News From Downunder

lear Channel’s free digital radio service iHeartRadio launched in New Zealand Aug. 2.

It operates through The Radio Network (TRN), which owns half the country’s commercial stations under the Coast, Newstalk ZB, Classic Hits, Radio Sport, Radio Hauraki, ZM and Flava banners.

“We’re bringing radio into the digital age, offering music fans more options than any other service currently in the market,” said TRN CEO Jane Hastings. Live streaming of radio stations will initially be local stations.

Clear Channel’s 850 U.S. stations and Australian Radio Network stations will also be available in September.

Venue Change For Rhythm And Alps?

South Island’s Rhythm and Alps festival could be moving from Terrace Downs in Canterbury.

The promoters reportedly applied to hold it in a pastoral cattle station in the Cardrona Valley in the Queenstown Lakes district. It would be for 10,000 attendees including 3,000 campers Dec. 30-31.

Promoter Chris Gillies declined to comment. Any approval is expected to take years, as resident and environmental issues have to be green-lighted.

Row Over ‘Racist, Sexist’ DVD Cover

A row broke out over the North American DVD cover of the Australia’s “The Sapphires” movie about four indigenous singers who toured Vietnam in the 1960s.

The DVD cover features better-known actor Chris Dowd, who played their manager, out front, while the actors playing The Sapphires are relegated to the blurred background.

The original Sapphires have written to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People while Dowd condemned the cover as “vile.” An online petition, which slammed the artwork as reflecting the same bigotry that the singers faced in the 1960s, garnered 4,000 signatures by Aug. 4. Neither US distributor Anchor Bay nor Australian distributor Hopscotch have commented.

“The Sapphires “is one of the most successful local films of recent times, grossing A$20 million ($17.75 million) and winning 11 film awards.