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Kiwi FM
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Kiwi FM
Kiwi FM (formerly Channel Z) was a New Zealand alternative music radio network. From 1996 to 2005, as Channel Z, it broadcast alternative and local music for a youth-oriented market. From 2005 to 2015, as Kiwi FM, it broadcast predominantly New Zealand independent music, to showcase local music across a wide range of genres and enable greater access to an international market for local contemporary artists. The station broadcast in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch on FM frequencies and globally through an internet stream. During its later years it operated as a non-profit subsidiary of MediaWorks New Zealand, and was affiliated with XFM and Triple J.
Channel Z began as a modern rock and alternative rock radio station with a youth to adult demographic in Wellington from 19 August 1996, expanding to Auckland in 1997 and Christchurch in 1999. Channel Z was named after The B-52's song of the same name, and played a vital role in lynchpinning alternative NZ and international artists other stations claimed were too "dangerous" to play. John Diver was the station's first programme director and Martin Devlin, John Diver, James Coleman, and Olivia Sinclair-Thomson were among the station's earliest presenters. The station was part of the More FM group of stations. The group in turn became part of CanWest-owned Global Radio, which later became RadioWorks.
In 1998, longtime presenter Pheobe Spiers and breakfast hosts Jon Bridges and Nathan Rarere joined the station. In 1999, under network programme director Roger Clamp and Global Radio chief executive Brent Impey, the station changed to a less alternative format. Former programme director John Diver and fellow DJ Olivia Sinclair-Thomson resigned in protest. It received a mixed response from listeners. The network expanded to Christchurch in August 1999, with Willy Macalister presenting a local daytime show and Melanie Wise presenting a night show alongside the national network programme. The new station was launched with a concert featuring Stellar*, Living End, Zed and Tadpole.
In 2001, local shows in Wellington and Christchurch were abolished in favour of networked programming, Jon and Nathan's breakfast show was replaced with a James Coleman breakfast show, and Bomber and Clarke Gayford moved from Nights to Drive. The station's frequencies were reallocated from 94.2 to 93.8 in Auckland and 91.7 to 94.7 in Wellington, while it remained on 99.3 in Christchurch. In 2003, the station's breakfast show was cancelled. The 94.2 frequency in Auckland was used to launch The Edge and Channel Z was moved to a lower powered 93.8 frequency. The station's ratings fell, but improved when the transmitter was relocated to the Sky Tower from its previous position on Waiheke Island and gained a higher-powered frequency.
Channel Z released four compilation albums based on listener polls and staff selections: Channel Z: the Best of Volume One, Channel Z: Up Loud!, Channel Z: the Best of Volume Two, and Channel Z: the Best of Volume Three. It also released a compilation of live recordings, Coleman Sessions: recorded live at York Street. All the compilations featured New Zealand bands.
The station Kiwi FM was launched on Waitangi Day, 6 February 2005 and was opened with a speech by then-Prime Minister Helen Clark. It was created to replace alternative station Channel Z which had failed to deliver on its ratings.
The initial station ran for around a year and was re-branded in July 2006 when legendary New Zealand music journalist Karyn Hay stepped in as General Manager with Andrew Fagan as music director. On 1 May 2006, the New Zealand Government granted Kiwi FM access to new FM frequencies, under an agreement that kept the 100-percent Kiwi music station on the airwaves. Then broadcasting minister Steve Maharey said the station had been granted the use of three FM frequencies for an initial period of one year, during which time it would work towards becoming a not-for-profit organisation. As part of the agreement to use the frequencies, the station's brief was to be to significantly expand its content to include a greater range of New Zealand music.
The new organizational structure for Kiwi FM was rather unusual: it was set up as a partnership between Government Ministries for Broadcasting and Economic Development and listed media company MediaWorks. The new network was implemented in less than three months, launching on 17 July 2006 with a number of respected staff members - including Opshop frontman Jason Kerrison, the Twitch lead vocalist Fleur Jack, former student radio breakfast hosts Wallace Chapman and Glenn 'Wammo' Williams, actress Danielle Cormack, Blindspott frontman Damian Alexander, The Bads' vocalist Dianne Swann, and former Mockers and Lig frontman Andrew Fagan.
