Wellington Access Radio Wellington Access Radio broadcasts on 106.1FM frequency from Mt Kaukau, reaching Wellington, Porirua and the Hutt Valley. Its weekly line-up includes more than 80 programmes in more than 20 languages, primarily catering to local Wellington communities. Founded in April 1981, Wellington Access is the country's first and oldest access radio station. Its model of raising money through membership fees for supporters and airtime fees for programme-makers has been emulated by other stations, as has its commitment to providing a platform for people who aren't usually heard on mainstream radio. In particular, the station aims to cater to ethnic, sexual and religious minorities, children and young people, and people with disabilities. Running since the early 90s Aakashwani Bharat Bhavan is the oldest weekly show which is continuing to inform and entertain Bollywood music lovers. A mix of Hindi, Gujarati movie songs and local content has made it popular amongst the Indian community. Proudly sponsored by the Wellington Indian Association, the show is produced and hosted by Neelima Bhula, Mukesh Jeram and Beena Patel. Visit accessradio.org.nz to listen live or download the podcast.
Planet FM Auckland Planet FM broadcasts on 104.6 FM in
Auckland. It began as Access Community Radio Auckland in 1987, broadcasting on temporary licenses until it secured a permanent 810 AM frequency in 1989. It transitioned to 104.6 FM and rebranded as Planet FM in 2000, and is now based in the
Mt Albert campus of
Unitec Institute of Technology. In 2004, the New Zealand Peace Foundation gave it a Special Achievement Award in recognition of its commitment to communication and tolerance. In exchange for airtime fees and membership subscriptions, the station provides facilities and training to its programme makers. Auckland has more radio stations per capita than other city in the world, and almost half its population are overseas-born or come from migrant communities. Planet FM provides a platform for almost 40 cultures and several communities who it believes are not served by other radio stations or media outlets. The station is one of New Zealand's most multilingual media outlets, and broadcasts in English,
Tongan,
Arabic,
Mandarin,
Singhalese,
Niuean,
Punjabi,
Tamil,
Cantonese,
Khmer,
Telugu,
Tagalog,
Hindi,
Nepali,
Spanish,
Italian,
Gujarati,
Marathi and
Afrikaans.
Free FM Hamilton Free FM broadcasts on 89.0 FM in
Hamilton. It began as AM1206 in 1992 and was renamed Community Radio Hamilton 1206 AM in 2004. After raising more than $100,000 to expand its reach and lobbying the Government for support, the station was granted a new FM frequency in October 2011 when the
Ministry for Culture and Heritage re-designated the 89.0 mHz frequency for general community use. The station rebranded to Free FM and organised events in several Waikato towns to recognise its transition to FM in October 2012.
Plains FM Canterbury Christchurch-based Plains FM has been broadcasting in Canterbury on 96.9FM since 29 February 1988. Part of the station's schedule is dedicated to programmes for under-represented groups like women, children and young people, and ethnic minorities - including programmes in at least 18 migrant languages. Fee-paying groups are provided with training and facilities to produce programmes for local communities and specific interests. At other times, the station follows an
adult album alternative format, with swing, blues, roots/acoustic, alt country, soul, world and New Zealand music. Plains FM communicated emergency messages in several languages after the
September 2010 Darfield earthquake, but its Civil Defence role was initially limited after the February
2011 Christchurch earthquake. The Plains FM building was green-stickered and safe to enter, but staff were prevented from crossing the red zone cordon to access broadcast equipment for 5 weeks. Station management continue to work with local agencies and Civil Defence to develop their role for all future disaster response programmes. Plains FM also obtained a grant from
Lions Club International for an onsite generator and updated their technical infra-structure. Key volunteers will be used in disaster reporting in the future in order to keep local CALD communities informed.
Access Radio Taranaki Access Radio Taranaki broadcasts in
Taranaki on 104.4 FM. Almost 120 community groups were consulted and over 75 had signed up for broadcast hours before Access Radio Taranaki could make a case for New Zealand on Air funding and begin broadcasting in July 2010. A limited access service operated as far back as 1981, when
Radio New Zealand allowed community radio programmes to be carried by Parliamentary broadcaster 2YB on Saturday mornings. In its modern form, at least 40 percent of the station's funding comes from local community trusts, council grants and private donations. Access Radio Taranaki invites a broad range of groups to make programmes, and refuses to exercise any editorial censorship or oversight.
