Yesterday triple j announced the Hottest 100 countdown will no longer take place on January 26th and instead will fall over the fourth weekend of the month, with Saturday, January 27th being the new date come 2018.
Additionally, the annual Hottest 200 countdown will be kicking off on the next day (Sunday, January 28th).
The decision shows support for Indigenous Aussies who recount January 26th as Invasion Day.
Following the announcement to scrap the Hottest 100 countdown this Australia Day was a heavy backlash from the Australian Liberal party, who were royally pissed by triple j’s decision to back indigenous rights.
Claiming the date change is an attack on Australia Day itself, communications Minister Mitch Fifield along with several other liberals are reportedly utterly disgraced with triple j, while Minister for Resources Matthew Canavan has claimed that triple j is trying to undermine our national celebration and redefine the Australian culture.
Earlier this year in August, triple j began conducting surveys surrounding the idea of a date change, with around 60 percent of responses in favour of the new date.
Creating two seperate polls based on what date the countdown should fall on, triple j was ultimately only responding to their listeners, giving a voice to those who felt strongly that the Hottest 100 date should no longer be on the 26th of January.
With Fifield formerly asking triple j to reconsider the date change, one can only wonder why the government is worrying about which day a radio station chooses to play songs.
On that note, it seems that Labor leader Bill Shorten felt the same. Taking to Twitter like any good politician should, he voiced his opinion about Fifield’s recent comments.
Today the NBN announced another delay in its disastrous rollout. But the Communications Minister is more worried about what day a radio station chooses to play some songs. Ladies and gentlemen, the Turnbull Government.
— Bill Shorten (@billshortenmp) November 27, 2017
