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This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (October 2008) |
- Macquarie Regional RadioWorks redirects here; not to be confused with the Macquarie Radio Network.
Southern Cross Austereo is an Australian company formed in July 2011 by the merger of Southern Cross Media Group and Austereo Group.
Southern Cross Media was previously known as Macquarie Regional RadioWorks, prior to the absorption of the remaining assets of Southern Cross Broadcasting that were purchased by Macquarie Media Group in 2007.
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[edit] Southern Cross Media History
The company owned several regional radio stations, as a result of takeovers of stations formerly owned by DMG Radio Australia and RG Capital Radio Network.[1] The company also owned the stations forming the Southern Cross Television and Southern Cross Ten networks around regional Australia and Tasmania, which hold varying affiliations with the Seven Network and Network Ten.[2]
In December 2009, MMG security holders voted in favour of a conversion from a triple-stapled structure to a single ASX-listed company. MMG was renamed Southern Cross Media Group with former RG Capital Radio CEO Rhys Holleran as the Chief Executive Officer.[3]
[edit] Austereo History
The company was founded by Paul Thompson, and when commercial FM broadcasting was introduced into Australia it acquired the licence for the metropolitan Adelaide area; SAFM commenced transmission in late 1980. The next station to join the network was FOX FM in Melbourne in 1986, eventually to be followed by Sydney's 2Day FM and 4BK Brisbane for which the company was successful in converting to the FM band in 1990. Austereo also purchased Perth AM radio station 6IX with the intention of converting the station to FM. 6IX, which had been re-launched by Austereo as The Eagle 1080 AM, was consequently sold off after being outbid for either of the two new FM licences by rivals 6KY and 6PM, which Austereo now own.
1992 saw a monopolistic arrangement take place whereby Austereo purchased the Hoyts owned Triple M network, and Village Roadshow in turn purchased Austereo to form a single umbrella company. The purchases were part of a single deal that was unpopular due to the fierce rivalry between the two radio networks, and the fact that Village Roadshow and Hoyts were also direct competitors in the film industry.
[edit] Southern Cross Media and Austereo Merge
In March 2011, Southern Cross Media launched a A$714 million takeover bid of national radio broadcaster, the Austereo Group.[4] On April 6, 2011 shareholders of the Austereo Group accepted the takeover bid, giving SCM a more than 90% share in the company.[5] Southern Cross Media and Austereo merged in July 2011 to form Southern Cross Austereo.[6]
[edit] Brands
[edit] Television
- Stations branded Southern Cross Television are usually dual affiliates of the Seven Network and Network Ten, with some exceptions (for instance, GTS/BKN and Southern Cross Central (QQQ)).
- Stations branded Southern Cross Ten are sole affiliates of Network Ten. These stations often brand themselves both with the Network Ten and Southern Cross Ten logos, from time to time.
[edit] Radio
The format of each station is defined by one of two common formats:
- Today Network - a popular music format targeted at 18-39 year olds, using various Today Network brands in metropolitan areas along with the Star FM, Hot FM and Sea FM brands in regional areas.[7]
- Triple M Local Works - talkback and adult contemporary music format targeted at over 35s, mainly on the AM and heritage FM stations, as well as Triple M, Gold FM, Mix FM and RadioWest in Western Australia.
Agreements were reached between Southern Cross Austereo, DMG and Prime Television to ensure that existing brand names owned by DMG Radio in regional markets could continue to be used by both Southern Cross Austereo and Prime.
