 | This article needs additional citations for verification .(October 2016) |
| Programming | |
|---|---|
| Language(s) | English |
| Affiliations | Hit Network |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Southern Cross Austereo |
hit Central Queensland is a radio station in Central Queensland part of the Hit Network. The station is owned by Southern Cross Austereo. [1]
In the late 1990s, DMG Regional Radio successfully bid for an FM broadcasting license for a radio station in the Rockhampton/Gladstone market in Central Queensland.
In October 2000, Hot FM was launched. The station was a new addition to the existing Hot FM network of stations, also owned by DMG Regional Radio. The Central Queensland Hot FM station was originally created to attract the younger demographics that didn't listen to DMG's established classic hits station, Gladstone's 4CC which also broadcast to Rockhampton.
The station originally broadcast its local breakfast program from a studio in Rockhampton, and sourced its daytime and overnight programming from Hot FM Townsville. Since its inception, Hot FM has broadcast on two separate frequencies in Rockhampton and Gladstone.
When Hot FM was launched, RG Capital also launched an FM station in Rockhampton, Sea FM to attract a younger demographics that didn't find RG Capital's established AM station 4RO appealing. For the first few years, Sea FM and Hot FM were fierce rivals, battling for the same demographic of listeners.
In 2004, DMG Regional Radio merged with RG Capital to form Macquarie Regional RadioWorks, which saw all four local Central Queensland stations owned by the same company. Macquarie Regional Radioworks were legally obligated to offload at least two stations, and decided to sell their two AM stations, 4RO and 4CC to Prime Media Group.
This meant the two FM stations that were once rivals found themselves as sister stations.
In 2005, Hot FM decided to cease broadcasting content from Rockhampton. While the local Hot FM sales office was moved into the existing 4RO and Sea FM studio complex, the local breakfast program began being broadcast from the existing 4CC building in Gladstone. When this occurred, the breakfast announcer that had been with Hot FM since its inception moved over to Hot FM's new stablemate, Sea FM so he continue working in Rockhampton in 2005, while his Hot FM co-host moved to the afternoon shift on Sea FM. Hot FM began broadcasting its local breakfast show from the Gladstone studio on 24 January 2005. [2] [3] [4]
Although no longer stablemates, 4CC and Hot FM have continued to share the same building in Gladstone since the merger.
Hot FM's format hasn't changed much since it was originally launched in 2000. The format has always been skewed towards the younger demographics, which is attracted by such things as the latest hits, celebrity gossip, pop culture and discussions about the latest television shows and movie releases.
Local news bulletins heard during the Hot FM breakfast program are compiled and presented by a Rockhampton-based journalist at Hot FM's sister station, Sea FM. National bulletins are presented from newsrooms either in Townsville or the Gold Coast.
On 29 September 2016, ratings for the Central Queensland radio market were released. It was the first time since 2001 that ratings for the Rockhampton/Gladstone market have been calculated.
According to the ratings, Hot FM performed best in the 10-17 and 18-24 demographics, with 53.2% and 52.5% audience share respectively. The most listened to timeslot was the 4pm-7pm afternoon drive shift with 33.7% audience share. The station's midday-4pm shift also beat all the stations in that timeslot. The station also beat all other local stations in the 10+, 10–17, 18–24, and 25-39 age demographics. Hot FM's breakfast program was the highest rating breakfast show out of all commercial and ABC stations. [5]
On 26 September 2016, Southern Cross Austereo announced that Hot FM in Central Queensland will be renamed Hit as part of a major rebranding of the radio network. As part of the rebranding, Hot FM stations in Queensland and Western Australia, Star FM stations in New South Wales and some Sea FM stations will be renamed, to reflect the look and feel of the metropolitan Hit Network. As the Sea FM station in Central Queensland is a Triple M LocalWorks station, it will be renamed Triple M as part of the network's rebranding of regional stations. [6]
There have been fourteen duos that have presented Hot FM's/Hit CQ's breakfast show since its inception in October 2000 to its rebranding to Hit in December 2016. They have included former Big Brother Australia contestants, Rebecca Dent and Ben Norris.
Rockhampton is a city in the Rockhampton Region of Central Queensland, Australia. The population of Rockhampton in June 2021 was 79,967, making it the fourth-largest city in the state outside of the cities of South East Queensland, and the 22nd-largest city in Australia. Today, Rockhampton is an industrial and agricultural centre of the north, and is the regional centre of Central Queensland.
Austereo was an Australian mass media company based in Melbourne. It was founded in 1980 by Paul Thompson, and operated 16 radio stations in metropolitan and regional Australia under the Today Network and Triple M brands. In 2011, the company's majority shareholder Village Roadshow sold its shareholding to Southern Cross Media Group, which began trading as Southern Cross Austereo from 21 July.
