SCA revamps Adelaide and Brisbane stations, signs Anthony ‘Lehmo’ Lehmann and Bianca Dye
Southern Cross Austereo (SCA), parent company of the Hit Network and Triple M, has rebranded its Hit Network stations in Adelaide and Brisbane, returning them to their heritage brands of SAFM and B105.
The new looks will be joined with new content strategies, including a new breakfast show in Adelaide. Perth is likely to follow, with the radio business saying an announcement would be made in the coming weeks.
The new Hit Network branding
A rebrand in a pandemic driven economic crisis is a big call. Looks good though. Hope the content lives up to the promise and gets the network back on track.
“The new looks will be joined with new content strategies – both networks will receive new breakfast shows”
then
“Brisbane’s B105 will continue with its current content.”
Which one is it?
I have read some marketing waffle before this takes the cake. SCA changed something that was not broken to save money and increase ROI. This failed and is reflected in ratings. Localism is key and senior management dont get this….. Now they have tip in millions more for the re-brand and promotions – SCA got $10 mill from government: https://www.radiotoday.com.au/regional-news-funding/
This is not what the taxpayer handout was for.. Instead they have hundreds of workers on Jobkeeper…..
This is a MUCH better look for the network. Wider appeal, feels fresh and returns the names in radio that people identified with for so long.
I don’t know whether it will have an impact on the ratings, but it will help the brands to look cooler and be more visually appealing.
Hi Ben,
There was a mixup between the new breakfast program on the Gold Coast and the programming in Brisbane. The story has been updated.
Thanks,
Hannah – Mumbrella
As someone who is quite partial to the old school names of various local radio stations, this makes me very, very happy. This is a decision I wholeheartedly support. It will be so good to have B105 back!
I always find it incredulous when network execs decide to remove much-valued names from local radio markets, both metro and regional, despite having provided an invaluable local connection between the advertisers and the audience.
From a branding perspective, to get rid of well-known iconic local station names in favour of generic national imaging such as “Hit” or “Triple M” is just plain stupid, in my view.
In Queensland, we’ve seen iconic and symbolic heritage names such as 4TO and 4GR fall by the wayside in favour of the stations being lumped with the broad national “Triple M” branding. (As an AM station – having 4GR branded as Triple M from my perspective is just so awkward.)
For many Gold Coasters, Triple M and Hit 90.9 will always be Gold FM and Sea FM. The rebrand there, in my view, was quite pointless.
So it’s good to see that SCA are actually beginning to realise their mistake and actually embrace the much loved local identities their stations have, and the affinity their audience has with them.
Let’s hope Southern Cross Austereo’s decision to revive the B105 and SAFM names is a sign that things are about to come full circle.
It’s pretty safe to say, Gemma Fordham doesn’t have a very good track record. It fact, she may as well be steering the Titanic.