The Edge (radio station)
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| The Edge | |
 |
|
| Broadcast area | New Zealand |
|---|---|
| Branding | The Edge |
| Slogan | New Music Now |
| First air date | 1994 |
| Format | Pop Music |
| ERP | N/A |
| Class | Terrestrial/Internet |
| Owner | MediaWorks NZ |
| Website | http://www.theedge.co.nz |
The Edge FM is a New Zealand youth radio network, playing pop music especially R&B. It is owned by MediaWorks NZ. Its nearest competitor in music type is ZM, however the ZM playlist has more Rock and Dance Music and in some cases plays older music from the 80s and 90s, but The Edge has more Rap and Hip Hop on their playlist.
Contents |
[edit] History
The Edge began as a local Hamilton radio station in 1994 broadcasting on 97.8FM, previously this frequency had been used to broadcast a local Hit Music station called Buzzard 98FM. The Edge was started by radio company Energy Enterprises, which later rebranded itself as RadioWorks. Around 1998 The Edge began networking around the North Island to smaller regions where RadioWorks operated other stations, regions included Taranaki, Rotorua, Bay of Plenty and Hawkes Bay. In 1999 RadioWorks purchased Radio Otago and this allowed RadioWorks to network The Edge and their other brands into Christchurch, Dunedin, Invercargill and later Queenstown and Nelson. The Edge was also networked into Wellington and Palmerston North in 2000.
In 2000 and 2001 The Edge continued to expand into other regions - Taupo, Gisborne, Whangarei, The Bay of Islands and Kapiti. Networking into New Zealand's largest radio market (Auckland), however, proved more difficult. In 2001 The Edge actually moved their studios to Auckland but were unable to go on air in this region due to a lack of FM frequencies available. In 2002 The Edge began broadcasting on Sky Digital channel 100, this allowed The Edge to broadcast into regions, such as Auckland, that could not receive The Edge through an FM radio, however doing so required a Sky Digital satellite decoder. The Edge continued to broadcast on Sky Digital until 2003 when Channel Z took over this channel. Oamaru and Timaru also began broadcasting The Edge in 2002.
In 2003 Auckland's Channel Z was moved from 94.2 to a new frequency 93.8FM, this frequency was made available by broadcasting from a transmiter outside of Auckland and this allowed The Edge to broadcast on 94.2FM. The launch in Auckland was bigger than any other region with their 'New on 94.2' advertisement playing across the whole country and the first broadcast being done from the Sky Tower. The Edge also repeated many of their popular competitions following the launch in Auckland including the popular Two Strangers and a Wedding. A radio station that once made fun of Aucklanders is now another Auckland based network station.
In 2004 The Edge started broadcasting to Central Otago and in Southland coverage was extended to cover Gore which resulted in a loss of sound quality for listeners in the rest of Southland. Sound quality also reduced in Dunedin during this period for unexplained reasons.
In April 2008 The Edge ceased broadcasting in Central Otago with The Rock taking over this frequency.
[edit] Ratings
The Edge had around 150,000 listeners in 1999 when they expanded their operations to most of the metropolitan areas of New Zealand. Much of The Edge's success in listener numbers in the South Island is due to rival station station ZM switching to a single network based from Auckland, many ZM listeners switched to The Edge as a result. [1] [2] [3] The station peaked with 473,800 listeners in April 2004 [4] making The Edge the number 1 radio station in New Zealand at the time. However subsequent surveys saw ratings drop each time down to as low as 378,000 in October 2006. Ratings climbed back up to 420,300 in October 2007 [5] however in this survey most New Zealand radio stations saw a significant increase in listener numbers due to data being matched against the 2006 census for the first time where previous surveys used information based on the 2001 census. [6] The most recent survey taken in April 2008 revealed The Edge has 424,000 listeners. [7]
Nationally The Edge has 7.0% of the New Zealand radio market. The Edge has at various stages taken the number one spot in most regions except in Wellington (where ZM has topped the ratings since the early nineties) and Auckland. Today Waikato, Rotorua and Nelson are the only regions where The Edge takes the number one spot and only on Audience numbers not market share.
The Morning Madhouse is currently number 4 in the network breakfast ratings with 220,000 listeners, the breakfast show on rival station ZM now rates just above this with 220,800 listeners. Newstalk ZB has the most listeners at breakfast time with 290,100 this includes Christchurch where Newstalk ZB run their own local breakfast show. Classic Hits, More FM and The Breeze are not included in the network breakfast ratings as these stations run local shows at these times. [8]
[edit] Awards
The Edge and announcers working on The Edge have won the following awards, at the New Zealand Radio Awards, in recent years: [9]
[edit] 2008
- Best Promotion of a Radio Station - Networks: Three Strangers and a Wedding - Stacy Taylor, Kim Summerville, Leon Wratt & Amanda Midgley, The Edge Network.
