Whose House? Matt’s House

Aussie on the airwaves: Down Under DJ Matt Sutton is down with the ‘Peg

Kaitlyn Emslie Farrell Volunteer Staff

March 19, 2014

Matt Sutton wants you to wake up feeling fresh.

The host of Fresh Mornings on 99.1 Fresh FM is no stranger to rising early. Sutton is used to rolling out of bed a full 15 hours before Winnipeggers, having moved to the ‘Peg from Brisbane, Australia just over a year ago.

However, Sutton says Winnipeg radio is a little different than what’s playing over the Aussie airwaves.

“I worked at a station [in Brisbane] that played more new music,” Sutton says. “In Brisbane there are only six commercial radio stations, whereas here it just blows my mind that there are so many choices. It’s so good to have a choice. Everyone can flick around and find something they like.”

Sutton backpacked through Canada in the past, spending six of his eight months in the country working in a bar in London, Ont., so he was at least somewhat prepared for a Winnipeg winter.

“Those four week stretches where it’s -40 and I look back there [Australia] and it’s 30 degrees and everyone’s at the beach every day, it’s kind of like ‘Oh, it’d be great to be there.’ But by the same token, it’s great here,” Sutton says.

Sutton is currently in Winnipeg on a work visa and says he wants to stay here permanently.

“I guess here is more laidback than Brisbane,” he says. “I feel in Brisbane they’re more focused on what they’re doing every day. Work is nine to five, where here people seem more helpful. I think it’s more friendly in radio. It’s still competitive but you’ll still talk to people from other radio stations if you see them out, whereas I don’t know if that would happen in Brisbane.”

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