Zinc 96.1 (ACMA callsign: 4NNN) is an

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, quie ...

-formatted commercial radio station based in

Maroochydore, Queensland Maroochydore ( ) is a coastal town in the Sunshine Coast Region, Queensland, Australia. The town was subdivided from the Cotton Tree reserve by Surveyor Thomas O'Connor in 1903. The land was acquired from William Pettigrew who had a timber d ...

and broadcasting to the Sunshine Coast, owned by ARN.

History

Zinc was first launched in 1997 as ''The Heat 96.1'' by then-owners

Broadcast Operations Group Broadcast Operations Group is an Australian media company, operating radio stations across various centres across regional New South Wales and Queensland, Australia. Branded as the Super Radio Network, stations carry one of two formats – a ...

. In July 2005, the station was sold to AMI Radio, owners of former rival Hot 91.1. In February 2006, the station relaunched as ''Zinc 96.1'', targeting the 40+ demographic, with Jamie Dunn,

Jo Beth Taylor Joanne Rebecca Guilfoyle (born 29 May 1971), known professionally as Jo Beth Taylor, is an Australian television presenter, actress and singer most well known for hosting three weekly programs at the same time in the 1990s on the Nine Network: ...

, Ian Calder and Johjo Switzer hosting the

morning zoo Morning zoo is a format of morning radio show common to English-language radio broadcasting. The name is derived from the wackiness and zaniness of the activities, segments, and overall personality of the show and its hosts. The morning zoo conce ...

-formatted breakfast show. Both Zinc and Hot were sold in 2007 to

Prime Media Group Prime Media Group Limited (formerly Prime Television Limited) was an Australian-based media corporation that formerly owned regional television network Prime7 in eastern Australia and GWN7 in regional Western Australia. It also owned ishop TV ...

, and in 2013 to

Grant Broadcasters Grant Broadcasters is an Australian regional radio network. Founded in 1942, by 2019 it owned 53 radio stations. In 2022 it sold 46 to Here, There & Everywhere retaining shareholdings in seven in Canberra, Geelong, Goulburn and Perth. History ...

. In November 2021, Zinc 96.1, along with other stations owned by

, were acquired by the Australian Radio Network. This deal will allow Grant's stations, including Zinc 96.1, to access ARN's iHeartRadio platform in regional areas. The deal was finalized on January 4, 2022.ARN and Grant Broadcasters unite to create Australia's leading radio and digital audio business
''AdNews Australia'' 4 January 2022 It is expected Zinc 96.1 will integrate with ARN's

Pure Gold Network The Pure Gold Network is a network of radio stations owned and operated by ARN. Stations As of 1 July 2022, the Pure Gold network consists of five radio stations. Networked shows * ''JAM Nation with Jonesy & Amanda'' * ''The Christian ...

, but will retain its current name according to the press release from ARN.

Programming

The station is aimed at the over-35 section of the market, male-skewed but female-friendly, playing adult contemporary music.

External links

Zinc 96.1

References

Radio stations in Queensland Classic hits radio stations in Australia Radio stations established in 1997 Australian Radio Network {{Australia-radio-station-stub