business
Online radio surge reshaping Gold Coast job and talent market
Internet stations are pulling skilled workers into digital roles and forcing local employers to compete harder for audio and tech talent.
How we reported this
Gold Coast employers posted 87 new digital audio and content roles in the first half of 2026, a direct result of online radio stations expanding their local operations.
The increase follows a national lift in listener numbers for web-based stations that bypass traditional transmitters. Local firms now need producers who understand live streaming, audience analytics and quick-turn content rather than only on-air presentation skills.
Stations expand along the coast
Two new online outlets opened studios this year. One sits above the Southport Central shopping complex on Scarborough Street, while another operates from a converted warehouse on Upton Street in Bundall. Both recruited from the same small pool of experienced audio engineers previously tied to AM/FM outlets in Brisbane.
The Gold Coast City Council’s creative industries grant program, which awarded $245,000 in March, helped cover fit-out costs for the Bundall site. Council records show the money supported equipment purchases that let the station begin 24-hour streaming within eight weeks.
Pay and skills data
A May 2026 survey by the Gold Coast Chamber of Commerce found media and digital-content salaries rose 14 percent in twelve months. The median pay for a streaming producer reached $82,400, up from $72,300 the prior year. Employers also reported difficulty filling positions requiring both audio editing and basic data-visualisation tools.
University of the Sunshine Coast’s Gold Coast campus recorded a 31 percent jump in enrolments for its audio-production short courses between January and June. Several local stations now run paid internships that feed directly into full-time contracts.
Businesses planning to launch or expand an online station should budget for at least one senior producer and two content assistants by September, when summer event coverage typically lifts demand. Local recruitment agencies advise posting roles on platforms used by interstate talent who are already relocating for lower living costs compared with Sydney or Melbourne.