[edit] 2006
- Best Promotion of a Radio Station - Networks: Desperate Housewives vs Crazy Frog - Darryl Paton, Corrina Bush, The Edge Network
[edit] 2005
- Best New Broadcaster: Chang Hung - The Edge Network
- Best Promotion of a Radio Station - Networks: Edgefest 04 - Corrina Bush, Darryl Paton & Leon Wratt, The Edge Network
- Station Imaging: Edge Station Imaging - Grant Brodie, The Edge Network
[edit] 2004
- Best Music & Entertainment Team - Metropolitan: The Edge Morning Madhouse - Jason Reeves, Dominic Harvey & Jay-Jay Feeney.
- Best Promotion of a Radio Station - Networks: The Bounty - Darryl Paton, The Edge Network
- Outstanding Community Campaigns: The Morning Madhouse Jingle Bail 2003 - Corinna Bush, Rebecca Smith & Geoff Stagg, Jay-Jay Feeney, Dominic Harvey & Jason Reeves
[edit] Stations/Frequencies
- Northland 94.0
- Auckland 94.2
- Waikato 97.8
- Bay of Plenty 99.8
- Rotorua 99.9
- Taupo 89.1
- Gisborne 99.7
- Taranaki 94.0
- Hawke's Bay 98.3
- Manawatu 93.0
- Kapiti Coast 97.3
- Wellington 91.7
- Nelson 89.0
- Christchurch 89.0
- Timaru 95.5
- Oamaru 96.0
- Dunedin 91.8
- Wanaka 98.6
- Queenstown 95.2
- Southland 97.2
[edit] Main schedule
Weekdays (Monday to Friday):
- 5.30am-10am - The Morning Madhouse with Jay-Jay Feeney, Mike Puru and Dom Harvey
- 10am-2pm - Joe Cotton and Clint Roberts
- 2pm-7pm - The Drive Show with Fletch and Vaughan
- 7pm-12am - The Night Show with Brad Watson and Sharyn Wakefield
- 7pm-12am Fridays - Requests with Brad Watson
- Midnight - 5.30am - Overnighter
- Morning News - Andy Roe
Weekends:
- 2pm-6pm Saturday - The Fat 40 Countdown with Fletch and Vaughan
- 7pm-11pm Saturday - Party Hard with Clint Roberts - Non-stop party music, No ads
- 11pm-3am Friday/Saturday - Party Hard Remix with DJ Justin Sane
- 7pm-12am Sunday - The Edge Nightshow Weekends with Sharyn Wakefield
Other times the Schedule varies every week.
[edit] Previous Announcers
| Announcer | Show | Duration | Reason for leaving | Last known station |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alex Behan | Drivetime co-host | 2002 - 2004 | ||
| Bob Reid | Breakfast Co-host | 1996 - 1998 | Committed suicide in 1998 | |
| Blair Dowling | Drivetime Co-host with Stables and announcers that worked on Drivetime during Stables absence. | 1999 - 2002 | More FM Waikato Breakfast Show co-host with Nick Trott and KM Adams | |
| Clarke Gayford | Co-host of The Morning Madhouse with Jase and Jay Jay | 2000 - 2001 | Moved to Channel Z | Presenter on C4 Has since left C4 and co-presents travel program, United Travel Getaway |
| Dougie Mackie | Fill in announcer | 2000 - 2001 | ||
| Geoff Stagg | Producer of The Morning Madhouse | 2003 - 2004 | Moved to More FM | More FM Wellington Drivetime Announcer |
| Iain Stables | Drivetime Show | 1998 - 2002 | Was constantly in trouble for creating various pranks on the air but it is believed he left over a dispute with phone a bill. | Became the Drivetime Announcer on opposition station ZM a year after leaving The Edge and remained in this job until February 2008 when it was reported that he was fired from ZM. |
| Martin Devlin | Breakfast Co-host | Moved to Radio Sport | Was the Breakfast host on Radio Live until January 2007 when it announced that his show had been pulled due to low ratings. | |
| Jason Reeves | Originally the Drivetime host and then co-host of The Morning Madhouse from 1998 | 1997 - 2004 | It was reported in the New Zealand Herald on 6 November 2004 Jason had left The Edge as a result of text abuse by his co-hosts Jay-Jay and Dom.