[edit] Programming
Group Program Director - Rod Brice
Southern Cross Austereo produces its own networked programming across both brands, which include:
| Network | Show Name | Announcer/s | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Today | The Big K's Download Show | Craig "Big Kahuna" Collett | Artist Specific Program/Segments |
| Today | Hit Blitz Workday | Madigan | Morning Program |
| Today | JK's Workday | Jack Lawrence | Afternoon Program |
| Today | Fifi and Jules | Fifi Box and Jules Lund | Monday to Thursday Drive Program |
| Today | Hamish and Andy | Hamish Blake and Andy Lee | Friday Drive Program |
| Today | Game On Air | Cam St.Clair | Video Game Reviews |
| Today | The Dirt | Charli Robinson | Nightly Entertainment News |
| Today | The Hot 30 Countdown | Matty Action and Maude Garrett | Nightly Countdown Program |
| Today | Landed Music | Rebecca Dent | Nightly Australian Music Program |
| Today | Truck Radio | Sarah Maree Cameron | Overnight Program |
| Today | Red Eye Radio | Doug Terry | Graveyard Network Program |
| Lworks | Classic Vinyl | Trevor Smith | Artist Specific Program/Segments |
| Lworks | Property Matters | Real Estate Program | |
| Lworks | Health Matters | Dr. John D’Arcy | Personal Health Program |
| Lworks | Money Matters | Kel Harper & Josie Kay | Personal Finance Program |
| Lworks | 30 Something | Kim Bunney | Nightly Countdown Program |
| Lworks | Sunday Groovies | Various | 70's & 80's Focused Program |
| Lworks | Talking Back the Night | Christian Argenti | Overnight Talk-Back Program |
| Lworks | The Dan & Ken Show | Dan Lyons & Ken Green | Drive Program |
Some of its stations picked up the Continuous Call Team when Broadcast Operations Group could not resolve broadcast rights issues with 2GB and the National Rugby League. The most notable was KOFM in Newcastle, who also picked up rights to cover games of the Newcastle Knights.
[edit] Criticisms
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This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (July 2007) |
One major criticism of the regional stations owned by Southern Cross Austereo is its reliance on networking news and also programs outside of breakfast from one of four networking centres:[8][9]
- Gold Coast (national and regional centre)
- Townsville (regional centre)
- Albury (regional centre)
- Bunbury (regional centre)
[edit] Assets
[edit] Radio stations
[edit] Queensland
| Licence area | Radio stations owned (call sign, branding if any, frequency) |
|---|---|
| Atherton | 4AMM "Hot FM" (97.9 MHz FM) |
| Brisbane | 4BBB "B105" (105.3 MHz FM), 4MMM "Triple M" (104.5 MHz FM) |
| Bundaberg | 4RGB "Sea FM" (93.1 MHz FM) |
| Cairns | 4RGC "Sea FM" (99.5 MHz FM), 4HOT "Hot FM" (103.5 MHz FM) |
| Emerald | 4HIT "Hot FM" (94.7 MHz FM) |
| Gold Coast | 4SEA "Sea FM" (90.9 MHz FM), 4GLD "Gold FM" (92.5 MHz FM) |
| Kingaroy | 4KRY "C FM" (89.1 MHz FM) |
| Mackay | 4RGM "Sea FM" (98.7 MHz FM), 4MKY "Hot FM" (100.3 MHz FM) |
| Maryborough | 4CEE "Sea FM" (101.9 MHz FM), 4MBB "Mix FM" (103.5 MHz FM) |
| Mount Isa | 4MIC "Hot FM" (102.5 MHz FM) |
| Nambour (Sunshine Coast) | 4SEE "Sea FM" (91.9 MHz FM), 4SSS "Mix FM" (92.7 MHz FM) |
| Rockhampton | 4RGK "Sea FM" (101.5 MHz FM), 4ROK "Hot FM" (107.9 MHz FM) |
| Roma | 4ROM "Hot FM" (95.1 MHz FM) |
| Townsville | 4TOO "4TO FM" (102.3 MHz FM), 4RAM "Hot FM" (103.1 MHz FM) |
| Toowoomba/Warwick (Darling Downs) | 4GR (864 MHz AM), 4RGD "C FM" (100.7 MHz FM) |
[edit] New South Wales
| Licence area | Radio stations owned (call sign, branding if any, frequency) |
|---|---|
| Albury1 | 2BDR "The River" (105.7 MHz FM), 2AAY "Star FM" (104.9 MHz FM) |
| Coffs Harbour | 2CFS "2CS" (106.3 MHz FM), 2CSF "Star FM" (105.5 MHz FM) |
| Dubbo | 2DBO "Star FM" (93.5 MHz FM) |
| Gosford (Central Coast) | 2GGO "2GO" (107.7 MHz FM), 2CFM "Sea FM" (101.3 MHz FM) |
| Griffith | 2RG (963 kHz AM), 2RGF "Star FM" (99.7 MHz FM) |
| Kempsey2 | 2PQQ "2MC FM" (106.7 MHz FM), 2ROX "Star FM" (105.1 MHz FM) |
| Newcastle | 2XXX "NXFM" (106.9 MHz FM), 2KKO "KOFM" (102.9 MHz FM) |
| Orange | 2GZF "2GZ" (105.9 MHz FM), 2OAG "Star FM" (105.1 MHz FM) |
| Sydney | 2DAY "2Day FM" (104.1 MHz FM), 2MMM "Triple M" (104.9 MHz FM) |
| Wagga Wagga | 2WG (1152 kHz AM), 2WZD "Star FM" (93.1 MHz FM) |
1. Translators for The River on 90.1 MHz in Omeo and 96.5 MHz in Corryong. There is also a translator for Star FM in Corryong on 95.7 MHz.
