Countrytown has rallied around CMT—the last locally programmed country music video channel in Australia—after news surfaced that it would be scrapped from Foxtel.
On Wednesday (4 June), Countrytown and The Music reported that Foxtel will axe its music video programming, with CMT, MTV Hits, Nick Music, MTV Club, and MTV 80s set to leave the pay television company.
While the channels may be leaving Foxtel, they’re still airing on the streaming platform Fetch TV and may gain a new home on Paramount Plus if MTV opts to host CMT as well as their flagship music channels on the platform.
After introducing CMT and the abovementioned channels, Foxtel quietly added Vevo Pop, Vevo 2K, Vevo 90s, and Vevo Retro Rock (IP only) earlier this year. In 2020, CMT Australia replaced the long-running CMC.
CMT has been the only locally programmed music video channel on Foxtel since its introduction in 2020. It’s owned and operated by Paramount Networks UK & Australia and marks the third (and only) country music video channel operating in Australia, following the closure of MusicCountry and CMC.
Since July 2020, CMT has run as a localised version of US Country Music Television. It airs country music videos 24/7 from Australia and abroad, featuring artists such as Morgan Evans, Brad Cox, Amber Lawrence, Lee Kernaghan, and many other Australian acts, as well as Morgan Wallen, Chris Stapleton, Kip Moore, and Carrie Underwood.
Countrytown recognises CMT's impact on Australian country artists and their fans, which is why we’ve launched a petition to save it on Change.org.
As part of our campaign, Countrytown aims to showcase the importance of programmer San Man’s longstanding efforts for Australian country music. We’re looking for artists to tell Foxtel, Paramount Plus, and Fetch TV how important CMT is, and for viewers to share that Australian CMT is what they want to continue to see.
We’ll keep you updated on our campaign to save CMT right here on Countrytown. You can read our full mission statement below and sign the petition here.
Save CMT - Australia's last TV channel supporting Aussie music
The Australian country music community has been dealt a blow this week with Foxtel's axing of CMT - the last remaining music TV channel supporting Aussie artists.
Already cut to the bone, the channel came in to save the day with the earlier closure of CMC and found the amazing programmer San Man who has not just ensured Australian artists are front and centre on our TV screens that are more and more devoid of local content, but he has supported the artists, been front and centre at their shows and put his heart and soul into ensuring a platform for our industry.
The platform was desserted by a music industry who decided their ad dollars would be better spent on Facebook and this is the result, but the viewers will be voting with their feet and Foxtel will soon see how valuable country music fans were to their subscriptions.
Now is the time to share your voice. While it may be leaving Foxtel, the channel is still be shown on Fetch and has an obvious new home over at Paramount Plus if MTV decide to place it there. NOW is the time to tell them how important their small investment in keeping San Man in the chair will be for our industry... AND their potential new subscribers.
Artists-- Tell Foxtel, Paramount Plus and Fetch how important CMT is to you.
Fans-- Tell Foxtel, Paramount Plus and Fetch that AUSTRALIAN CMT is what you want and help save Australian content and keep San Man fighting for us on TV.
Countrytown brings you Australia’s best country music news, interviews, charts and more every week! This post was authored by Countrytown and originally published on the Countrytown website. It has been re-published with permission.
