CMAA Rallies Behind Music Country Channel

The Country Music Association of Australia (CMAA) is supporting a campaign
for the retention of the Music Country channel on Australian Pay TV. Pay TV
operators have announced that the channel, the only daily television outlet for country
music in metropolitan areas of Australia, will be taken off air at the end of August.
Music Country was rescued from closure earlier this year when it was purchased by
STC Networks, which introduced the Soundtrack Channel as a shared format with
Music Country reverting to a more "grass roots" format.

"Music Country is an important outlet for country music on Australian television," said
CMAA general manager Kate Nugent, "an outlet we would not like to see lost to the
Australian country music industry. Music Country has been a very strong supporter of
the Australian country music industry, and it's time now for the industry to support
Music Country. The CMAA is making representations direct to Pay TV operators to
help Music Country retain its place in the channel mix, and we ask country music
artists, fans and industry people to consider doing likewise."

CMAA recommends individuals, organisations and companies make contact direct
with Pay TV operators telling them how important it is to keep Music Country on air.
Operators are Foxtel (telephone 131 999), Optus (133 311) and Austar (132 432).
More details are available on the www.savemusiccountry.com website.