Hit104.7 Canberra
| Company type | Commercial radio station |
|---|---|
| Industry | Broadcasting |
| Founded | February 27, 1988 |
| Founder | John Fairfax Ltd (originally 2CA) |
| Headquarters | Canberra , Australia |
Area served | Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia |
| Products | Radio broadcasting |
| Owner | Southern Cross Austereo |
hit104.7 (call letters: 2ROC) is a commercial FM radio broadcaster operating in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia, transmitting on 104.7 MHz. It forms part of the Southern Cross Austereo's Hit Network.
Together with its sister station MIX 106.3, hit104.7 transmits from Crace in the Australian Capital Territory.
History
In 1987, the Canberra radio station 2CA was granted an additional FM licence, receiving the call sign 2ROC and initially branded as FM104 (later updated to FM104.7). The station commenced broadcasting on 27 February 1988 at 104.7 MHz FM. FM104 and its competitor KIX106 were the first new commercial FM stations to be licensed in Australia after an eight-year interval, marking the introduction of supplementary FM licences. Notably, one day prior to the launch, 2CA’s proprietor John Fairfax Ltd sold Macquarie Radio Network to Queensland-based Sonance Ltd for approximately $100 million.
By April 1988, Sonance Ltd divested ownership of both 2CA and FM104.7 to Austereo for $15.25 million. In June of that year, FM104.7 captured a 9.5% share of the audience with its rock music format, trailing behind sister station 2CA which held an 11.6% share with its news-talk programming. Station manager Greg St John attributed fluctuations in ratings and advertising packages to a period of 'financial limbo' following the Austereo acquisition.
During the mid-1990s, as AM listenership declined and FM gained traction, Austereo (owners of 104.7 & 2CA) and ARN (owners of Mix 106.3 & 2CC) combined their FM operations in Canberra through a joint venture named Canberra FM Pty Ltd. Subsequently, the AM stations were sold and are currently under the ownership of Capital Radio Network and Grant Broadcasters.
In December 2015, Southern Cross Austereo together with Australian Radio Network announced plans to rebrand FM104.7 as hit104.7 starting in 2016.
The rebranding took effect on 18 January 2016 with hit104.7 launching a new breakfast program hosted by Ryan & Tanya as part of the Hit Network rollout, thereby broadening access to network-wide content. From December 2017 until October 2023, Ned & Josh served as breakfast show hosts following Ryan & Tanya’s departure in November 2017.
In April 2021, hit104.7 ceded its leading position in Canberra’s radio ratings to Mix 106.3.
On 30 October 2023, the Ned & Josh breakfast show was discontinued. In January 2024, former drive-time presenters from Mix 106.3, Wilko and Courts, returned to hit104.7 after a two-year hiatus from Canberra radio, taking over from Ned & Josh.
Skyfire
Since its inception in 1989, the station has been the primary sponsor of the annual Skyfire celebration, which is transmitted live from Regatta Point and Lake Burley Griffin. For the 2024 edition, Mix 106.3, a sister station, joined as a co-sponsor, broadening the event's exposure and strengthening its brand influence within the Canberra region.