SGC Media acquires Purple Sneakers, launches country outlet Countrytown
The SGC Media Group has big plans in the media space thanks to one new acquisition and the launch of a hub for young country music fans.
Announced today, SGC Media has launched Countrytown, “the first outlet in Australia targeting young, under 40 country fans, with news, interviews and gossip from the world’s hottest new country stars.”
The launch follows the folding of Australia’s Country Music Channel (CMC) earlier this year.
“We’ve been working more country releases with our marketing division over the last year or so and it’s been such an obvious hole in the market. We have great radio outlets, but there’s not enough editorial options for country artists who want to get across who they are to an Australian audience,” said SGC Media Group managing director Stephen Green.
“Not only that, but there’s an underground of young people for whom country is their pop music and we thought it was about time they had a home.”
Additionally, SGC acquired Purple Sneakers in January with long-time editor Emma Jones reinstated with a six-month plan to rebuild the title. Purple Sneakers has served Australia electronic, dance and hip hop fans for 14 years. During its days as an event organisation, Purple Sneakers even hosted the first shows of Flume, Alison Wonderland, RÜFÜS Du Sol, Disclosure.
“Our move this year to create and acquire media titles is consistent with our core as a music company,” said Stephen Green. “We are making strategic moves where it makes sense and where we can add value to the music community. Our aim is in serving genre-based communities that are at the top of the tastemaker funnel and in turn unlocking those communities for musicians, labels and other music-adjacent businesses.”
Source: SGC Media
SGC Media celebrates its 10th year as a full-service publicity and radio firm this year. Its past client list includes Sheppard, Lauv, Gurrumul, and events and tours including MJR Presents, BIGSOUND, National Indigenous Music Awards, Australian Music Prize, Queensland Music Festival and more.
Countrytown and Purple Sneakers are the latest in a long line of expansions for SGC Media, which boasts indie division Title Track, metal arm Collision Course, and the Radio Monitor system under its belt.
“While 2020 has been a very difficult year for the industry, it has been an opportunity for us to put some building blocks in place to help us become the business we want to be in 2021 and beyond,” said Stephen Green.
“Our industry as well as the entire media landscape will be different at the other end of this pandemic. The one thing that won’t change is that music will still be produced and in demand. These new business arms will continue to enhance what we do as a group on our unchanged mission to get great music heard.”
This article originally appeared on The Industry Observer, which is now part of The Music Network.