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Kiwi FM
Kiwi FM (formerly Channel Z) was a New Zealand alternative music radio network. From 1996 to 2005, as Channel Z, it broadcast alternative and local music for a youth-oriented market. From 2005 to 2015, as Kiwi FM, it broadcast predominantly New Zealand independent music, to showcase local music across a wide range of genres and enable greater access to an international market for local contemporary artists. The station broadcast in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch on FM frequencies and globally through an internet stream. During its later years it operated as a non-profit subsidiary of MediaWorks New Zealand, and was affiliated with XFM and Triple J.
Channel Z began as a modern rock and alternative rock radio station with a youth to adult demographic in Wellington from 19 August 1996, expanding to Auckland in 1997 and Christchurch in 1999. Channel Z was named after The B-52's song of the same name, and played a vital role in lynchpinning alternative NZ and international artists other stations claimed were too "dangerous" to play. John Diver was the station's first programme director and Martin Devlin, John Diver, James Coleman, and Olivia Sinclair-Thomson were among the station's earliest presenters. The station was part of the More FM group of stations. The group in turn became part of CanWest-owned Global Radio, which later became RadioWorks.
In 1998, longtime presenter Pheobe Spiers and breakfast hosts Jon Bridges and Nathan Rarere joined the station. In 1999, under network programme director Roger Clamp and Global Radio chief executive Brent Impey, the station changed to a less alternative format. Former programme director John Diver and fellow DJ Olivia Sinclair-Thomson resigned in protest. It received a mixed response from listeners. The network expanded to Christchurch in August 1999, with Willy Macalister presenting a local daytime show and Melanie Wise presenting a night show alongside the national network programme. The new station was launched with a concert featuring Stellar*, Living End, Zed and Tadpole.
In 2001, local shows in Wellington and Christchurch were abolished in favour of networked programming, Jon and Nathan's breakfast show was replaced with a James Coleman breakfast show, and Bomber and Clarke Gayford moved from Nights to Drive. The station's frequencies were reallocated from 94.2 to 93.8 in Auckland and 91.7 to 94.7 in Wellington, while it remained on 99.3 in Christchurch. In 2003, the station's breakfast show was cancelled. The 94.2 frequency in Auckland was used to launch The Edge and Channel Z was moved to a lower powered 93.8 frequency. The station's ratings fell, but improved when the transmitter was relocated to the Sky Tower from its previous position on Waiheke Island and gained a higher-powered frequency.
Channel Z released four compilation albums based on listener polls and staff selections: Channel Z: the Best of Volume One, Channel Z: Up Loud!, Channel Z: the Best of Volume Two, and Channel Z: the Best of Volume Three. It also released a compilation of live recordings, Coleman Sessions: recorded live at York Street. All the compilations featured New Zealand bands.
The station Kiwi FM was launched on Waitangi Day, 6 February 2005 and was opened with a speech by then-Prime Minister Helen Clark. It was created to replace alternative station Channel Z which had failed to deliver on its ratings.
The initial station ran for around a year and was re-branded in July 2006 when legendary New Zealand music journalist Karyn Hay stepped in as General Manager with Andrew Fagan as music director. On 1 May 2006, the New Zealand Government granted Kiwi FM access to new FM frequencies, under an agreement that kept the 100-percent Kiwi music station on the airwaves. Then broadcasting minister Steve Maharey said the station had been granted the use of three FM frequencies for an initial period of one year, during which time it would work towards becoming a not-for-profit organisation. As part of the agreement to use the frequencies, the station's brief was to be to significantly expand its content to include a greater range of New Zealand music.
The new organizational structure for Kiwi FM was rather unusual: it was set up as a partnership between Government Ministries for Broadcasting and Economic Development and listed media company MediaWorks. The new network was implemented in less than three months, launching on 17 July 2006 with a number of respected staff members - including Opshop frontman Jason Kerrison, the Twitch lead vocalist Fleur Jack, former student radio breakfast hosts Wallace Chapman and Glenn 'Wammo' Williams, actress Danielle Cormack, Blindspott frontman Damian Alexander, The Bads' vocalist Dianne Swann, and former Mockers and Lig frontman Andrew Fagan.