New Zealand radio station The Rock has hard launched in Australia. But not through owner MediaWorks‘ rova player, which Kiwi expats have used in the past, this is a collaboration with Nova Entertainment, and can be heard on DAB+ ( just in Brisbane), via the Nova Player or Apple Play, by streaming online or via your Smart TV.

Nova has been dabbling with their DAB+ offerings in Brisbane. They support Coles Radio, which tends to be up near the top of the digital stations in the ratings. They’ve also trialled for two year now Nova Fresh Country which, in survey 3 had a cume audience of 1000, if that. It doesn’t help that the city already has three other country DAB+ stations – ABC Country, iHeart Country and Triple M Country.

It would seem that when The Rock debuts in a GfK Survey, Nova Fresh Country will depart.

The Rock will compete the most with Triple M Classic Rock. Triple M Brisbane not so much, with the metro station far less rocky than a decade ago.

The station has commenced with 10,000 back to back bangers with no ads, before a full launch on August 31. From that date The Rock will also feature their NZ local shows The Morning Rumble and Rock Drive with Jay & Dunc while also commencing their Rock 2000 Countdown of which you can vote for your favourite tracks.

Last year’s countdown had 2 million votes from over 117,000 rock lovers with No 1, War Pigs by Black Sabbath. So that gives you a gist of how things are going to sound.