Southern Cross Austereo will rebrand its Brisbane and Adelaide radio stations as part of a new national strategy for the Hit Network.
The Brisbane station, currently named Hit105, will return to its heritage name of B105.
Adelaide’s Hit107 meanwhile will return back to SAFM, while Hit96.1 Mount Gambier will also rebrand to SAFM.
There is also change on the Gold Coast, where local radio and TV personality Bianca Dye joins the Hit90.9 Breakfast team with Dan Anstey and Ben Hannant from today, creating the ‘Bianca, Dan & Ben’ Breakfast show.
The new content and branding launches across the Hit Network today.
The company said the changes will see the Hit Network broaden its relevancy and appeal to a bigger target audience of people aged 30-54 years, with a female skew.
SCA chief content officer Dave Cameron, said: “The Hit brand was first launched in Australia in Adelaide and we have since built the Hit Network to 50 stations nationally. However, chaotic and crazy times such as these often drive a movement back to nostalgia and comfort, and as such there has never been a better time to bring back the much-loved and trusted radio brands SAFM and B105 to Adelaide and Brisbane.
“Our audiences have great, passionate memories of these stations and they’ll be hugely excited to have them back again in their cities. More broadly, the Hit Network will also deliver a new, mood focused, ‘feel great’ pop music format nationally that listeners will love, alongside the most entertaining breakfast and drive shows around the country. The network also introduces a new, emotive positioning line ‘Get that feeling’ which will bring its new ‘feel great’ music and show philosophy to life.”
SCA chief marketing & communications officer Nikki Clarkson said: “The Hit Network now has a complementary and more sophisticated new brand with iconography and design assets consistent across all platforms and sub brands, reflecting the new content strategy. In conjunction with the new branding, the positioning line ‘Get that feeling’ reinforces what listeners can expect when they engage with the network.
“Around the country, the Hit Network will leverage its local heritage brands in metro cities and make audiences everywhere feel great with its positivity, entertainment and new music offering, all with a focus on a broader audience than ever before.”
Hit Network head Gemma Fordham said: “Today is an historic day for the Hit Network and we’re excited to deliver a new look and sound to our audiences across the country to make them feel great! In addition, Bianca and Lehmo joining us are the cream on top of our already huge show and talent lineups.”
