Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Current Location in Site

RNZ Home >  About Us > English Only

About Us

Overview

Radio New Zealand is a Crown entity established under the Radio New Zealand Act 1995.

Radio New Zealand provides listeners with exciting and independent radio programmes in accordance with the Radio New Zealand Charter.

Audience surveys are an important part of measuring Radio New Zealand's performance against the Charter. For information about Radio New Zealand's survey process, and the most recent results, visit the audience research page.

Radio New Zealand broadcasts over three nationwide networks; Radio New Zealand National, Radio New Zealand Concert and the AM network which relays Parliamentary proceedings. Radio New Zealand International (RNZI) is our overseas shortwave service, broadcasting to the South Pacific and beyond, while Radio New Zealand News provides comprehensive, up-to-the-minute news and current affairs information.

National and Concert are funded by New Zealand On Air.

Contact information can be found on the Contact Us page.

Radio New Zealand — Brief History

Public broadcasting had its beginnings in 1925 when, under a five year contract, the government granted the Radio Broadcasting Company substantial income from radio dealers' licences and 25 shillings from each receiving licence on the condition that the company expand four existing stations in the main centres to establish a national non-commercial broadcasting system, the direct forerunner of today's National Radio.

Company income was insufficient to meet demands for expansion and 1931 legislation established the government-appointed New Zealand Broadcasting Board which was also dependent on licence fee income. In 1936 the first Labour government set up the National Broadcasting Service as a government department which soon added fully commercial stations.

After the war this system became the New Zealand Broadcasting Service (NZBS) and in 1962 government department status ended with the establishment of the New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation (NZBC). During the next thirty years the system was changed numerous times but a public, non-commercial radio service remained as an integral part of the mix.

The 1995 Broadcasting Act established Radio New Zealand as a stand-alone, Crown-owned entity with major responsibilities being National Radio, Concert FM and Radio New Zealand International.

Radio New Zealand National

Broadcasting 24 hours a day, Radio New Zealand National reaches almost every New Zealander. Its programme mix includes news and current affairs, documentaries and features, drama and music. At least 33% of the music it broadcasts is New Zealand in origin.

Talk-orientated programmes make up 60% of air time. National is well known for its high profile programmes and personalities including 'Nine to Noon with Kathryn Ryan', 'Saturday Morning with Kim Hill' and 'Sunday Morning with Chris Laidlaw'.

Specialist features and documentaries produced exclusively for National focus on the interests of particular groups in the community.

Drama production includes plays and readings of New Zealand literature.

Maori programming can be heard across the schedule.

Radio New Zealand Concert

Radio New Zealand Concert is Radio New Zealand’s fine music network. Music comprises 85% of air time. Much of this is classical, with additional specialist music programmes covering jazz, contemporary and world music.

Concert actively promotes New Zealand music and composition, providing an important showcase for the best of the country’s performing artists. Its specialised production department commissions work from New Zealand musicians and composers, and initiates a wide range of music programmes. The station delivers live broadcasts of concerts and recitals both of New Zealand artists and visiting international artists.

Concert also features international programmes selected from public radio broadcasters overseas.

Parliamentary Broadcasts

The AM network broadcasts all sittings of Parliament.

Radio New Zealand International

Radio New Zealand International (RNZI) provides vital news and information services, via its shortwave broadcasts to the South Pacific. It also provides a wide range of New Zealand programmes to listeners in the Pacific and beyond.

Radio New Zealand News

Radio New Zealand News are vital elements in our programming, providing impartial news and information to New Zealanders every day.

Radio New Zealand Sound Archives/Ngā Taonga Kōrero

Sound Archives / Ngā Taonga Kōrero   is the country’s leading archive of contemporary and historical radio programmes. It is responsible for collecting, preserving and providing access to New Zealand’s audio heritage.

Replay Radio

Replay Radio produces and sells copies of many interviews and programmes broadcast on National and Concert, plus selected material from other sources.

Chief Executive and Editor in Chief

Peter Cavanagh was appointed Chief Executive and Editor-in-Chief of Radio New Zealand in November 2003 following a career in journalism and public service broadcasting spanning more than 30 years.

Prior to joining Radio New Zealand, Peter was Head of Television for Australia’s multicultural public service broadcaster, the SBS Corporation.

A journalist by background, he started his career at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and was for a number of years the ABC’s senior political correspondent in Sydney.  After leaving the ABC, he was involved in postgraduate broadcast journalism training in the United Kingdom before returning to Australia to become Managing Director of a commercial television company.

His appointment at Radio New Zealand is for a term of five years.