TV hostess in bid for radio station

Press, 19 December 1985, Page 7

TV hostess in bid for radio station

PA Auckland The television show hostess, Catherine Saunders, and arts consultant, Hamish Keith, are involved in a bid for a new commercial FM stereo radio station for Auckland.

They are two of the directors of a new company which applied yesterday to the Broadcasting Tribunal for a warrant for the new station, which would broadcast classical and jazz music.

Metropolitan FM Broadcasting, which owns Auckland’s Magic 91FM, will have a 60 per cent shareholding in the new company, to be called Fine Music Radio, Ltd.

The other main shareholder is Equiticorp Holding, Ltd.

Mr Trevor Egerton, executive director of Magic 91, said yesterday that the prime intent of the new station would be to foster and assist arts in Auckland.

“We propose to broadcast 18 hours a day and we will also produce a monthly magazine for our listeners, detailing programmes for them.

“There will also be incorporated in the company a trust which will have the ability to allocate 15 per cent of the station’s profits to artists and arts performances in the city.” Mr Egerton, who will be a consultant to the new station, said the company would also allocate a substantial amount of commercial air time free to local arts organisations, once they applied to the trust. “We will use the studio facilities at Magic 91 and hope to be on air within six months of being granted a warrant.

“With the commissioning of the Aotea Centre and Auckland’s being long deprived of a classical stereo music station, we believe the time is right to set up this new station.” As well as Ms Saunders and Mr Keith, the board of directors includes a lawyer, Mr Peter Blanchard; a barrister, Mr Roger MacLaren, and a company director, Mr Brian Walsh.

Magic 91’s second executive director, Mr Rob McKay, will also be a consultant to the new station.