Human talent numbers dwindle at CADA as Jake Powell takes breakfast
There have been more talent shake-ups at ARN’s youth radio station experiment Cada, with content director Jake Powell taking the reins in the key breakfast slot.
Powell has replaced Sophie Nathan, who has left the broadcaster. Aside from Powell, the only other human talent listed on Cada’s program page is K-Sera, who has the 3pm to 7pm slot on weekdays. The controversial AI-generated host ‘Thy’ fills the 11am to 3pm ‘Workdays’ slot.
Jake Powell
ARN was approached for comment about Cada’s dwindling publicly-facing talent lineup. Mumbrella also inquired around long-term plans for the breakfast slot, how Powell is balancing his behind-the-scenes role with on-air commitments, and whether Cada’s new operating model will continue to be talent-lite.
In response to the questions, ARN issued a statement to Mumbrella: “Since Sophie Nathan’s departure from CADA, we’ve had a rotation of hosts on breakfast, with Jake Powell currently filling the role. There are no further updates on the on-air talent lineup at this stage. CADA remains Australia’s home of Hip Hop and R&B, with our focus in 2025 on delivering more of the music our listeners love.”
Powell, while seemingly only temporarily in the hosting chair, does have extensive experience in the industry. He’s been music director of SCA’s B105 in Brisbane and Hit107 (now SAFM) in Adelaide, and an announcer and panel operator across a number of its stations. He was also content operations manager at Grant Broadcasters, which has since been absorbed by ARN.
AI-generated Cada host Thy
Cada launched with a flurry of activity in 2022. It replaced the formerly Western Sydney-focused The Edge 96.1. At the time, ARN said Cada would be a reimagined audio, video, content and music platform, aiming to reach a national audience of hip hop and R&B fans. The transformation was driven by Emily Copeland, who was the platform’s general manager at the time. Copeland has since departed to become head of music at the ABC.
At launch, ARN flagged that Cada wouldn’t be programmed as a traditional radio station, with CEO Ciaran Davis saying the focus was on creating content and a brand which connected with 15 to 29-year-olds.
Copeland added at the time: “I think that the music industry has been waiting for a platform like Cada, which can support local artists but also global artists right through their careers – so from emerging right the way through to established – but also that we’re giving artists the ability to reach national audiences, and not just through audio content, but also through socials and videos, which means that artists have got this ability to reach quite a large audience with us. And hip hop and R&B lovers have finally got this national audio platform dedicated to the genre.”
The station was supported by key talent both behind the mic and behind the scenes.
Music industry veteran Marty Doyle was head of content for the brand. Doyle has since moved on to be editorial lead at Spotify AU/NZ.
Andy Walsh was the head of commercial strategy, having previously been a business director at Junkee Media, head of strategy at Twitch in ANZ, and business director at Secret Sounds. Walsh has also since departed, and now works on numerous projects including as chief incubation officer at New York-based Nobody Studios, and the founder and host of Startups Decoded Podcast.
Talent at the time included a drive program fronted by Flex Mami (Lillian Ahenkan) and Froomes (Lucinda Price). Breakfast was initially fronted by musicians Kian (Kian Maxwell Bytyci Brownfield) and Yaz (Yaz Haddad), with various other content makers and musicians appearing on programs throughout the day.
ARN’s plans for Cada with fewer talent-driven programs are not yet clear.
Have your say