Southern Cross Media Group Limited, doing business as Southern Cross Austereo, is an Australian media company which operates broadcast radio and television stations. It is the largest radio broadcaster in Australia, operating 86 radio stations, and has a reach into every state and territory.
2Day FM is a commercial FM radio station broadcasting in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, on a frequency of 104.1 MHz, and is part of Southern Cross Austereo's Hit Network.
Ugly Phil O'Neil is a radio DJ/announcer. He was born in the United Kingdom, and lived the majority of his life in Australia. Before adopting the on-air name of Ugly Phil he was known on-air as Phil O'Neil. Phil has hosted the Hot30 Countdown, Drive at Nova 969, and Evenings at Triple M several times.
SAFM is a commercial FM radio station owned and operated by Southern Cross Austereo as part of the Hit Network. The station is broadcast to Adelaide, South Australia from studios in Franklin Street.
The Hit Network is an Australian commercial radio network owned and operated by Southern Cross Austereo. The network consists of 41 radio stations broadcasting a hot adult contemporary music format, as well as 6 digital radio stations.
4CC is a Classic Hit Radio-formatted commercial radio station broadcasting to Central Queensland from Gladstone on 927 kHz AM.
Sea FM was an Australian radio network, consisting of stations in Queensland and NSW owned by Southern Cross Austereo. Some Sea FM stations were later sold to meet media ownership requirements. Prime Television Limited purchased Sea FM Townsville in Queensland and Grant Broadcasters purchased Sea FM stations in Devonport and Burnie in Tasmania. All Sea FM stations currently owned by Southern Cross Austereo except Cairns, Mackay and Rockhampton / Gladstone, are part of the Hit Network after Southern Cross Media merged with Austereo.
hit100.9 Hobart is commercial FM radio station owned and operated by Southern Cross Austereo's Hit Network based in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.
Star FM was an Australian radio network, consisting of Top 40/CHR formatted stations in New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia. The brand was created by NOVA Entertainment, then known as DMG Regional Radio, in 1999, with the network being sold to Southern Cross Austereo.
Hot FM was a radio network broadcasting to Queensland and Western Australia. Owned and operated by Southern Cross Austereo, the stations broadcast a mix of local and networked programming. On 15 December 2016, the stations were merged into the Hit Network.
Hit101.3 is an Australian radio station located on the New South Wales Central Coast, part of Southern Cross Austereo's Hit Network. Hit101.3 broadcasts from the Central Coast Radio Centre on Henry Parry Drive, in Gosford, along with sister station 107.7 Triple M Central Coast. Its broadcast area is the Central Coast, however the station can be heard on FM at points as far as Newcastle, Sydney and parts of the Blue Mountains. The station was first broadcast from studios located in Mann Street, Gosford, where it was known on-air as Coast Rock FM, and is now broadcast from Henry Parry Drive, Gosford.
Central Queensland's Triple M is a commercial radio station broadcasting from Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia. It is currently owned by Southern Cross Austereo and broadcasts an Adult Contemporary (AC) format. It features both locally produced content & nationally syndicated content. They have two repeaters, one at Gladstone (95.1FM) & Mount Murchison (101.1FM). It was previously known as '101.5/95.1 Sea FM' until it was rebranded as Triple M in December 2016, alongside many other Southern Cross Austereo stations. It is a part of the Triple M - Greatest Hits network.
90.9 Sea FM is a radio station on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia. It is part of Southern Cross Austereo's Hit Network, and is also the network hub for the regional Hit Stream, broadcasting shows at times from 9am - 12am across the Hit Networks across Australia.
Triple M Riverina MIA 963 is an Australian radio station in New South Wales. Owned and operated as part of Southern Cross Austereo's LocalWorks network, it broadcasts a classic hits format to Griffith, New South Wales and surrounding areas. The station launched on 14 September 1936, and marked only the second commercial radio station to launch in the Riverina. The station was formerly operated by DMG Regional Radio, Macquarie Regional RadioWorks, and Southern Cross Media Group - and broadcasts from studios in Griffith alongside sister station hit99.7 Riverina MIA.
4RO is an AM radio station broadcasting to Central Queensland from Rockhampton, Queensland on 990 kHz.
hit South Queensland is an Australian commercial radio station broadcasting to Southwest Queensland and the Darling Downs. Owned and operated by Southern Cross Austereo, the station broadcasts a contemporary hit radio music format with a local breakfast show based from studios in Toowoomba. Programming from Hit South Queensland is retransmitted in Charleville through 101.7 FM WEST FM
hit is an Australian commercial radio station broadcasting to regional areas of Western Australia. Owned and operated by Southern Cross Austereo, the station broadcasts a contemporary hit radio music format with a breakfast show based from studios in Perth, Western Australia.
Triple M Gippsland is a commercial radio station owned and operated by Southern Cross Austereo as part of the Triple M network. The station is broadcast to townships in the Gippsland region of Victoria from studios in Warragul.