Ashburton and Oamaru getting local radio

Press, 11 January 1978, Page 4

Ashburton and Oamaru getting local radio

Wellington reporter Ashburton and Oamaru audiences will each have its own peak-time programme under Radio New Zealand’s proposals for “mini” stations in the two towns. The Director-General of Radio New Zealand (Mr G. Whitehead) said the two stations — provisionally named Radio Ashburton and Radio Waitaki — would broadcast their own programmes between 6 and 9 a.m., the peak radio listening time. If there was good local support it was intended to move quickly to a further two hours of local programming in each centre between noon and 2 p.m. This would cover the second major radio audience of the day. “These plans are based on our experience of running similar mini stations at Blenheim and three North Island towns,” Mr Whitehead said. “We find that people want their own programmes, reflecting their own community interests, at the peak times of the day for radio audiences.” Details of the Radio New Zealand submission

will soon be lodged with the Broadcasting Tribunal. Mr Whitehead said it was planned to set up a representative group of listeners in each centre to advise on the final pattern of programming. Present proposals were for each station to link with Radio Caroline — 3ZC Timaru — for two hours each afternoon, and to take the all-night national programme between midnight and 5 a.m. for the rest of the day. Radio Ashburton would link with either 3ZB or Radio Nova (3ZM Christchurch); Radio Waitaki would link with 4ZB, Dunedin.

This would produce an unique programme blend, combining a maximum variety of programme and close identification with local audiences, IVIr Whitehead said.

He was particularly pleased to receive the support of the Ashburton Borough Council and was confident that, if the Broadcasting Tribunal granted a warrant during the first half of this year, Radio Ashburton would be on the air within the term of Ashburton’s centennial year.