Slogan Hits & Old Skool Format Pop, rock, rap | Frequency Various | |
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Broadcast area Queensland and New South Wales, Australia Owner Southern Cross Austereo | ||
Sea FM is a commercial Australian radio network, consisting of stations in Queensland and New South Wales and is owned by Southern Cross Austereo. Some Sea FM stations were later sold to meet media ownership requirements. Prime Television Limited purchased Sea FM Townsville in Queensland and Grant Broadcasters purchased Sea FM stations in Devonport and Burnie in Tasmania. All Sea FM stations currently owned by Southern Cross Austereo except Cairns, Mackay and Rockhampton / Gladstone, are now considered part of the Today's Hit Network after Southern Cross Media merged with Austereo.
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History
The Sea FM brand name and logo was created by Gold Coast Broadcasters Pty Ltd for one station - 90.9 Sea FM - after the Gold Coast was granted a new commercial FM licence. 90.9 Sea FM began broadcasting in 1989 with programming consulted by Austereo. The original Sea FM on-air line-up was a strong team of experienced Announcers, many having made their name previously in capital city radio including - Craig Bruce (FOX FM) & Sammy Power, Ian 'Lofty' Fulton (4IP), Grahame "Durry" Rodgers (2SM & 2NX), Sue Moses (2MMM & Channel 10), Gregg Easton (2UW & 4BK), Joe Miller (3XY & EON FM), Dean Miller and Simon Franks. In the same year the Gold Coast's existing AM station 4GG was granted permission to convert to FM as 92.5 4GGG (later KROQ). In the early 90s Gold Coast Broadcasters purchased KROQ and also the Sunshine Coast's 92.7 Mix FM. The Sunshine Coast's 91.9 Sea FM was then launched as a supplementary licence. Gold Coast Broadcasters later became known as RG Capital with financial backing provided by Australian Media Tycoon Reg Grundy.
With the further purchase of existing radio stations and the launch of newly granted supplementary FM licences, RG Capital expanded the Sea FM brand name and logo throughout Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania. In 2004, RG Capital sold their regional stations to Macquarie Regional RadioWorks (now Southern Cross Austereo). Following RG Capital's purchase by Macquarie Regional Radioworks, RG Capital's FM stations in Victoria were rebranded to Star FM.
In 2013, the Grant Broadcasters owned and operated 99.7 Sea FM in Scottsdale, Tasmania dropped the Sea FM branding and relaunched as Chilli FM, bringing it in line with sister station 90.1 Chilli FM Launceston.
In February 2016, Southern Cross Austereo owned and operated 100.9 Sea FM in Hobart, Tasmania dropped the Sea FM branding and relaunched as Hit 100.9, bringing it inline with other stations to the Hit Network.
In December 2016 all Sea FM stations were rebranded with the hit branding. However Sea FM in Gold Coast & Central Coast retained their Sea FM name but adopted the Hit logo (like Fox FM & 2Day FM) while Sea FM in Bundaberg & Maryborough will drop the name entirely in favour of Hit.
Programming
The network's stations are aimed at the under 40's section of the market, playing Top 40 and popular music. Most stations provide local breakfast and daytime programming, and also include a variety of networked programmes.