OFFICIAL WEBSITE: http://www.radiodunedin.co.nz/1.htm
FACEBOOK PAGE: RADIO DUNEDIN
Radio Dunedin is a radio station, broadcasting from Dunedin on 1305 AM and 99.8 FM. It was the first radio station in New Zealand, and according to Radio Dunedin's website is the fifth oldest station in the world (five weeks older than the BBC). [1] It has one of the 'largest shares of commercial radio listening' in the area.[2]
There is another Radio Dunedin which is a one-hour show heard on WTAN-AM 1340in Dunedin, FL (USA). This show and station are not affiliated with the New Zealand station. See RadioDunedin (FL)
Radio Dunedin is part of MediaWorks Radio, which also operates TV3 (New Zealand), More FM and Radio Live.
The announcers on air between 6am and 6pm Monday to Friday are employed by MediaWorks Radio. The Otago Radio Association leases air time outside these hours.
The Otago Radio Association is made up of volunteer presenters who operate the station weeknights, weekends and public holidays, providing a variety of programming and personality.
Listeners tune into Radio Dunedin "hits & memories" from throughout Otago. The station is aimed at the 40+ age bracket, with a strong community focus, local news, and playing music primarily from the 1960's, 70's and 80's era.
History
The station first went to air on 4 October 1922, and celebrated 85 years in 2007. It has had a number of call signs over the years including DN, 4AB, 4ZB (not to be confused with the government-owned station of the same name), Pioneer Radio, and for many decades 4XD. It has broadcast on 1431 AM and 1305 AM.
Between 1922 and 1990, 4XD was operated by the Otago Radio Association as a non-commercial and voluntarily run radio station. In 1990, Radio Dunedin was set up as a commercial radio station, and a few years later was purchased by Radio Otago Limited which also operated 4XO.
In 1997, the station began simulcasting on 90.2 FM Stereo, but this was for only a brief period before 90.2 FM became "Lite FM" and later Solid Gold. Over a decade passed before Radio Dunedin broadcast again in FM Stereo. Test signals began in mid-April 2008, with the official launch of 99.8 FM on Tuesday 6 May 2008.
The station introduced live streaming on the internet in mid-2007 and now also entertains listeners from outside Otago. This includes people in other areas of New Zealand, as well as overseas.
Radio Dunedin is still alive and well. It broadcasts locally from Radio Otago House in the central city. This is unique in the modern age of networked radio — many NZ stations are broadcast from a centralised studio in Auckland.