Southern Cross Austereo has announced its country music station, The range, will now be heard on digital radio.
The station, which plays “the biggest country hits from the nineties to today,” is now available on DAB+ in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane as well as on FM and via The Range website and app across Australia.
SCA says The Range will “prominently showcase new Australian country music and contemporary country hits,” with the biggest stars of today, including Keith Urban, Lady Antebellum, Troy Cassar-Daley, The McClymonts, Lee Kernaghan, Blake Shelton, Alan Jackson, Brad Paisley, Tim McGraw, Carrie Underwood, Florida Georgia Line, Luke Bryan and McAlister Kemp. After listening to the station, one of our readers disputes the “predominantly Australian” claim, see the comment below.
Recent research shows 24% of metro Australians are interested in hearing country music. Country music is more popular in Brisbane and listeners are more likely to be female. (Source: Nielsen CMV Survey 1 2015 Metro Database)
The station originally began as, and still is, an FM regional network around Australia and has now extended into metropolitan Australia via DAB+ Digital Radio.
The Range joins Southern Cross Austereo’s portfolio of digital radio stations including Triple M Classic Rock Digital, Triple M Modern Rock Digital, Buddha Radio, Stardust Radio and more arrivals to be announced soon.
SCA Digital Radio Content Director Jaime Chaux says: “Modern country music just keeps growing, but gets little exposure in metro Australia. The Range is like a parallel universe of big hits and new stars, just from the country world. With the continued growth of digital radio, The Range gives modern country a chance to be heard by new audiences.”
The station can be accessed online at www.therangecountry.com.au
Fairfax Radio previously had a country station on digital radio called The Buckle, which has now closed, and ABC Radio broadcasts ABC Country. Grant Broadcasters also has a country music network across regional Australia, which is also heard online.
I've listened and checked out the station, and my guestimate is they're playing 70-75% Nashville country.
In contrast, ABC Country is playing about 70% Australian country music.
We’re listening to Loveland Radio today and it’s gone weird. We’re listening at 5:45pm and all they’re playing is the tune from a Michael Jackson song with no words and it just keeps repeating over and over.Do you know why this is happening?
We’ve heard tomorrow that Loveland is changing it’s name to “More.” Have you heard about this?