Tokyo 2020: Edwina Bartholomew vows Seven will play more Australian music during Olympic coverage

‘We have heard your call’: Edwina Bartholomew vows that Seven will play more Australian music during their Olympic coverage – after local artists campaigned for help during lockdown

Channel Seven have vowed to include more Australian artist’s music in their coverage of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

On Thursday, singer Holly Rankin – also known as Jack River – started a social media campaign requesting more Aussie locals would be played on-screen, to help those whose gigs have been cancelled amid Australia’s lockdowns.

And after receiving support from an abundance of local talent, Sunrise host Edwina Bartholomew, 38, told the songstress ‘we have heard your call’ – before vowing the network would ‘pump up the Aussie music content’ in future.

Change is coming: Edwina Bartholomew has confirmed that Channel Seven will include more Australian artists’ music in their coverage of the Olympic Games

In her plea – which was supported by the likes of Australian acts Lime Cordiale, Cub Sport and Vera Blue – Holly wrote: ‘Dear Channel Seven and corporate Aus.

‘How great it would be if you played all Australian music in your coverage of the Olympics? These are Australian moments, they deserve Australian music.

‘And while we’re here, how good would it be to hear Aussie music in Coles, Woolies, Aldi, in banks, on hold, in stores and on ads being shown to Australians for the next few months?

Fight: On Thursday, Holly Rankin - also known as Jack River - started a social media campaign requesting more Aussie locals would be played on-screen

Fight: On Thursday, Holly Rankin – also known as Jack River – started a social media campaign requesting more Aussie locals would be played on-screen

Agreed! After receiving support from an abundance of local talent, Sunrise host Edwina, 38, said 'we have heard your call' - vowing the network would 'pump up the Aussie music content' in future

Agreed! After receiving support from an abundance of local talent, Sunrise host Edwina, 38, said ‘we have heard your call’ – vowing the network would ‘pump up the Aussie music content’ in future

‘We need you more than ever. We wanna be your soundtrack.’ 

Underneath the post, Vera Blue enthusiastically wrote ‘Yes!!’ while pop group Cub Sport added: ‘Love this idea!’ 

On Thursday evening, Edwina – who covers the games on the network’s Sunrise program – replied to Holly’s post directly, writing: ‘Hey @jack_river, we have heard your call.

‘We are going to pump up the Aussie music content in the arvos in @7olympics. Send us all your requests.’

Holly replied: ‘Thank you so much for hearing us, this is so exciting and will make a huge impact on the careers of Aussie artists! Big love to the Seven Olympics team!’ 

Change: The campaign was started by singer Holly Rankin - also known as Jack River - in order to help Aussie musicians whose gigs have been cancelled amid Australia's lockdowns

Change: The campaign was started by singer Holly Rankin – also known as Jack River – in order to help Aussie musicians whose gigs have been cancelled amid Australia’s lockdowns

Support: Australian musicians in their masses headed to the comments section to share their support, with Vera Blue posting 'Yes!!' while pop group Cub Sport added: 'Love this idea!'

Support: Australian musicians in their masses headed to the comments section to share their support, with Vera Blue posting ‘Yes!!’ while pop group Cub Sport added: ‘Love this idea!’

Edwina also shared the statement to her own Instagram page to tell her followers of the network’s big change, captioned: ‘Hey @jack_river and other Aussie musos, we hear you.

‘I can’t speak for Woolies and Aldi et al but we are going to beef up the Aussie music in the arvos on @7olympics.  

‘Send us your requests and tag your favourite Australian musician.’  

Familiar face: Edwina covers the Olympic Games on the Channel Seven's Sunrise. Pictured alongside athlete Matt Shirvington

Familiar face: Edwina covers the Olympic Games on the Channel Seven’s Sunrise. Pictured alongside athlete Matt Shirvington

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