Radio New Zealand

Government-funded public service radio in New Zealand was historically provided by the Radio Broadcasting Company between 1925 and 1931, the New Zealand Broadcasting Board between 1931 and 1936, the National Broadcasting Service between 1936 and 1962, the New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation between 1962 and 1975, and the Radio New Zealand state-owned enterprise between 1975 and 1995.[7] The organisation placed a strong emphasis on training its staff in Received Pronunciation, until it began promoting local and indigenous accents in the 1990s.[8][9]

As part of the process of privatisation carried out by the fourth National government, the government's commercial radio operations were sold to private investors as The Radio Network in 1996 and the government's non-commercial assets (known previously as New Zealand Public Radio) became the current Radio New Zealand Crown entity.[10][11][12]

The broadcaster is bound by the Charter and Operating Principles included in the Radio New Zealand Act, which is reviewed by the New Zealand Parliament every five years. The Radio New Zealand Amendment Act received Royal assent on 1 April 2016.

Purpose:

1. As an independent public service broadcaster, the public radio company's purpose is to serve the public interest.
2. Freedom of thought and expression are foundations of democratic society and the public radio company as a public service broadcaster plays an essential role in exercising these freedoms.
3. The public radio company fosters a sense of national identity by contributing to tolerance and understanding, reflecting and promoting ethnic, cultural, and artistic diversity and expression.
4. The public radio company provides reliable, independent, and freely accessible news and information.

RNZ broadcasts over three nationwide networks; RNZ National, RNZ Concert and the AM network which relays Parliamentary proceedings. RNZ Pacific (formerly Radio New Zealand International or RNZI) is our overseas shortwave service, broadcasting to the South Pacific and beyond, while Radio New Zealand News provides comprehensive, up-to-the-minute news and current affairs information. RNZ also allows for the archiving of broadcast material of historical interest.

It must also produce and commission high quality programming based on research of public needs, and balance mass appeal and minority appeal programming. In achieving these objectives, it must be socially and financially responsible.[13]

This was The Wireless logo when it was launched in 2013.

In October 2013, Radio New Zealand launched the youth-focused and non-commercial website 'The Wireless'. The website emerged from the push for a youth radio station as part of Radio New Zealand's offerings. Instead of creating a youth radio station, RNZ decided to create a website or online magazine that focused on 18- to 30-year-olds which would be more relevant to the demographic.[14]

Project manager Marcus Stickley noted that: "RNZ has had the wisdom to recognize that it didn't necessarily need to be under the RNZ brand. It needed to develop something specifically for that audience, and they've given us the freedom to go away and figure out exactly how to do that."[15] The CEO of RNZ commented in April 2014 that The Wireless is "the most exciting innovation from RNZ in recent years."[16][17][18][19]

The Wireless ceased operating as an independent publication in 2018, and was folded back into RNZ.[20]

RNZ National logo

RNZ National, formerly National Radio, is RNZ's comprehensive, authoritative and independent News and Current Affairs platform and is RNZ's core offering and the primary driver of audiences to RNZ; for both its own on-air and online services and also those from third party services. It includes the flagship news and current affairs programmes Morning Report, Midday Report and Checkpoint as well as having news bulletins every hour. Its news service has specialist correspondents, overseas correspondents, reporters and a network of regional reporters. Magazine programmes include a broad range of contributors, interviews, music pieces and dramas, with reports and regular features in English and Māori. The network provides coverage of science, politics, philosophy, religion, rural affairs, sports and other topics.

RNZ National broadcasts in AM and FM via mono terrestrial transmitters based around New Zealand and the Optus satellite. It is also available on Sky Digital TV channel 421, Freeview satellite channel 50, and RNZ National is available in stereo on the terrestrial Freeview HD service.

RNZ Concert logo

RNZ Concert is New Zealand's fine music network. Concert promotes New Zealand music and composition and features live broadcasts of concerts and recitals, as well as international content from other public radio broadcasters, podcasts, and on-demand programmes. RNZ Concert is an FM radio network broadcasting classical and jazz music, as well as world music, specialist programmes and regular news updates. The network was previously known as Concert FM but the name was changed as part of a wider name change within Radio New Zealand to associate Concert FM with the RNZ brand. RNZ Concert was refreshed in February 2018, with several new programmes and presenters, and a renewed focus on live music and storytelling on New Zealand's music and arts communities.[21]

The station broadcasts in FM stereo via terrestrial transmitters located around New Zealand, as well as from the Optus satellite. It is also available on Sky Digital TV channel 422, and on Freeview's satellite and terrestrial services on channel 51. The playlist is among the most diverse and eclectic of the world's state run classical music networks.

The AM Network is a network of radio transmitters operated by RNZ which broadcast all sittings of the New Zealand Parliament through a contract with the Parliament. Sitting hours are seasonal, and may be extended due to certain circumstances, but are generally 14:00 to 18:00 Tuesday to Thursday and 19:30 to 22:00 Tuesday and Wednesday.[22] AM Network Parliamentary coverage is also streamed online, with podcasts and transcripts available.

