Newstalk ZB

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Newstalk ZB
Broadcast area New Zealand
Frequency List available below
Format News and talk
Owner The Radio Network
Website www.newstalkzb.co.nz

Newstalk ZB is a nationwide New Zealand talkback radio network operated by The Radio Network of New Zealand (TRN). It is available in almost every radio market in the country, and has news reporters based in most of them. In addition to talkback, the network also broadcasts news, interviews, music, and sports (in partnership with its sister network Radio Sport).

Most of the network's programming is produced in Auckland, but Wellington and Christchurch produce some local programming and most markets produce their own local news and weather updates.

Contents

[edit] History

Newstalk ZB started in 1987 when Auckland's 1ZB changed to a talkback format and was originally known as Newstalk 1ZB. During the late eighties and early nineties Radio New Zealand switched many of their local heritage stations to FM but retained the AM frequency in each region running the same programme on both frequencies, however some stations ran separate programmes at certain times(such as talk shows) on the AM frequency. In 1993 and 1994 the local station in each region was rebranded with the Classic Hits name and the AM frequency was used to roll out Newstalk ZB across New Zealand. In Christchurch and Wellington local stations 2ZB and 3ZB changed to a talkback format around 1991 and new local stations Goodtime Oldies B90 FM (Wellington) and Goodtime Oldies B98 FM were created. Around 1994 2ZB and 3ZB were rebranded as Newstalk ZB retaining local announcers at first but in recent years as local announcers have left shows have been replaced with network shows. Wellington still has a local show in the mornings and Christchurch still has a local breakfast show followed by a local morning show. In February 1993, in Auckland, Newstalk ZB began broadcasting on 89.4 FM as well as the original 1080 AM when local station 89X (formerly 89FM) ceased to operate and Radio New Zealand obtained the FM frequency. The Newstalk ZB nationwide 0800 number (0800 80 10 80) actually comes from the original 1080AM frequency that is still in use today.

In 1996 Radio New Zealand sold their commercial operation and Newstalk ZB, along with Classic Hits and ZM, became part of The Radio Network.

[edit] Newstalk ZB News

Newstalk ZB operates one of the largest radio news operations in New Zealand. A total of 45 reporters are employed across most radio markets, including key newsrooms in Parliament and central Auckland. According to TRN's website, the service aims on "being first, fast and factual".

The Auckland news centre produces bulletins for the national Newstalk ZB network, as well as local Auckland bulletins at certain times of day (breakfast and lunchtime). Regional ZB stations either produce their own bulletins or take the network bulletin.

News presenters include Bernadine Oliver-Kerby, Barry Holland, Niva Retimanu, Tim Dower, Kate Hawkesby, Bruce Russell, Gary Fox and Jennifer Bainbridge.

The Newstalk ZB Affiliates Unit, based in the Auckland newsroom, produces a variety of radio news bulletins each hour for other stations belonging to the TRN group, including Classic Hits, Radio Hauraki, Coast, Radio Sport and Viva FM networks. It also sells a radio news bulletin to a variety of external clients, including the Rhema network of stations, 1XX Whakatane, and Radio Wanaka. Gary Denvir and Jeff Brian are the breakfast newsreaders, Jennifer Bainbridge covers the afternoons Monday to Friday.

On the internet it provides a continuously-updated wire service of text articles and streaming audio for websites such as XtraMSN, TelstraClear, NZ City and the New Zealand Rugby Union.

Newstalk ZB also supplies a news wire service to Prime TV, Sky TV and TVNZ.

[edit] Programmes

Newstalk ZB's talkback radio format has been established over a number of years, and its schedule has remained consistently successful, and hence fairly unchanged, since a major relaunch in 1987.

Tim Dower, Miles Davis and actor Oliver Driver make regular appearances as substitutes on Newstalk ZB's schedule.

[edit] Breakfast

The network's programming is lead by its flagship breakfast programme, the Paul Holmes Breakfast. The programme has been presented by the country's highest-paid broadcaster Paul Holmes, since 1987, and has consistently remained the highest-rating breakfast programme on commercial radio in New Zealand. Every half hour the show provides news updates with Bernadine Oliver-Kerby, sports updates with Matt Brown and local news updates, weather forecasts and traffic reports presented by Wendy Meyer in Auckland and local announcers elsewhere. During the remainder of each half hour Paul Holmes presents commentary, reports, talkback and interviews, including a regular Wednesday segment with Helen Clark. It was announced on March 16, 2007 that Holmes will step down in December 2008 and will be replaced by Mike Hosking. Holmes will move to Hosking's current Saturday mornings slot.

Christchurch opts out and does not broadcast the Paul Holmes breakfast, instead having a local breakfast show hosted by John Dunne which regularly tops the local radio ratings. Ken Ellis presents news updates every 30 minutes and Brian Ashby presents sports updates.