Radio Hawke's Bay Radio Hawke's Bay (renamed from Radio Kidnappers August 2022) broadcasts on 1431 AM across the
Hawke's Bay and 104.7 FM in
Napier. It has broadcast in Hawke's Bay on AM since 1995 and FM since the early 2000s, reaching most of the region from Wairoa and Mahia in the north and Waipawaa and Waipukurau in the south. It is also available in Dannevirke, Gisborne and Taupo at night or during certain atmospheric conditions. The station includes many non-mainstream and non-professional radio programmes, including migrant language shows, school debating competitions, and political debates.
Manawatu People's Radio Access Manawatu broadcasts on 999 AM in
Manawatu. It operates up to 13 hours each day, and includes many shows about groups, hobbies, interests, faiths and communities that are not represented in other media. Its 999 AM frequency reaches as far as Marton and Porewa in the north, Woodville and Pahiatua in the east, and Foxton and Shannon in the south. The station is owned by Manawatu Access Radio Charitable Trust and receives funding from Palmerston North City Council, Destination Manawatu and other funding bodies. In addition to providing training, support, studios and remote broadcast facilities for programme-makers, Access Manawatu offers community event assistance, organises a summer concert series, provides summer school and school leaver radio training, and broadcasts the work of local musicians.
Arrow FM Wairarapa Arrow FM broadcasts on 92.7 FM in the
Wairarapa. Since being set up on 2 March 1986, Arrow FM has gone from three-hour weekly broadcast to a nonstop-operation. Over the years it has featured programmes from Rape Crisis, Trade Aid, the local library, film society, schools and minority groups. With a limited number of shows,
New Zealand music takes up most of the station's airtime. Masterton District Council, Carterton District Council and various funding bodies support the station's operation.
Coast Access Kapiti Coast Access broadcasts on 104.7 FM on the
Kāpiti Coast. A small group of volunteers formed Coast Access Radio in 1996, and began broadcasting during the Christmas of 1997 1512 kHz (AM) initially from a studio in Waikanae Museum. The station moved into a Community Centre in Aputa House and began leasing the 96.7 FM frequency from
Rhema Media, before it was granted the Crown-reserved 104.9 FM frequency in 2004. Coast Access adjusted to 104.7 FM in 2012, and shifted into a new purpose-built studio in 2014. Coast Access broadcasts a live weekday breakfast show, Friday afternoon show and Friday drive show, and has received more than 20 finalist placings in the New Zealand Radio Awards for its minority programmes.
Fresh FM Nelson Fresh FM (
Te Reo Irirangi o Te Tau Ihu o Te Waka a Maui) broadcasts on 104.8 FM in
Nelson, 107.2 LPFM in Nelson, 95.0 FM in
Tākaka, and 88.9 FM in
Blenheim. It was formed under the umbrella Tasman Broadcasting Trust in 1994 when New Zealand On Air asked Boulder Radio in Nelson and Harvest Radio at Te Awhina Marae Motueka to merge and combine their resources. New Zealand on Air covers about 65 percent of operating costs, and remaining funding are drawn from limited general advertising, programme sponsorship, Club Fresh listener subscriptions and private donations. The station broadcasts across
Nelson and
Tasman on 104.8 FM, in central Nelson on 107.2 FM in central Nelson, in Tākaka on 95.0 FM and in
Blenheim on 88.9 FM. It operates studios in Nelson, Motueka and Tākaka, and has plans to open a fourth studio in Blenheim. Its programming includes local drama, music and documentaries about life in the northern South Island. No other access station serves such a vast area, with four frequencies in three regions - and no other station operates from multiple studios in different locations.
Otago Access Radio Otago Access Radio broadcasts on 1575 kHz (AM) across Otago and 105.4 MHz in Dunedin (FM).
Lesley Paris leads its small group of paid employees and larger group of volunteers. The station began in 1990, renaming as Hills AM in 1995, before changing its name again to Toroa Radio in September 2008 - named after the toroa (or
albatross) colony at
Taiaroa Head on
Otago Peninsula. It adopted its current name in March 2011, and moved to its current FM frequency in 2012.
Radio Southland Radio Southland broadcasts on 96.4 FM in
Southland. It provides training and airtime for people of all backgrounds to present live radio, including women, children, young people, disabled people and people from ethnic minorities. The station brands itself as "locally-owned" and "the voice of the community", and broadcasts the daily Crave Rave Breakfast Show and other local shows. Its schedule also includes programmes from other Association members, and regular New Zealand music segments. ==External links==