Triple J still considering moving Hottest 100 Countdown away from Australia Day
National youth broadcaster Triple J has revealed it is still reviewing whether its annual countdown of the station’s most popular songs of the year should occur on the January 26 public holiday.
In September, Triple J announced the date for the broadcast of the Hottest 100 was under review. Yesterday the station issued an update on the review’s progress, noting “consultation will continue throughout the first half of 2017”.
“Triple J has been and will continue to consult a variety of groups on the differing perspectives of 26 January. We’re consulting with the ABC Bonner Committee, who are the ABC’s primary advisory body on issues relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff, content and communities,” the station said in a statement.
“There’s also discussions with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander media, language groups. And many of the Indigenous artists featured on Triple J.”
The network said they were also working through an extensive list of contacts from around the country, including Reconciliation Australia, National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples, Recognise and the National Australia Day Council.
Listeners will also be able to have their say and will get the opportunity to share their views with the station later in the year.
In the second half of 2017, the station will reveal the future date for the Hottest 100 Countdown.
Triple J has previously noted 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”.
From 8:15am today, Triple J’s Hack will broadcast a half-hour special exploring the issues and views around January 26.
Australia Day officially comemorates the ‘claiming of Australia for the British Empire.’ Just 2 years after the ships arrived in Sydney, 75% of the local native population had died, mostly from introduced disease. And we expect their decendants to celebrate this date? Seriously, how hard would it be to pick another date?
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