What's New
BY RadioToday Network April 9, 2024
What's New August 19, 2020
Sources: Major changes afoot for Hit’s regional brekkie shows?
UPDATE: SCA axes 19 regional breakfast shows on the Hit Network.
A national restructure of Southern Cross Austereo’s regional breakfast shows on the Hit Network could be imminent, according to multiple sources who spoke with Radio Today.
The SCA-owned network announced a brand refresh earlier this month, with content boss Dave Cameron saying the new look and music strategy was “a new starting line” for Hit.
Multiple staffers, who spoke with Radio Today under anonymity on Wednesday (August 19), said breakfast show talent from Hit regional stations across the country received an email this week.
In those emails – some of which were cited by this writer – the affected staffers are instructed to attend a post-show meeting after their shift on Thursday (August 20) to discuss potential changes.
More than one employee was advised to “expect the worst” ahead of Thursday’s one-on-one meeting, which also coincides with the release of the broadcaster’s end of financial year results.
There is some industry speculation that Hit plans to network its breakfast shows, with one insider saying that “most breakfast shows will be networked from major regionals, like Newcastle”.
SCA declined to comment on the changes ahead of CEO Grant Blackley addressing the market and media after EOFY figures are released to the ASX at 8.30am Thursday.
Talking exclusively to Radio Today last month, Cameron, and network boss Gemma Fordham, said Hit’s new strategy represents a broader product and content approach.
“We are moving from being an under 40 network to a 30 to 54 demo, still a female skewed network but broad enough for all. It’ll still be a pop-based format,” Cameron told me.
“This is a direct reflection of where we see advertising money and briefs come through, which is to an older, broader audience. And we feel like we have a really strong point of difference here.
“You will see and hear us take a different approach to the way we’re putting our music together, to our messaging on-air. It’s a broader appeal to what we have done in the last five or six years.
“It’s certainly not the finishing line for us, this is a new starting line for us,” Cameron said.
More to come.
Wow, such a change from when I was at Star in Coffs and Bendigo in the 2000’s – I was just a the cusp of networking after breakfast, and if they network breakfast, expect no listeners – or at least listeners who won’t care and be apathetic to what’s on air because it’s not local.
Good luck with the regional markets.
Seriously.
As many know it is a minefield.
Reduce costs for a quick sale of the regionals. This time next year we’ll be looking at all this wondering why we didn’t see what was unfolding right in front of us.
“We are moving from being an under 40 network to a 30 to 54 demo … And we feel like we have a really strong point of difference here.”
Isn’t every radio station now chasing the same demographic
Same Same but Different, I totally agree with you! It’s mainly due to Spotify and the younger demos moving away from traditional radio/music listening.
I fear what the industry will look like in 5-10years.