APN News & Media Limited, parent company of the Australian Radio Network (ARN) today announced that it is considering strategic options with regards to APN New Zealand, which incorporates The Radio Network, its NZ publishing assets, and GrabOne businesses.

An IPO and NZX listing of APN New Zealand is one of the options under consideration.

In a statement to the Australian Stock Exchange the company said:

Collectively APN’s print, radio and digital assets represent New Zealand’s pre-eminent media and entertainment business with market leading brands such as The New Zealand Herald, Newstalk ZB, ZM and GrabOne.

In May, APN announced the appointment of Jane Hastings to the newly created role of Chief Executive Officer of APN New Zealand. Under her leadership, APN New Zealand is focusing on business improvement to ensure closer collaboration between all APN’s media businesses.

This includes the establishment of APN ‘Collaborative Media Solutions’, which provides clients with access to advertising packages that leverage APN’s extensive audience through its newspapers, magazines, radio and digital channels.

Hastings says the move has only just begun but is starting to pay off for APN New Zealand. “We are seeing a positive response from big advertisers and the Group sees this as a key future strategy.”