The station began as a government-owned community based radio station in on 18 January 1949 with the original call sign of 3XC broadcasting on 1160AM. Radio Caroline also broadcast in Twizel originally on 1550AM; the Twizel station ran a hybrid of Radio Caroline and National Radio programming.
In 1978 Radio Caroline moved to 1152AM in Timaru and 1485AM in Twizel, the change in frequency was due to the New Zealand AM band changing from 10 kHz frequency spacing to 9 kHz spacing. Coinciding with the change in frequency the station call sign was changed to 3ZC.
From 1993 onwards Radio New Zealand consolidated most of their local adult contemporary stations into the Classic Hits brand. In 1995 Radio Caroline began broadcasting on 98.7FM in addition to the AM frequency and became part of the Classic Hits FM network as Classic Hits 99FM. The station initially retained local programming between 6am - 7pm.
Change of ownership and exit from Classic Hits networkedit
As part of cost-cutting measures The Radio Network began reducing local content on all Classic Hits stations, limiting local programming to a local breakfast show. Stations in smaller regions were also consolidated together to form a network called the Community Radio Network. Community Radio Network stations retained their local identity and continued to run a local breakfast show between 6am and 10am and outside these times took a network show from studios in Taupo. As a result of these changes the Timaru station was removed from the Classic Hits network and now rebranded as South Canterbury's 99FM. This is the only known station to be removed from the Classic Hits network.
Return to Classic Hits networkedit
In 2001 the Community Radio Network was discontinued with all stations in this group joined to the Classic Hits network as a result South Canterbury's 99FM became Classic Hits 98.7. The stations breakfast show remained local and outside breakfast all programming came from Classic Hits studios in Auckland. The same year the original AM frequency was reassigned to Newstalk ZB.
In 2005 the station began broadcasting on 94.7FM in addition to the 98.7FM frequency.
Rebranding as The Hitsedit
On April 28, 2014 all stations part of the Classic Hits network were rebranded as The Hits. A networked breakfast presented by Polly Gillespie and Grant Kareama was introduced to almost all The Hits stations with the former breakfast announcer moved to present a 6-hour show between 9am and 3pm. The local 9am-3pm show was originally presented by Sam Wilson but later in 2014 The Hits Waitaki announcer Josh McIntyre took over this show broadcasting to both Timaru. With Polly and Grant leaving The Hits in 2017 all South Island stations reverted to local breakfast programming with Josh McIntyre moving to this time slot followed by network programming from 9am.
^Bill Campbell (2 August 2008). "Radio Puketapu stakeholder has pirate past". Otago Daily Times. Retrieved 30 June 2011.
January 01, 1970
radio, caroline, zealand, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, radio, caroline, zealand, news, newspapers. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Radio Caroline New Zealand news newspapers books scholar JSTOR June 2011 Learn how and when to remove this message Radio Caroline was a radio station in Timaru New Zealand Radio CarolineTimaruBroadcast areaSouth CanterburyFrequency94 7 MHzProgrammingLanguage s English languageFormatAdult contemporaryOwnershipOwnerRadio New Zealand until 1996 The Radio Network after 1996HistoryFirst air date1949 75 years ago 1949 Technical informationTransmitter coordinates44 24 01 S 171 14 55 E 44 4003971 S 171 2486191 E 44 4003971 171 2486191LinksWebsiteOfficial website The station began as a government owned community based radio station in on 18 January 1949 with the original call sign of 3XC broadcasting on 1160AM Radio Caroline also broadcast in Twizel originally on 1550AM the Twizel station ran a hybrid of Radio Caroline and National Radio programming In 1978 Radio Caroline moved to 1152AM in Timaru and 1485AM in Twizel the change in frequency was due to the New Zealand AM band changing from 10 kHz frequency spacing to 9 kHz spacing Coinciding with the change in frequency the station call sign was changed to 3ZC Contents 1 Rebranding as Classic 99FM 2 Change of ownership and exit from Classic Hits network 3 Return to Classic Hits network 4 Rebranding as The Hits 5 Other Radio Caroline 6 ReferencesRebranding as Classic 99FM editFrom 1993 onwards Radio New Zealand consolidated most of their local adult contemporary stations into the Classic Hits brand In 1995 Radio Caroline began broadcasting on 98 7FM in addition to the AM frequency and became part of the Classic Hits FM network as Classic Hits 99FM The station initially retained local programming between 6am 7pm Change of ownership and exit from Classic Hits network editIn July 1996 the New Zealand Government sold off the commercial arm of Radio New Zealand which included among other things the Classic Hits branded stations The new owner was The Radio Network a subsidiary of APN News amp Media and Clear Channel Communications which operated as a division of the Australian Radio Network 1 As part of cost cutting measures The Radio Network began reducing local content on all Classic Hits stations limiting local programming to a local breakfast show Stations in smaller regions were also consolidated together to form a network called the Community Radio Network Community Radio Network stations retained their local identity and continued to run a local breakfast show between 6am and 10am and outside these times took a network show from studios in Taupo As a result of these changes the Timaru station was removed from the Classic Hits network and now rebranded as South Canterbury s 99FM This is the only known station to be removed from the Classic Hits network Return to Classic Hits network editIn 2001 the Community Radio Network was discontinued with all stations in this group joined to the Classic Hits network as a result South Canterbury s 99FM became Classic Hits 98 7 The stations breakfast show remained local and outside breakfast all programming came from Classic Hits studios in Auckland The same year the original AM frequency was reassigned to Newstalk ZB In 2005 the station began broadcasting on 94 7FM in addition to the 98 7FM frequency Rebranding as The Hits editOn April 28 2014 all stations part of the Classic Hits network were rebranded as The Hits A networked breakfast presented by Polly Gillespie and Grant Kareama was introduced to almost all The Hits stations with the former breakfast announcer moved to present a 6 hour show between 9am and 3pm The local 9am 3pm show was originally presented by Sam Wilson but later in 2014 The Hits Waitaki announcer Josh McIntyre took over this show broadcasting to both Timaru With Polly and Grant leaving The Hits in 2017 all South Island stations reverted to local breakfast programming with Josh McIntyre moving to this time slot followed by network programming from 9am Other Radio Caroline editSee also Radio Caroline disambiguation A small station using the name Radio Caroline now broadcasts from Palmerston Otago on 756AM coverage includes Dunedin 2 References edit Radio Network says expansion possible The Christchurch Press 21 September 1996 p 29 Bill Campbell 2 August 2008 Radio Puketapu stakeholder has pirate past Otago Daily Times Retrieved 30 June 2011 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Radio Caroline New Zealand amp oldid 1174434322, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
