The Hit Network is an Australian

commercial radio Commercial broadcasting (also called private broadcasting) is the broadcasting of television programs and radio programming by privately owned corporate media, as opposed to state sponsorship. It was the United States′ first model of radio (an ...

network owned and operated by

Southern Cross Austereo 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 station ...

. The network consists of 41 radio stations broadcasting a

hot adult contemporary Adult contemporary music (AC) is a form of radio-played popular music, ranging from 1960s vocal and 1970s soft rock music to predominantly ballad-heavy music of the present day, with varying degrees of easy listening, pop, soul, R&B, quiet ...

music format, as well as 6

digital radio Digital radio is the use of digital technology to transmit or receive across the radio spectrum. Digital transmission by radio waves includes digital broadcasting, and especially digital audio radio services. Types In digital broadcasting syst ...

stations.

History

The Hit Network was formed in 1986 as the Austereo Network after

Austereo 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' ...

, the licensee of Adelaide

station

SAFM SAFM (official callsign: 5SSA) 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. History The stati ...

, purchased Fox FM in Melbourne. The network grew throughout the late 1980s and the 1990s, acquiring B105 Brisbane, 2Day FM Sydney and

PMFM Triple M Perth (official callsign: 6MMM) is a commercial radio station owned and operated by Southern Cross Austereo as part of the Triple M network. The station is broadcast to Perth, Western Australia from studios in Subiaco. The station comm ...

Perth, as well as establishing joint-venture stations in

Canberra Canberra ( ) is the capital city of Australia. Founded following the federation of the colonies of Australia as the seat of government for the new nation, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The ci ...

and

Newcastle Newcastle usually refers to: *Newcastle upon Tyne, a city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England *Newcastle-under-Lyme, a town in Staffordshire, England *Newcastle, New South Wales, a metropolitan area in Australia, named after Newcastle ...

. The network would later become known as the ''Today Network'', with stations adopting a

contemporary hit radio Contemporary hit radio (also known as CHR, contemporary hits, hit list, current hits, hit music, top 40, or pop radio) is a radio format that is common in many countries that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by ...

music format. Following the acquisition of Austereo by

Southern Cross Media Group Southern Cross Media Group (formerly Macquarie Media Group) is one of Australia's major media companies, as the parent company of Southern Cross Austereo. Its headquarters are in South Melbourne. History On 3 July 2007 Southern Cross Broadca ...

, the company incorporated the regional Hot FM,

Sea FM Sea FM was an Australia, 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 Media Group Limited, Prime Televis ...

and Star FM networks into the Today Network. In October 2014, Southern Cross Austereo announced it would relaunch SAFM in Adelaide as

Hit 107 SAFM (official callsign: 5SSA) 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. History The stati ...

, with a staggered network-wide relaunch announced in December. On 14 January 2015, the network was relaunched as Today's Hit Network, with the relaunch extending to Canberra in January 2016.

Hobart was relaunched as Hit100.9 in February, with the remaining network stations adopting the Hit Network branding as part of a national brand consolidation in December. On 27 July 2020, the Hit Network was relaunched, adopting a new logo and "pop-based" music format in an attempt to target a 30–54 year old audience. In addition, Hit 105 Brisbane and

Adelaide reverted to their heritage brands B105 and SAFM respectively. On 20 August 2020, Southern Cross Austereo announced the network would introduce statewide networked breakfast programs in

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

and

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...

, replacing 19 local shows. On 1 December 2020, Mix 94.5 Perth switched affiliation from the

Triple M Triple M is an Australian commercial radio network owned and operated by Southern Cross Austereo. The network consists of 40 radio stations broadcasting a mainstream rock music format and 5 digital radio stations. The network dates back to th ...

network to the Hit Network, with Hit92.9 relaunching as 92.9 Triple M.

Stations

, the Hit Network consists of 41 FM radio stations. ACT * Hit104.7 Canberra NSW * 2Day FM 104.1 Sydney * Hit101.3 Central Coast * Hit105.9 Central West * Hit105.5 Coffs Coast * hit102.3 & 105.1 Mid North Coast * Hit106.9 Newcastle * Hit93.1 Riverina * Hit99.7 Riverina MIA *

Hit104.9 The Border hit104.9 The Border (ACMA callsign: 2AAY) is an Australian radio station owned by Southern Cross Media. The station is based in Albury, New South Wales, Albury New South Wales. Some programs based in Albury are simulcast to other Hit Network re ...

QLD * B105 Brisbane * Hit103.5 Cairns *

Hit Central Queensland hit Central Queensland is a radio station in Central Queensland part of the Hit Network. The station is owned by Southern Cross Austereo. History In the late 1990s, DMG Regional Radio successfully bid for an FM broadcasting license for a radi ...

* Hit100.7 Darling Downs * Hit94.7 Emerald * Hit101.9 Fraser Coast * 90.9 Sea FM Gold Coast * Hit100.3 Mackay & the Whitsundays * hit Maranoa * Hit102.5 Mount Isa * Hit89.1 South Burnett * Hit97.9 Tablelands * Hit103.1 Townsville SA * SAFM 107.1 Adelaide * SAFM 96.1 Limestone Coast TAS * Hit100.9 Hobart VIC * 101.9 The Fox Melbourne *

Hit91.9 Bendigo hit91.9 Bendigo (official callsign: 3BDG) is a commercial radio station owned and operated by Southern Cross Austereo as part of the Hit Network. The station is broadcast to Central Victoria from studios in the Bendigo suburb of Golden Square. T ...

* hit Goulburn Valley * Hit99.5 Sunraysia WA * Mix 94.5 Perth * Hit95.3 Albany * Hit101.3 Broome * Hit99.7 Carnarvon * Hit102.3 Esperance * Hit96.5 Geraldton * Hit97.9 Kalgoorlie * Hit106.5 Karratha * Hit Northwest * Hit91.7 Port Hedland * Hit Southwest * Hit Wheatbelt

Network shows

*''

Carrie & Tommy ''Carrie & Tommy'' is an Australian radio station drive show on the Hit Network. The show is hosted by Carrie Bickmore, Tommy Little and anchor Jesse Watkins. History In January 2017, Southern Cross Austereo announced that Carrie Bickmore and ...

'' * ''Hughesy, Ed & Erin'' *''Hot Nights with Abbie Chatfield'' *''Jimmy & Nath'' *''Jimmy & Nath Up Early'' *''The Saturday Night Party Playlist''

Digital radio

, the Hit Network broadcasts an additional 7 radio stations on DAB+ digital radio. Choose The Hits was a station only broadcast on

and ran between 1 February 2010 and 24 May 2010. The Hit Network launched Caravan Radio on 24 May 2010. It was a "pop up" Digital Radio station that played the best bits from Hamish & Andy's Caravan of Courage journeys while they toured the United Kingdom on their fourth Caravan of Courage.Hamish & Andy get their own station with Caravan of Courage Radio
- mUmBRELLA, ''24 May 2010''

References

External links