Southern Cross Austereo (Company)

Radio, Print, and Online
901

Here’s the thing. It is SUPPOSED TO BE!!!

In a statement to Mediaweek, an SCA spokesperson confirmed the company “is evolving the way we manage our news operations to better serve audiences across Australia, now and into the future.”

“As part of this change, we’ve developed a proprietary software platform in-house to help our journalists gather information and draft bulletins. While the platform includes some AI capabilities, it is a newsroom tool designed to support our journalists in their day-to-day work.

“All bulletins continue to be fact-checked, edited, and read by journalists based in our provincial and metro hubs across the country.

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902

And by “journalists”, we mean some intern we get on the cheap.

903

I’m a software dev so I think about this often… You can tell people to thoroughly check the computer’s output until the cows come home, but people are still going to make mistakes like this.

So you end up with a dictionary of rules to try and flag this stuff:

  1. Flag if authors name appears in script
  2. Flag if a crime is mentioned and it doesn’t say ‘allegedly’
  3. Flag if a date far in the past or future is mentioned

Etc etc.

But then the humans become even more dependant on these flags and they become even less likely to just check the generated script in its entirety.

I can give my human-written documents to three different humans for proofing and get three different sets of changes back.

People are people, and they miss stuff.

904

Though you’d think most Adelaide journos would recognise each other’s names (in a smaller city like that) and think something was wrong if they got incorrectly identified in a story like that.

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905

It’s this. The fact checking should focus on key details and risk areas. What the biggest risk of getting sued as a journalist? It’s saying someone did something they didn’t do. So if someone’s named, check the source. That clearly didn’t happen.

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906

Rumour has it that Global in the UK isn’t impressed with SCA using the Heart brand for their new DAB station. Apparently they filed a trademark application for Heart within days of the launch of SCA’s station and also filed for SCA’s trademark to lapse due to “non use”.

Nothing may come if it, or it may be a precursor to them wanting to invest in an Australian radio operator who might be struggling… Ahem…ARN?

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907
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908

Global has also filed a “removal of registration for non-use” against SCA, who used to own “Heart 107.3” in Hobart - but that changed name in 2006.

The Hobart station was actually known as Heart from 2006 to 2016 (and is still owned by SCA).

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909

But they haven’t used that name for years, actually I think it hasn’t been called Heart 107.3 for longer than that, since 2006

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910

Doesn’t matter IMO. The fact SCA can prove they had the name many years ago will probably keep them free to use it.

Besides, there are a tonne of Heart names around the globe.

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911

We’ll have to wait and see. But that’s what the “non use” application is for - it doesn’t matter how long they’ve had it, it’s about whether they are using it.

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912

They are using it. Now.

Get the popcorn out, this will be interesting. Oh, to be a copyright lawyer!

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913

Yes it will be very interesting. It seems to confirm that Global are at least somewhat interested in buying an Australian player. Personally I’d love to see them buy out ARN. It would be good to have an operator who knows what they’re doing.

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914

My limited understanding of Australian law is there’s a “use it or lose it” area where you need to prove you’ve used a brand or name within the prior three years.

From what I understand it’s not commonly challenged.

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915

Exactly. Global don’t own the name or word “Heart”.

Unless they have eyes on Australia… :thinking:

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916

That’s the whole point.

They possibly do, which is why they’ve lodged the trademark application in Australia.

917

The station was called Magic until 2006.

In 2006 it became Heart and was known as Heart right up until the rebrand to Triple M in 2016.

I’m interested to see how the application goes. It was filed 3 days after SCA announced they would launch the new Heart. Is that enough for them to be using the trademark. Maybe it comes down to what else they did before then to get ready to use the brand. Logo, audio design etc. It’s common to apply for a trademark before a brand is launched, so this could be the same. SCA will also argue that Global have no presence or use of the brand in Australia.

I think Global are making a last ditch attempt to prevent the brand being used. Had they applied a week earlier it could be a different story.

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918

It will be very interesting to see how it goes.

The thought also crossed my mind that SCA might have gotten wind of Global’s interest in Australia and/or purchasing ARN and they might have hastily launched Heart on DAB to try and head them off. The launch of Heart on DAB by SCA does seem half-baked to be honest, and could be more of a blocker to prevent Global from getting hold of the trademark. Interesting times.

Either way it shows that Global are at least somewhat interested in doing something in Australia at some point, if the opportunity arose.

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919

So SCA have gone stuff you to both GOLD on DAB+ AND to GLOBAL in one shot? Wow

920

I think it’s more of a broader strategy to take on Smooth and Gold with a new AC format, which they haven’t had previously. Heart gives them a third brand alongside Hit and Triple M, positioning them well in what will be a very competitive market in 2026.

I would be very surprised if Global UK were successful in any attempt at blocking the use of the Heart brand by SCA in Australia.

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