Radio Avon wants to form network

Press, 16 June 1983, Page 15

Radio Avon wants to form network

Radio Avon has applied to the Broadcasting Tribunal for perrhission to form a network during the evening and early morning with the two Radio Otago stations in Dunedin and Alexandra, and Foveaux Radio in Invercargill. The chairman of Radio Avon, Mr Paul Mortlock, said yesterday that the application was part of the company’s long-term planning and was being made now because Avon’s fiveyearly warrant hearing was due soon. The two matters will be heard at the same time.

Radio Avon wants to be able to network with the other three stations between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m. “That is the same period during which a large number of Radio New Zealand stations network,” said Mr Mortlock. “What we are seeking is to have the same rights as Radio New Zealand now has. If and when the right is obtained then a decision will be made as to the precise nature of the networking. “Initially it may well be only midnight to dawn week nights, but it’s a matter of

getting the right to do so and then deciding to what extent it will be used.”

Networking was done primarily to assist smaller stations, like Foveaux Radio, said Mr Mortlock.

“Smaller stations find it particularly difficult to cope with operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Foveaux’s competitor in Invercargill operates locally for only half the period Foveaux Radio does. It’s on network for half its day.” The station could not just operate shorter hours because “there is no way” the tribunal would issue a warrant for less than 24 hours a day, seven days a week, said Mr Mortlock.

He expected that if the application was- approved Avon and the other stations would begin networking in some limited way at least before the end of the year.

Mr Mortlock said he expected that Radio New Zealand would object to the network application. No-one at Radio New Zealand was available yesterday to comment.

Radio Avon, which owns about a quarter of both

Radio Otago and Foveaux Radio, already networks its news bulletins with those stations and with 2XS Palmerston North. Mr Mortlock said that this would be expanding soon. Radio Hauraki in Auckland would begin taking Avon’s national and international news after 7 p.m. each evening from next week, and Radio Windy in Wellington would begin receiving the same service as soon as the Post Office could provide a line.