Prior to 1996, Radio New Zealand operated a large number of commercial stations around New Zealand. These stations were typically local stations with their own local identity, with the origins of many stations going back to the 1930s up until more recent stations created in the 1990s. Stations in the larger centres were usually local 24 hours a day, and stations in the smaller centres featured a mixture of part-local and part-networked programming. In 1996, the
New Zealand Government sold off all of their commercial stations to a syndicate that included United States radio company
Clear Channel Communications and publisher
Wilson & Horton; in New Zealand, the new owner became known as
The Radio Network. The following stations were previously owned by Radio New Zealand. Some listed stations were closed down before the 1996 sale, while
Gore radio station
Radio Hokonui was sold privately in 1994.
Heritage Classic Hits and Newstalk ZB stations 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 NorthlandWhangārei •
Newstalk 1ZBAuckland (first
Newstalk ZB station, adopted talk format in 1987) •
Classic Hits 97FMAuckland (first
Classic Hits station and originally 1ZM) •
ZHFMWaikato •
95 BOP FMTauranga •
Geyserland FMRotorua •
Bay City RadioHawkes Bay •
Radio TaranakiTaranaki •
2ZAPalmerston North •
2ZB and B90FM
Wellington (2ZB became Newstalk ZB, B90FM became Classic Hits B90) •
Radio NelsonNelson •
3ZB and B98FM
Christchurch (3ZB became Newstalk ZB, B90FM became Classic Hits B98) •
Radio CarolineTimaru •
ZBFMDunedin •
4ZASouthland Community stations Radio New Zealand community stations operated in the heartland areas of New Zealand. These stations typically ran limited local programming, such as a local breakfast show, and at other times relayed a nearby station or
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 Taupō. These stations later became part of the
Classic Hits network in 2001. •
Radio ForestlandTokoroa •
King Country RadioTaumarunui •
Radio WaitomoTe Kūiti •
Lakeland FMTaupō •
ZGFMGisborne •
River City FMWhanganui •
Wairarapa FMWairarapa •
Radio MarlboroughMarlborough •
Scenicland FMWest Coast •
3ZEAshburton •
Radio WaitakiOamaru •
4ZG Radio HokonuiGore (sold in 1994 to independent owner)
ZM stations 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 Whangārei •
91ZM Wellington •
91ZM Christchurch Sports Roundup 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.
Other stations •
89XAuckland (purchased by Radio New Zealand in 1992, closed down 1993) • Rock 99
Rotorua (closed down 1996) •
Classic Rock 96FMHawkes Bay (replaced with ZM) • Classic Rock Q91FMPalmerston North (formerly known as 2QQ, later replaced with ZM) ==Controversies==