3ZM hopes to rock to No. 1 for the boys

Press, 3 February 1979, Page 4

3ZM hopes to rock to No. 1 for the boys

Since Thursday, Radio New Zealand’s 3ZM has been transformed into a ruck station — a change from the old, relatively unpopular “beautiful music” format adopted bv Radio Nova (as it was then called) in 1977. The change has been made by the station’s new manager, Mr M. Dunlop, who came from Taupo’s Radio IZH. at the end of last year with the specific task of getting Radio 3ZM back on its feet. When 3ZM switched in 1977 from rock to beautiful music, it had an 8 per cent share of the Christchurch radio audience. This dropped to 4 per cent by March last year, and the station was running at a loss. The return to rock music

is intended to recapture the lost ratings and Mr Dunlop says, “Radio 3ZM intends to be number one” by the end of this year in a certain age group. The new format — “a lot of album music with plenty of top-40 elements too” — is aimed at the 15 to 30 age group, particularly males. “Both the commercial stations in Christchurch cater to what is known as the housewives’ zone,” Mr Dunlop said yesterday. “This is specially so during the day, and we intend to fill in the gap for males in the 15 to 30 age bracket.” Radio 3ZM therefore would not compete directly with either Radio Avon or 3ZB.

As well as changing the

music format and the advertising jingles, 3ZM has started to involve itself in the community by organising promotions — such as the truckers’ convoy through Christchurch tomorrow to promote the forthcoming film — and by running its own “jobline” telephone scheme.

Mr Dunlop said that 3ZM had a sign outside the council’s employment caravan and the station was broadcasting daily details about four jobs open. “We have made a start," Mr Dunlop said. “We are going to learn to crawl before we walk, and later we hope to start running. We are going to be number one by the end of this year for males between 15 and 30.”