The House is broadcast on RNZ on the House sitting days at 6:55 pm and 5:40 am and Sunday at 7:30 am and 10:45 pm. It looks at legislation, issues and insights from Parliament.

To help fund the operation of the station, RNZ has leased the remaining hours to Christian broadcaster Rhema Broadcasting Group since 1997, which uses the frequencies to broadcast the low-budget easy listening Southern Star network.[23] The transmitters were previously used by The Concert Programme before it moved to FM broadcasting.[24]

The RNZ Pacific network (known outside New Zealand as RNZ International, or RNZI) broadcasts on shortwave and via Digital Radio Mondiale to New Zealand's neighbouring countries in the Pacific from transmitters located at Rangitaiki, near Taupo, in the North Island. There also is a relay via WRN Broadcast and a livestream on the internet.

RNZ has a wide variety of podcasts and series.[25] Series can be downloaded in Oggcast format.

• Politics – Jane Patterson/Craig McCulloch/Jo Moir/Yvette McCullough/Charlie Dreaver
• Business – Gyles Beckford/Nona Pelletier/Maddison Reidy
• Health – Rowan Quinn
• Education – John Gerritsen
• Māori Affairs - Leigh-Marama McLachlan
• Te Manu Korihi – Mani Dunlop/Te Aniwa Hurihanganui/Meriana Johnsen/Shannon Haunui-Thompson
• Worldwatch - Max Towle/Annabel Reid

Regional Reporters:

• Northland – Lois Williams
• Waikato – Andrew McRae
• Hawke's Bay – Anusha Bradley
• Taranaki – Robin Martin
• Nelson – Tracy Neal
• Otago – Timothy Brown and Tess Brunton

All of the early local radio stations started by Radio New Zealand originally broadcast on an AM frequency. FM broadcasting did not begin in New Zealand until the 1980s. In the 1980s and early 1990s most stations listed below switched to an FM frequency but continued to broadcast on the original AM frequency. Some stations utilised the AM frequency for specialised shows such as local talkback, sports talk and local news shows. In 1993 the majority of these stations were split in two with the AM frequency used to broadcast Auckland based Newstalk ZB which was originally Auckland's 1ZB. The local station on the FM frequency adopted a common format and brand called Classic Hits with all stations retaining local programming under Radio New Zealand's operation.

• Radio Northland Whangarei
• Newstalk 1ZB Auckland (first Newstalk ZB station, adopted talk format in 1987)
• Classic Hits 97FM Auckland (first Classic Hits station and originally 1ZM)
• ZHFM Waikato
• 95 BOP FM Tauranga
• Geyserland FM Rotorua
• Bay City Radio Hawkes Bay
• Radio Taranaki Taranaki
• 2ZA Palmerston North
• 2ZB and B90FM Wellington (2ZB became Newstalk ZB, B90FM became Classic Hits B90)
• Radio Nelson Nelson
• 3ZB and B98FM Christchurch (3ZB became Newstalk ZB, B90FM became Classic Hits B98)
• Radio Caroline Timaru
• ZBFM Dunedin
• 4ZA Southland

Radio New Zealand community stations operated in the heartland areas of New Zealand, typically these stations ran limited local programming such as a local breakfast show and at other times relayed a nearby station or relayed National Radio. Following the sale to The Radio Network most of these stations became part of the Community Radio Network with programming outside the breakfast show originating from Taupo. These stations later became part of the Classic Hits network in 2001.

• Radio Forestland Tokoroa
• King Country Radio Taumarunui
• Radio Waitomo Te Kuiti
• Lakeland FM Taupo
• ZGFM Gisborne
• River City FM Wanganui
• Wairarapa FM Wairarapa
• Radio Marlborough Marlborough
• Scenicland FM West Coast
• 3ZE Ashburton
• Radio Waitaki Oamaru
• 4ZG Radio Hokonui Gore (sold in 1994 to independent owner)

Radio New Zealand operated a youth network of stations under the ZM brand with the three original stations being in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. The Auckland station 1ZM changed format in 1987 to Classic Hits leaving just the Wellington and Christchurch stations. Since the sale to The Radio Network ZM has been expanded to a nationwide network based in Auckland.

• 93ZM Whangarei
• 91ZM Wellington
• 91ZM Christchurch

Sports Roundup was a network which conducted seasonal sports broadcasts in the main centres during the 1980s and 1990s, particularly used to broadcast Cricket matches in New Zealand. Following the sale to The Radio Network, Sports Roundup became known as Radio Sport, which went off the air permanently in 2020.

• 89X Auckland (purchased by Radio New Zealand in 1992, closed down 1993)
• Rock 99 Rotorua (closed down 1996)
• Classic Rock 96FM Hawkes Bay (replaced with ZM)
• Classic Rock Q91FM Palmerston North (formerly known as 2QQ, later replaced with ZM)