The Breeze (New Zealand)
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| City/Town | Frequency | |
|---|---|---|
| Auckland | 93.4 FM | |
| Waikato | 99.3FM | |
| Mercury Bay | 96.6FM | |
| Manawatu | 98.6FM | |
| Kapiti Coast | 99.6 | |
| Wellington | 94 /98 FM - 891 AM | |
| Christchurch | 94.5FM | |
| Dunedin | 98.2FM | |
| Queenstown | 92.0FM | |
The Breeze is a group of New Zealand easy-listening radio stations owned by RadioWorks a Canwest MediaWorks NZ company. The Breeze plays easy-listening music from the 1970s to present day. There are 9 stations broadcasting through out New Zealand, with each station presented locally.
Contents |
[edit] History
The Breeze originally started around 1993 in Auckland and Waikato but not as the Easy Listening stations we know today. The Breeze in Auckland broadcast on 91.0FM and was the successor to Magic 91FM. The Breeze in Waikato broadcast on 89.8FM replacing Kiwi 898FM (not to be confused with the Kiwi FM Network in operation today). Both The Breeze in Auckland and Waikato played a Contemporary mix of music and was nothing like The Breeze stations in operation today despite having the same logo. The slogan used for The Breeze in Auckland and Waikato was Not too heavy, Not too soft. Both The Breeze in Auckland and Waikato ceased to operate in 1996 when The Radio Network acquired their frequencies and started ZM in these regions. For Auckland this was a return of ZM as the station had been absent from the Auckland market since 1987.
The Breeze in Wellington is the successor to Radio Windy. Radio Windy changed to the Easy Listening Format in 1981 and in 1993 was rebranded to The Breeze, at the same time the Auckland and Waikato stations were launched, however Wellington kept it's Easy Listening format. The Breeze continued to operate in Wellington after the Auckland and Waikato stations shut down. The Breeze made a return to Waikato in 2003 when local station Y 99.3 was rebranded as The Breeze retaining Y 99.3 local announcer but changing music format from Adult Contemporary to the Easy Listening format used on The Breeze in Wellington. In 2004 The Breeze was rolled out to other regions around New Zealand by rebranding existing stations as The Breeze and in some cases even changing the format of the local station to Easy Listening. The Breeze is not a network station each individual station is local with the exception of Dunedin where some content is networked from Christchurch.
[edit] The Breeze Stations
[edit] Auckland
Launched on the 12th of June 2006 on the former Solid Gold FM frequency with Solid Gold moving to 93.8 FM. The Auckland station was to replace the strugling Kiwi FM, Canwests 100% NZ Music Station. However the New Zealand Government has stepped in to give Kiwi FM another chance. With Kiwi FM given another frequency the The Breeze launch unaffected.
Presenters include:
- Breakfast(6-10 A.M)- Robert Rakete and Robert Scott
- Workday (10 A.M-2 P.M) - Kerry Smith
- Drive (2-7 P.M)- Mark Leishman
- Nights (7P.M - Midnight)- Nicky Sunderland With Lovesongs
[edit] Waikato
This station was originally Waikato's Y99.3 playing an Adult Contemporary Music Format. The station was changed to an Easy Listening format and relaunched as The Breeze in April 2003, this was the very first station to be rebranded as The Breeze.
Presenters include:
- Breakfast(5-10 A.M)- Dave Grove
- Workday (10 A.M-2 P.M) - With K-M
- Drive (2-6 P.M)- Kris Edwards
- Nights - The Tonight Show with Annie
[edit] Mercury Bay
The Breeze broadcsts in Mercury Bay on 96.6 FM and is also available in Pauanui/Tairua on 107.0 and Kaiaua on 91.0.
Presenters include:
- Breakfast - Dave & Cheryl
[edit] Manawatu
This station was originally Manawatu's Magic 98.6 FM. It was relaunched as The Breeze in 2003 when RadioWorks rebranded all their Easy Listening stations as The Breeze.
Presenters include:
- Breakfast(6-10 A.M)- Burnzee For Breakfast
- Workday (10 A.M-2 P.M) - Darren Wallace
- Drive (2-6 P.M)- Schroeder Evans
[edit] Kapiti Coast
[edit] Wellington
Wellington is the home of the very first The Breeze radio station under the Easy Listening format. The station started out as a local standalone station playing Easy Listening music. The format of The Breeze in Wellington was then rolled out to other stations in 2003 and 2004, however The Breeze in Wellington has never been networked to any other station.
Presenters include:
- Breakfast(6-10 A.M)- Steve & Stephanie
- Workday (10 A.M-2 P.M) - Stu Smith
- Drive (2-7 P.M)- Grant Beban
- Nights (7-12midnight) Love song Requests
[edit] Christchurch
This station was originally Canterbury's Lite 94.5 FM. It was relaunched as The Breeze in 2003 when RadioWorks rebranded all their Easy Listening stations.
Presenters include:
- Breakfast(6 a.m.-10 a.m.)- Peter Mac & Hillary Muir
- Workday (10 a.m.-2 p.m.) - Sue White
- Drive (2 p.m.-7 p.m.)- Grant Magrath
- Nights - Love songs with Michelle Williamson
[edit] Dunedin
The Breeze began in Dunedin at 7 P.M on the 3rd of December 2004 a week after the frequency's former 98 More FM switched to 97.4 FM. Initially the program was a simucast of The Breeze Christchurch, with the only local content the commercials. In May 2005 10 A.M till 7. P.M weekdays and 6.00 A.M - 1.00 P.M weekends were presented locally. The Breakfast Show and Nights is simulcast from Christchurch.
Presenters include:
- Breakfast(6-9 A.M)- Peter Mac & Hillary
- Workday (9 A.M-1 P.M) - Tracy Chambers
- Drive (1-6 P.M) - Grant McClain
- Drive (6-7 P.M) - Grant Mcgraph
- Nights - Love songs with Michelle Williamson
[edit] Queenstown
Radioworks purchased Queenstown radio station Q92FM in March 2006 and later rebranded the station as Q92 The Breeze. Originally Q92FM played Adult Contemporary Music but was changed to the Easy Listening format used by The Breeze when the station was rebranded.
