Online Radio Growth Reshaping Sunshine Coast Job and Talent Market

Online radio stations added 42 new full-time positions in the Sunshine Coast region between January and June 2026, according to local industry filings.

The shift comes as listeners move away from traditional broadcast toward internet streams that run on lower overheads. Stations can launch with minimal studio space and target narrow audiences, which has lifted demand for people who can run live mixing software, sell targeted ads and produce short-form podcasts.

Local stations and training sites

Two stations based near Currie Street in Nambour now employ nine staff each, up from four last year. The University of the Sunshine Coast runs a six-week digital audio certificate that placed 28 graduates into paid roles at these outlets and at a newer service operating from a co-working space on Aerodrome Road in Maroochydore.

Chamber of Commerce records show the number of media-related businesses registered on the coast rose from 31 to 47 in the same six months. Most are one- or two-person operations that contract sound engineers and voice talent on a project basis.

Numbers behind the shift

Average starting pay for a digital audio producer here reached $68,000 in the latest quarter, $9,000 above the figure recorded for the same period in 2025. Employers report they are hiring from Brisbane and the Gold Coast because local applicants with streaming-platform experience remain scarce.

Companies that once focused on print advertising have pivoted to supplying voice-over talent and playlist curation. One firm on Buderim Mountain now lists three part-time remote roles each month for people who can manage automated playout systems.

Workers looking to enter the field should complete short courses that cover both audio editing and basic ad-sales metrics. Those already employed in hospitality or retail can move across by building a short demo reel and approaching the stations directly through their websites.