign: 2WFM) is a commercial FM broadcaster operating in Sydney, Australia, transmitting on 106.5 MHz. It serves as the premier station within ARN Media's KIIS Network and is known for airing the prominent program The Kyle and Jackie O Show.
2UW
Originally launched as 2UW on 13 February 1925, the station initially transmitted on 1125 kHz AM. It underwent frequency changes to 1110 kHz in 1935 and later to 1107 kHz in 1978. The station's first studios were located near Market Street, Sydney, before relocating to 365 Kent Street, Sydney. Early morning host Russ Walkington developed the character Gerald the Grasshopper, a pioneering radio mascot concept.
In 1935, 2UW became the first broadcaster outside the United States—and consequently within the British Empire and Southern Hemisphere—to operate around the clock. By the late 1960s, continuous daily broadcasting had become standard among most Australian commercial stations.
Starting in the early 1960s, 2UW transitioned toward a younger demographic by adopting a Top 40 format that showcased emerging Australian rock acts alongside popular US and UK music. Under Ray Bean’s programming leadership from the mid-1960s to early 1970s, the station launched its NEW2UW '1110' lineup of announcers, which included John Melouney, John Thompson, Tony McLaren, Ward "Pally" Austin, Rod Christopher, Jeff Hall, with later additions such as John Burgess and Donnie Sutherland. This team enhanced listener interaction through promotional events at public venues and maintained a studio presence at the Sydney Royal Easter Show.
In 1969, NEW2UW hired John Laws from rival station 2UE to host its morning show. This move quickly boosted ratings despite some confusion among listeners due to format adjustments aimed at capitalizing on Laws’ appeal while retaining existing audiences.
The station worked closely with the Daily Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph newspapers under Sir Frank Packer, sharing newsroom facilities both at Kent Street studios and in the Telegraph Building. The newsroom was led by Don Rodgers, an experienced journalist who had served as press secretary to Prime Ministers during World War II. The team prioritized precise and clear news reporting.
Mix 106.5
Among Sydney’s AM stations converting to FM, 2UW relaunched on 106.5 MHz on 30 April 1994 as Mix 106.5, adopting branding inspired by the United States’ WWMX. Although officially assigned the callsign 2WFM, this identifier was not used in broadcasts. The previous frequency of 1107 kHz was reassigned to SBS Radio.
The station positioned itself as "Sydney's Best Mix from the '70s, '80s and '90s," featuring an adult contemporary music format. In 2000, it removed '70s tracks from its playlist. Trevor Sinclair was the only presenter retained through multiple relaunches until he left in 2001.
In 2004, ARN unified its Mix Network branding by relaunching the station with refreshed programming aimed at attracting a younger audience and introducing the tagline "Sydney. Feel Good". A further update in 2010 brought in the slogan "Sydney's Fresh Mix," but after limited success, it reverted by year-end to "Sydney's Best Mix of the '80s, '90s and Now," incorporating Love Songs during daytime hours.
On 30 January 2013, programming shifted once more with Sami Lukis and Yumi Stynes hosting breakfast and Tim "Rosso" Ross presenting a drive-time show syndicated with Melbourne’s Mix 101.1.
KIIS 1065
After The Kyle & Jackie O Show exited rival station 2Day FM in November 2013, ARN declared its relocation to 106.5 FM for the year 2014. The station adopted the name KIIS 1065, inspired by the KIIS-FM brand in Los Angeles, with Kyle & Jackie O hosting the morning slot and syndicating their evening program across ARN's Mix network.
KIIS 1065 officially commenced broadcasting at 5:54 am on 20 January 2014. Soon thereafter, Melbourne-based narrowcaster Kiss FM Australia contested ARN’s use of the KIIS branding, alleging trademark infringement; nevertheless, a confidential settlement was reached in February 2014, avoiding legal action.
By November 2014, advertising rates on KIIS were set at $1225 for a 30-second spot during breakfast and $895 during drive times, corresponding to audience shares of 9.8% and 8.4%, respectively. ARN also revealed that Hughesy & Kate, previously Nova 100’s breakfast hosts, would take over the Drive show from Rosso in 2015. Their program debuted on 27 January with Matty Acton as co-host.
Studios
- Kent Street, Sydney (1959–1981)
- Neutral Bay (1981–2002)
- North Ryde (2002–2024)
- North Sydney (2024–present)
2UW was originally based at 365 Kent Street, Sydney before relocating to 11 Rangers Road, Neutral Bay in 1981 and subsequently moving to 3 Byfield Street, North Ryde in 2002.
News
- Brooklyn Ross – News Presenter on the Kyle and Jackie O Show
- Sean Frazer
- Kate O’Bree
- Natalie Sekulovska
- Elana McIntyre – Weekend and Substitute Presenter
Traffic
- Vic Lorusso – Traffic Reporter for the Kyle and Jackie O Show (Breakfast)
- Alex Strachan – Traffic Reporter for Will and Woody (Drive)