[edit] Mornings

The morning slot on Newstalk ZB is primarily news-related talkback, with some interviews with newsmakers and regular guests. Most stations broadcast a talkback programme with right-wing host Leighton Smith. During this timeslot other stations may broadcast their own talkback and interview programmes: Wellington broadcasts a programme with Justin Du Fresne, Christchurch broadcasts a programme with Ali Jones.

[edit] Afternoons

During the afternoons, between 12:00pm and 4:00pm, Danny Watson presents a talkback programme that also includes regular special interest discussions with specialist journalists.

[edit] Williams Drive

For three hours between 4:00pm and 7:00pm Larry Williams presents a programme on current affairs. There are brief updates of news, local news, sports, weather and traffic every twenty minutes, with longer news updates every hour. Williams also interviews political editor Barry Soper, and offers personal commentary on news issues.

[edit] Evenings

The evening timeslot on Newstalk ZB is almost entirely dedicated to talkback. Between 7.00pm and 8.00pm, Murray Deaker, Peter Montgomery or Willie Lose present an hour of sports-related talkback, known as SportsTalk, simulcast live with Radio Sport. Between 8:00pm and 12:00am, the network broadcasts four hours of nationwide talkback, hosted by Kerre Woodham from Monday to Thursday evenings and Bruce Russell on Friday evenings.

[edit] Overnight

Every morning the 12:00am to 6:00am timeslot features talkback on current affairs, music and hourly news, sports and weather updates. The six hour programme has a heavy reliance on audience participation. The programme is presented by Bruce Russell on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings and is a newsreader for the network on other days during the week and Pat Brittenden on Friday through Monday mornings. Former bFM host Noelle McCarthy was hosting Thursday through Monday mornings in early 2007 following the resignation of James King, but she resigned due to the "hours taking a toll on her health" but many people believe she was pushed because of negative response from the overnight audience. She was replaced by Pat Brittenden, who until that point was a regular fill-in host on Newstalk ZB. Previous hosts have included James King, Tim Dower and Martin Crump.

[edit] Weekends and Holidays

Weekend and public holiday programming on Newstalk ZB is based around lifestyle features, sports coverage and music.

Saturday and Sunday mornings are dominated by slow-paced discussions on hobbies and personal life. Mike Hosking presents the Saturday Morning Programme between 9:00am and 12:00pm on Saturday mornings, and Kerre Woodham presents a similar programme, called Kerre's Cafe, at the same time on Sunday morning, both featuring interviews and sponsored regular guests segments. From 6:00am till 7:00, 'best of' shows are played with interviews done by morning hosts during the week. Also on Sunday morning, between 7:00am and 8:00am, Ruud Kleinpaste, presents an hour-long gardening programme.

During the afternoons, between 12:00pm and 6:00pm, Murray Deaker, Peter Montgomery or Willie Lose present ScoreBoard, a combination of live sports updates and commentary and sports-related talkback. The programme, which is usually simulcast on Radio Sport, includes interviews with major New Zealand sports people. The programme's presenters, especially Murray Deaker, have been ridiculed in the past for their constant advertorial endorsements. The three other main regions of New Zealand opt out for this show on Saturdays only, for their own ScoreBoard shows, in Wellington hosted by Daniel McHardy, in Christchurch by Malcolm Ellis and Dunedin has a show with Callum Proctor, these shows all have a major focus on local sports, with regularscore updates from local football, rugby and cricket games.

On Saturday evenings, a Nostalgia programme is hosted by Jim Sutton, showcasing music from yesteryear is aired from 6pm until midnight.

During Sunday evenings, Jim Sutton again hosts a Nostalgia programme, in a condensed 2 hour format, playing write-in request music. From 8pm, a family advice show is aired, hosted by John Cowan and at 9pm a talkback show hosted by Oliver Driver, called 'Almost Monday' airs.

On Holiday evenings, either a Nostalgia programme or extended talkback programme is aired.

During the Christmas and New Year holiday season, the schedule changes, with a single nationwide breakfast show running from 6am until 9am, usually hosted by newsreader and fill-in host Tim Dower or normal drive show presenter Larry Williams, followed by a morning shift from 9am until 1pm, hosted by Sunday night presenter Oliver Driver and an afternoon shift until 6pm, hosted by overnight presenter Bruce Russell. This is followed by a 6 hour evening shift until midnight, hosted by Pat Brittenden. The overnight shift usually presented by the two latter hosts are filled by Miles Davis or Mark Eason. The mornings, afternoon and evening shifts during this time are devoted almost entirely to talkback.

[edit] Frequencies

North Island

South Island

[edit] External links

v • d • e
New Zealand radio networks
Radio New Zealand
The Radio Network
Classic Hits FM · Coast · Easy Mix · Flava · Radio Hauraki · Newstalk ZB · Radio Sport · ZM
MediaWorks NZ
Rhema Broadcasting Group
b.net
Other networks