2. Translators on 100.7 MHz (2PQQ) and 102.3 MHz (2ROX) in Port Macquarie.
[edit] Australian Capital Territory
| Licence area | Radio stations owned (call sign, branding if any, frequency) |
|---|---|
| Canberra 1 | 2ROC "104.7" (104.7 MHz FM), 1CBR "Mix 106.3" (106.3 MHz FM) |
1. A joint venture of 50/50 ownership exists in Canberra with the Australian Radio Network where Southern Cross Austereo programmes 104.7 and ARN programmes Mix 106.3 and manages administration for both stations.
[edit] Victoria
| Licence area | Radio stations owned (call sign, branding if any, frequency) |
|---|---|
| Bendigo | 3BBO "3BO" (93.5 MHz FM), 3BDG "Star FM" (91.9 MHz FM) |
| Melbourne | 3FOX "Fox FM" (101.9 MHz FM), 3MMM "Triple M" (105.1 MHz FM) |
| Mildura | 3RMR "3MA FM" (97.9 MHz FM), 3MDA "Star FM" (99.5 MHz FM) |
| Shepparton | 3SRR "95 3SR FM"2 (95.3 MHz FM), 3SUN "Star FM" (96.9 MHz FM) |
| Warragul (Gippsland) | 3SEA "Star FM" (94.3 MHz FM1) |
1. Re-transmitter at 97.9 MHz FM in Traralgon.
2. The actual 3SR call sign and frequency (1260 kHz AM) is now owned by, and is a full-time simulcast of, horse and greyhound racing station 3UZ "Sport 927" from Melbourne.
[edit] Tasmania
| Licence area | Radio stations owned (call sign, branding if any, frequency) |
|---|---|
| Hobart | 7TTT "Sea FM" (100.9 MHz FM), 7XXX "Heart 107.3" (107.3 MHz FM) |
[edit] South Australia
| Licence area | Radio stations owned (call sign, branding if any, frequency) |
|---|---|
| Adelaide | 5SSA "SAFM" (107.1 MHz FM), 5MMM "Triple M" (104.7 MHz FM) |
| Mount Gambier | 5SE (963 kHz AM), 5SEF "Star FM" (96.1 MHz FM) |
[edit] Western Australia
| Licence area | Radio stations owned (call sign, branding if any, frequency) |
|---|---|
| Albany | 6VA "RadioWest" (783 kHz AM), 6AAY "Hot FM" (106.5 MHz FM) |
| Bridgetown | 6BY "RadioWest" (900 kHz AM), 6BET "Hot FM" (100.5 MHz FM) |
| Bunbury | 6TZ "RadioWest" (963 kHz AM)1, 6BUN "Hot FM" (95.7 MHz FM) |
| Esperance | 6SE "RadioWest" (747 kHz AM), 6SEA "Hot FM" (102.3 MHz FM) |
| Kalgoorlie | 6KG "RadioWest" (981 kHz AM), 6KAR "Hot FM" (97.9 MHz FM) |
| Katanning | 6WB "RadioWest" (1071 kHz AM), 6KAN "Hot FM" (94.9 MHz FM) |
| Merredin | 6MD "RadioWest" (1098 kHz AM), 6MER "Hot FM" (105.1 MHz FM) |
| Narrogin | 6NA "RadioWest" (918 kHz AM), 6NAN "Hot FM" (100.5 MHz FM) |
| Northam | 6AM "RadioWest" (864 kHz AM), 6NAM "Hot FM" (96.5 MHz FM) |
| Perth | 6PPM "92.9" (92.9 MHz FM), 6MIX "Mix 94.5" (94.5 MHz FM) |
1. 6TZ also re-transmitted via 1134 kHz AM in Collie (6CI, now listed by ACMA under 6TZ),[10] and 756 kHz AM in Busselton and the Margaret River region.
