Hottest 100 to air on Australia Day next year despite mounting pressure to switch date
Triple J has refused to bow to public pressure and confirmed the Hottest 100 countdown will be broadcast on Australia Day next year at least.
While it has refused to change the date from Australia Day, which many Indigenous people regard as Invasion Day, the ABC-owned network has said the airdate for future years is “under review”.
And in a move to placate those pushing for change, the station this afternoon said it will again work in partnership with the Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience (AIME) a scheme which supports Indigenous children through high school and into university, training and employment.
Triple J and AIME worked together in 2015 with listeners raising $100,000.
The broadcast, which counts down a listener-voted poll of the best tracks played by the youth-oriented network the previous year, has become synonymous with the date for many, with Hottest 100 parties a common event.
In a statement, Triple J acknowledged recent controversy surrounding its broadcast date but said it “wants the Hottest 100 to be an inclusive and respectful event for all Australians, including all the incredible Indigenous artists making great Australian music and the listeners from all cultural backgrounds who love it”.
“As part of this commitment, triple j is proud to announce that we’re once again teaming up with the Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience (AIME) for the Hottest 100,” it said.
“Every year millions of Australians get involved in the Hottest 100 at home and overseas. By working with AIME, triple j hopes to use this wide-reaching platform to create a meaningful connection between all communities, including Indigenous Australians.”
Triple J content director Ollie Wards said: “The Hottest 100 is the biggest thing triple j does every year. While we celebrate the year’s best music, we believe that together with a great organisation like AIME, triple j has a powerful opportunity and a responsibility to create a positive impact. In partnering with AIME we hope to raise money to empower Indigenous young people and also acknowledge and discuss all perspectives of 26 January.”
AIME founder and chief executive Jack Manning-Bancroft added: “Australia Day represents pain and mourning for many Australians, including our first Australians. It also represents immense pride for many Aussies, reflecting on how far we’ve come. The past has been written. What I love about triple j and the Hottest 100 is that we have a chance to speak to millions of Australians and provide a platform to shape a narrative for the future filled with colour, joy and love of our difference.
“It’s a dream to be working with triple j again for the Hottest 100. Last year we raised over $100K, which has catapulted us to be working with over 6,000 Indigenous kids, up from 4,500 the year before. We want to change the way Australia operates and couldn’t think of a better partner to help make that happen.”
The news will disappoint those pushing for a date change, which include Indigenous communities and organisations, who argued Australia Day commemorates an invasion of their country, and should not be a celebration.
Inclusion of the Hottest 100 countdown, however, is synonymous with young Australians gathering at barbecues and drinking and attending festivals on a day that marks the arrival of the First Fleet.
Two opposing petitions are running on Change.og. One urging Triple J to change the date was launched one month ago and has 3370 signatures, while a petition calling for the countdown to remain was set up earlier today and, at time of publication, had 273 signatures.
It should remain on Australia day. This is the day the first fleet arrived. Before this date Australia was mostly unknown. If indigenous community’s want to change it because they see it as invasion day. Then do we change Anzac day, because this is celebrating the day thousands of people from all parts of the world died.
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ANZAC day isn’t a celebration, how many dawn services have you been to where people drank and cheered when their favourite song came on? Give some thought to your comparisons before you use them.
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If it ain’t broke..don’t fix it. JJJ I’m sure can do some indigenous based programming or awareness across the day as they are playing the countdown. Why should a national issue be linked to a radio stations musical countdown?
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I think you inadvertently answered your own question there. Current Australia day is seen as a day of remembrance much like ANZAC day. It’s not a day to celebrate, it’s a day to empathise and remember the struggles, the sacrifices, the ignorance of the people involved.
Just move the day already. Make it the first of Jan, which is the real day that Australia was created. How many other countries celebrate the day they invaded their country?
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Surely both things “commemorate”? In every commemoration world wide, there tends to be a “winning” and “losing” side, depending on your point of view in any given situation. In every conflict one person’s terrorist is another’s freedom fighter. Surely this gives both triple J and AIME a very strong platform to highlight that the commemoration in this case means vastly different things to different people, and to raise funds for their brilliant work – an opportunity that, rightly or wrongly, might not be as strong at another time of year?
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Seriously? Its a just radio station, and an iconic event that has been going for eons. The fact that JJJ has gone to lengths to support AIME is to be commended and should be proof enough of their inclusiveness of all cultures. And like Australia Day is the only day that people get on it and listen to music? PC gone mad.
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hmmm, that dude Columbus gets his own day in little old USA. mexico seem to have passed on Cortes day for some reason
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AIME founder and chief executive Jack Manning-Bancroft added: “Australia Day represents pain and mourning for many Australians, including our first Australians.”
What emotional dribble! Yes, Australia Day represents pain and mourning for some indigenous Australians (who make up 2.4% of the population) but it does not represent pain and mourning for “many Australians”. Even if you wanted to say there are 17.6% of the Australian population that do feel that it represents pain and mourning to them, — which would be a massive overestimation — that does not represent “mounting pressure on Triple J (to change the date)”. The VAST majority of Australians that listen to the Hottest 100, want the countdown to stay on January 26. Not one of those people are celebrating the day their white ancestors took over this country, they are just celebrating the music released in the previous year by musicians off all race, creed and colour.
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Can we please move on from this “invasion day” mentality.
Australia day celebrates a culture of united people. The contest to bring down a national day like this only serves to give voice to a divisive few and divide people.
There is nothing anyone can do about changing what sadly happened over 200 years ago.
We can however stand united to celebrate who we have become.
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– ANZAC day is a day of remembrance largely celebrated by parades, playing music, having a few beers at the pub tossing a coins for fun.
– Australia Day is a day of remembrance largely celebrated by parades, playing music, having a few beers at the pub tossing a shrimp on the barbi.
– Christmas day is a day of remembrance largely celebrated by parades, playing music, having a few beers at home and tossing a snag on the barbi
It’s Australian to celebrate any occasion. Let’s all move on and enjoy being a united country of fun loving beer drinking Aussies again.
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Another example of the vocal minority, left leaning, PC brigade trying to get their way. If they didnt have social media they wouldnt have a platform to speak! Why is it that those in the centre or right of centre dont feel the need to push their political agendas down everyone elses throat?
A popular vote would establish
a) an overwhelming majority of Australians celebrate Australia Day (not invansion day which no one had heard of 2 years ago!) and want it left alone
b) the Hottest 100 which has become synonymous with Australia Day should remain in place on this very day
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