Hot FM (Australian radio network)
| Company type | Radio network |
|---|---|
| Industry | Broadcasting |
| Founded | 1994 |
| Founder | Rural Press |
| Defunct | 2016-12-15 |
| Fate | Consolidated into the Hit Network |
Area served | Queensland, Western Australia |
| Owner | Southern Cross Austereo |
Hot FM was a radio network operating in both Queensland and Western Australia, under the ownership of Southern Cross Austereo. It featured a blend of locally produced and syndicated shows until it was consolidated into the Hit Network on 15 December 2016.
History
The Hot FM brand originated in 1994 in Townsville, initially launched by Rural Press, before expanding its reach to Mackay and Cairns. Following its acquisition by DMG Regional Radio, the brand extended its presence throughout Queensland and Western Australia.
In 2004, Hot FM, along with affiliated stations such as the RadioWest network, was acquired by Macquarie Regional RadioWorks. The subsequent year, DMG's acquisition of an FM licence in Brisbane necessitated the sale of Hot 91.1 Sunshine Coast to A Investments, which was later taken over by Prime Media Group.
During DMG’s tenure, Hot FM delivered a combination of local and network programming from key centers including Townsville, Bunbury, Albury, and the Gold Coast. After the 2011 merger between Southern Cross Media and Austereo, Hot FM’s content strategy aligned more closely with the Today Network, incorporating shows from Sydney’s 2Day FM and Melbourne’s Fox FM.
As part of a nationwide rebranding initiative by Southern Cross Austereo, Hot FM stations were absorbed into the Hit Network in December 2016.
List of stations
Prior to 15 December 2016, the Hot FM network comprised eight stations:
- Hot FM Cairns
- Hot FM Central Queensland
- Hot FM Charters Towers (Owned & operated by Resonate Broadcasting)
- Hot FM Mackay
- Hot FM Mount Isa
- Hot FM Queensland
- Hot FM Townsville
- Hot FM Western Australia