Grant Broadcasters double-down on local with 24 sports shows

Pictured: Jamie Soward

Independent radio group Grant Broadcasters are preparing to launch locally produced and hosted sports shows in 24 markets next year.

As part of the announcement, Grants will no longer take any NRL games or shows previously sourced through SEN in a bid to focus resources on the local sports coverage.

The Sideline View will broadcast on Saturday afternoons and will cover all the latest local sports news, local games score updates and stories from all levels of local community sports clubs.

Regular updates of the major National sports codes will also be included.

Alison Cameron, CEO of Grants, said The Sideline View continues the company’s commitment to increasing local content on its radio stations.

“Local sport is huge in the regional communities and has a great amount of interest with listeners.

“With the launch of 24 new shows by February of next year, we will have more live and local programmes than we have ever had before,” she said.

In October, Wave FM Wollongong was the first station to launch a local version of The Sideline View with hosts Glen ‘Stolzy’ Stolzenhein and former NRL Premiership winner, NSW Blues State of Origin representative and Indigenous All-Star player, Jamie Soward.

Group content director Ryan Rathbone is overseeing the launch and said The Sideline View is a new and exciting program developed purely for its local regions.

“We have a huge array of existing announcers across the network who are already connected with a lot of community sports organizations plus we will be seeking contributors to cover local news and sports updates.

“We will also look to the grass roots sporting clubs to share the history of their teams and some of the past stories that have now been passed into legend!”

Stations in Victoria and SA will reduce AFL broadcasts to one game per weekend, while the locally produced K Rock football will continue along with its sponsorship of the Geelong Cats.

The Sideline View shows will be rolled out across all markets from 2021.