Vevo launches radio platform in Australia

Authentic Entertainment, the Sydney-based company behind Take 40, Live at the Chapel and The Hot Hits, has moved Vevo into radio.

In a partnership with Today’s Hit Network (ex-Today Network), Authentic and Vevo launched radio brands Planet Vevo and The Drop over the weekend; a third will be announced soon.

The Drop, a three-hour show catering to the EDM community, launched on Saturday. The show will be broadcast nationally on Friday from 10pm-1am and Saturday from 6pm to midnight. It’s hosted by Channel [V]’s Marty Smiley and breakfast radio host Michael Beveridge.

Planet Vevo launched on Sunday and will be broadcast every Sunday between 2-5pm with 2DayFM hosts Dan & Maz (Dan Debuf and Maz Compton). The show’s concept was developed by Vevo and Authentic’s social, digital, strategic and broadcast teams. It also acts as a new platform for Vevo’s existing initiatives LIFT (which celebrates fresh talent) and Certified (which heroes the world’s biggest music videos with over 100m views each).

The new shows mark the first and only market in the world where Vevo has a radio format.

Speaking to TMN, Nik RobinsonDirector of Broadcast Content at Authentic Entertainment, said Vevo chose the Australian market for its entrance into radio because of the format’s popularity here.

“Australians embrace radio and our research shows radio is still the number one channel for people young and old to discover new music,” said Robinson. “Authentic Entertainment has been producing innovative radio programmes for over three decades, so Vevo were comfortable to take this step with us and launch into a new channel for the brand.

Authentic previously teamed up with the Today on music brand Take 40, the Dan & Maz-hosted radio show Party People and entertainment and pop culture brand The Hot Hits.

“Like us, Today’s Hit Network don't just make shows, they create brand experiences that engage listeners,” Robinson told TMN. “We have a long-standing relationship with them which makes a big difference when you want to bring something this big and new to the market. Furthermore, when you look at the music played on the network it aligns very well with the music that is popular on Vevo.”

Robinson told TMN the still-to-be-announced third show will “truly put the listener at the heart of the broadcast.

"Like the other two shows, we're making it our mission to innovate and have a unique point of difference.”

Authentic Entertainment was also behind the launch of the US’ #1 basic cable network [adult swim] as a digital platform in Australia.