OFFICIAL WEBSITE: http://www.radionz.co.nz/
Radio New Zealand (Māori: Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa) is a New Zealand public service radio broadcaster and Crown entity formed by the Radio New Zealand Act 1995. It operates news, current affairs and arts network Radio New Zealand National and classical music and jazz network Radio New Zealand Concert with full government funding from New Zealand on Air. It is responsible for the Radio New Zealand International Pacific shortwave service and the Radio New Zealand Sound Archive. It has a statutory role under the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002 to act as a lifeline utility in emergency situations.[1] It provides cassette, compact disc and podcast recordings of programming through its Replay Radio service. It also broadcasts all sittings of New Zealand Parliament through its Parliament-funded AM Network.
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 and was amended in 2004. The broadcaster is required to provoke debate and critical thought, reflect New Zealand and Maori cultural diversity, cater for varied ages and interests, promote music and drama and create a sense of national identity. It must operate a news service, an international shortwave service and an archiving programme. 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.
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. 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 and the government's non-commercial assets (known previously as New Zealand Public Radio) became the current Radio New Zealand Crown entity.
Radio New Zealand National
Main article: Radio New Zealand National
Radio New Zealand National, formerly National Radio, is Radio New Zealand's general public service broadcaster. Flagship news and current affairs programmes Morning Report, Midday Report and Checkpoint total thirty hours every week and news updates are broadcast every hour. Magazine programmes include a broad range of contributors, interviews, music pieces and dramas, with reports and regular features in English and Maori. The network provides coverage of science, politics, philosophy, religion, rural affairs, sports and other topics.
Radio New Zealand 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 501, Freeview satellite channel 50, and in stereo on Freeview terrestrial channel 50.
Radio New Zealand Concert
Radio New Zealand Concert is FM radio network broadcasting classical and jazz music 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 Radio New Zealand brand. Radio New Zealand Concert 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 502, and on Freeview's satellite and terrestrial services on channel 51. Concert features four full-time continuity presenters (Rick Young, David Morriss, Christine Argyle and Clarissa Dunn) and several part time and specialist presenters. The playlist is among the most diverse and eclectic of the world's state run classical music networks.
Classic Morning (06:00 to 09:00) consists of hourly news updates, fifteen introduced pieces of music, a weekly competition (07:30) and a Live Diary of music events around New Zealand.[6] After another news update, an hour is dedicated to a Composer of the Week or Theme of the Week (09:00 to 10:00). The Works (10:00-12:00) features a four varied pieces, from the well-known to the obscure and the newly recorded to archive recordings.[7] In music and arts current affairs programme Upbeat (12:00-13:30), a news update is aired and Eva Radich discusses developments in a wide variety of music genres with reviewers, concert promoters, musicians, composers, choreographers, dancers, actors, directors, artists and other specialists.[8] A selection of music reflecting a particular historic era or a recent development in a certain area of music (13:30=14:00)[9] is followed by five Afternoon Requests (14:00-15:00).[10] CD Masters (15:00-16:00) includes a news update and back catalogue CD tracks[11] and Made in New Zealand (16:00-17:00) showcases New Zealand performers and composers with many original recordings.
Cadenza (17:00-19:00) includes a news update and fifteen short, well-known classic pieces such as opera arias and choruses with a weekly competition (17:30) and a themed segment (18:00).[13] Appointment (19:00-20:00) is a timeslot for repeat broadcasts, feature programmes and specialist series. Music Alive (20:00-22:00) is a timeslot for overseas concerts from ABC Classic FM, European Broadcasting Union, or WFMT Radio Network on Wednesdays; an Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra concert on Thursdays, and an alternative music concert on Fridays. Day's End (22:00-24:00) includes a late night selection of music and a news update (23:00). Sound Lounge (Tuesdays 19:00-24:00) is a programme of contemporary music from the 20th and 21st centuries, hosted by Kate Mead, which combines classical, jazz, avante garde and popular music; the show usually includes a live concert (20:00), a feature programme (21:00) and a New Music Dreams music set (23:00). A five disc automated playlist of classical music, Music through the Night, plays every night from 00:00 to 06:00.[9]
Classic Morning Saturday (Saturdays 06:00-09:00) includes hourly Radio New Zealand News updates, the Best of Upbeat (Saturdays 09:00-10:00) includes three interviews from the previous week and Your Choice (Saturdays 10:00-12:00) includes listener requests. Radio New Zealand Concert Classical Chart (12:00-13:00) highlights the top 10 selling discs in New Zealand of the past week. The Art of Jazz with Phil Broadhurst (13:00-14:00) is sometimes replaced by Jazz at Lincoln Center. Global Sounds (14:00-15:00) is followed by the Saturday Concert (15:00-18:00), Made in New Zealand (18:00-19:00) and song programme Vocalied (19:00-20:00). Music Alive (20:00-22:00) often features the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and is preceded by Day's End (22:00-24:00) and Music Through the Night (00:00-06:00).[9] Sunday programming includes spiritual music in Sanctuary (06:00-08:00), shorter tracks in Grace Notes (08:00-09:00), The Works (09:00-10:00), specialist programming (10:00-14:00, the Sunday Feature (14:00-15:00), Opera on Sunday (15:00-18:00), Made in New Zealand (18:00-19:00), New Horizons with William Dart (19:00-20:00), Young New Zealand music profiles (20:00-22:00), Day's End (22:00-24:00) and Music Through the Night (00:00-06:00).[9]
Radio New Zealand AM Network
The AM Network is a network of radio transmitters operated by Radio New Zealand 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.[14] AM Network Parliamentary coverage is also streamed online, with podcasts and transcripts available. To help fund the operation of the station, Radio New Zealand 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.[15]
Transmitters in the North Island are located in Auckland on AM 882 kHz, Napier on AM 909 kHz and Wellington on AM 657 kHz; a transmitter for Hamilton on AM 1494 kHz was added in 2007. Transmitters in the South Island are located in Christchurch on AM 963 kHz and Dunedin on AM 900 kHz; a transmitter for Invercargill on AM 1314 kHz was also added in 2007. The transmitters were previously used by The Concert Programme before it moved to FM broadcasting.
Radio New Zealand International
Radio New Zealand International broadcasts on shortwave and DRM to 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.