[edit] Television assets
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[edit] Former owned and operated stations
Due to conditions placed upon the takeover of DMG Radio's regional stations in 2005, Maqcuarie Southern Cross Media had to sell these stations to other parties:
- To Prime Television:
- To Ace Radio:
- 2AY, Albury-Wodonga
Further, due to conditions triggered by the purchase of the assets of Southern Cross Broadcasting,[11] Macquarie Media Group was required to sell further stations to meet further diversity requirements at the time; the transactions to satisfy this being completed on 2008-03-14[12]:
- To Grant Broadcasters:
- Launceston, Tasmania: 7LA (1098 kHz AM)
- Burnie, Tasmania: 7BU "Heart 558" (558 kHz AM), 7SEA "Sea FM" (101.7 MHz FM)
- Scottsdale, Tasmania: 7SD "Heart 540" (540 kHz AM), 7RGS "Sea FM" (99.7 MHz FM)
- Devonport, Tasmania: 7AD "Heart 900" (900 kHz AM), 7DDD "Sea FM" (107.7 MHz FM)
- Queenstown, Tasmania: 7XS "West Coast 7XS" (837 kHz AM), 7AUS "Aus FM" (92.1 MHz FM)
- To Resonate Broadcasting:
- Warragul, Victoria: 3GG (531 kHz AM)
- Charters Towers, Queensland: 4GC (828 kHz AM), 4CHT "Hot FM" (95.9 MHz FM)
- To Smart Radio/Pinecam Pty Ltd (owners of the 4VL licence in Charleville, Queensland):
- Emerald, Queensland: 4HI (1143 kHz AM)
- Kingaroy, Queensland: 4SB "Heart 1071" (1071 kHz AM)
- Mount Isa, Queensland: 4LM (666 kHz AM)
- Roma, Queensland: 4ZR (1476 kHz AM)
- To Broadcast Operations Group:
- Young, New South Wales: 2LF (1350 kHz AM), 2LFF "Star FM" (93.9 MHz FM)
- To Coastal Broadcasters Pty Ltd (owners of the 4KZ licence in Innisfail, Queensland):
- Atherton, Queensland: 4AM (558 kHz AM)
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Catalano, Christian (2004-09-03). "Macquarie pays $194m in radio deal". Fairfax. The Age. http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/09/02/1093939069043.html. Retrieved 2008-04-27.
- ^ Westerman, Helen; Stephen McMahon (2006-11-17). "Macquarie Media takes stake in Southern Cross". Fairfax. The Age. http://www.theage.com.au/news/business/macquarie-media-takes-stake-in-southern-cross/2006/11/16/1163266712727.html. Retrieved 2008-04-27.
- ^ Macquarie Media Group Announcement - http://www.macquarie.com.au/au/mmg/index.html
- ^ Reuters, ACCC allows Takeover Bid, http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/17/austereo-idUSSDYGEE7W620110317
- ^ Southern Cross to raise 471m for Takeover Bid, Fairfax, http://www.smh.com.au/business/southern-cross-to-raise-471m-for-austereo-takeover-20110406-1d3gs.html
- ^ "Introducing the new look Southern Cross Austereo". Mumbrella. 21 July 2011. http://mumbrella.com.au/introducing-the-new-look-southern-cross-austereo-52949. Retrieved 27 July 2011.
- ^ "Regional". Southern Cross Austereo. http://www.southerncrossaustereo.com.au/radio/regional. Retrieved 27 July 2011.
- ^ Bodey, Michael (2006-10-05). "Mixed signals from regional radio as politicians tune in". The Australian. http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,20526003-7582,00.html. Retrieved 2009-05-27.
- ^ Schulze, Jane (2006-10-24). "MacBank radio network for sale". The Australian. http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,20634460-2702,00.html. Retrieved 2009-05-27.
- ^ Australian Communications and Media Authority. Search for broadcasters by postcode (Broadcaster 6TZ, Bunbury RA1 Licence Area, Postcode 6225). Accessed on 2008-03-21.
- ^ Australian Communications and Media Authority (2008-03-14). Divestment of commercial radio licences by Macquarie Media Group. Accessed on 2008-03-21.
- ^ ABC News Online (2008-03-14. Tas radio stations sold. Accessed on 2008-03-21.
[edit] External links
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