[10] [11] Continued with TV Show Headliners, which was axed at the end of 2005. |
Filled in for other announcers on ZM and Viva in 2005-2006 and now the Drivetime host on Classic Hits. |
| Carolyn Taylor | Co-host of The Night Show | 2005 - 2006 | ||
| Stu Tolan | Night Show | 1996 - 1997 | Moved to Palmerston North 2XS FM | Originally on the Night Show on ZM Network and now on the Drivetime show. |
| Tasha Tolson | Daytime Show | 1999 - 2005 | Moved to More FM | Breakfast co-host on Wellington's More FM |
| Toni Marsh | Morning Madhouse News Reader | 2004-2005? | Meteorologist on TV3's 3 News |
[edit] Competitions
The Edge has made name for itself through some of it larger and sometimes controversial competitions.
- Two Strangers and a Wedding - September 1999, October 2003 and September 2007
The Edge is the only radio station in New Zealand to ever try this competition where the station selects male and female entrant(s) and marries a/the couple the minute they meet at the alter. While overseas stations have tried this promotion the result has often seen the couple splitting after a short time. In 2007 the competition was called Three Strangers and a Wedding where this time the bride was found first instead of the groom and two possible grooms were chosen. The bride then chose her groom when she met both grooms for the first time at the alter. All of the couples formed through this competition - Zane and Paula Nicholl (1999), Steve and Kersha Veix (2003) and Paul and Chantelle Court (2007) are still together today. Both Zane and Pauala, and Steve and Kersha have children together.
- Inmates - March 2000
Five contestants were locked in a luxury Wellington apartment for 6 weeks where their only contact with the outside world was a computer each where they could chat to the public or by talking through an 0900 number. The public could view the Inmates actions through live Webcams and vote for their favourite Inmate and the Inmate with the least votes for the week went home. While this competition was very much like Big Brother or Survivor the concept was then new to New Zealanders as this competition took place before both these shows aired on New Zealand TV.
- Elope to Las Vegas - August 2000
A couple already intending on getting married was given the opportunity to have a secret wedding in Las Vegas. Various couples entered and the listeners chose the couple they wanted to see married, names were changed and voices disguised so no one had any idea who was getting married. After the wedding the winning couple had to then call the family and inform them they are in Vegas and have just been married.
- Survive to Drive It - September 2000
This competition followed a similar format to Inmates only this time contestants were locked in a SUV in a mall in either Hamilton, Wellington, Christchurch or Dunedin with the winner taking home the vehicle.
- The Fat Bastard - March 2001
This was a competition to see who could gain the most weight over a period of a few weeks.
- Bank It, Or Burn It - July 2001 and March 2003
Listeners were given the opportunity to say why they needed $5000 and then once a winner was selected the public had to vote whether the winner was allowed to keep the money or whether the winner should have to burn it. The first time the winner stated she would use the money for a Breast Reduction, the listeners voted to burn the money and since it is not legal burn New Zealand money the money was converted into Australian currency and then burnt. The second time round the prize money was $10,000 and the winner chose to bet all the money on the Canterbury Crusaders winning the 2003 Super 12 Final. Listeners voted for the winner to bank the money however since the Crusaders did not win the final the winner ended up walking away empty handed.
- The Edge Power Crisis - September 2001
During the winter of 2001 New Zealand was at risk of facing a power crisis, similar to the power crisis in New Zealand in 1992 due to low lake levels and New Zealand's reliance on Hydro electric Power. The New Zealand public were asked to reduce their power usage and as a result The Edge decided to make a competition of the situation. Five households competed to save the most power throughout the duration of the competition, power meters were checked at regular points with the household using the most power being eliminated. There were certain rules in the competition such as each household had to power a radio tuned into The Edge 24 hours a day and certain challenges such as one day the household had to make a pavlova using their oven which would obviously consume more power. The final remaining team that used the least power took away the cash prize.
- Six Degrees of Separation - September 2002
Every day a participant had to find a particular person in New Zealand using only the cryptic clues given a telephone and every phone directory in New Zealand. The participant could only make a maximum of 6 phone calls to try and find the person in question.
- Quit Your Day Job - April 2004 and April 2006
Listeners were given a chance to actually win a job working on The Edge as well as a lot of other prizes. The prize was given to an entrant who had the most suitable voice for talking on the radio. Both winners, Vaughan Smith in 2004 and Sharyn Wakefield in 2006 still work for The Edge today.
- Make a Madvertisement - September 2004
Listeners had to make their own television advertisement for The Morning Madhouse breakfast show on The Edge. Finalists advertisements were screened on New Zealand television networks and online with viewers given the opportunity to vote for their favourite. The winner took away a cash prize and had their advertisement screened on television. Unfortunately the advertisements only screened for a brief period this is likely due to Jason Reeves leaving The Edge shortly after the competition as Reeves was mentioned in the advertisement along with his co-hosts Jay Jay and Dom.
- Desperate Housewives vs The Crazy Frog - September 2005
This time in order to win $3,000 a mother and her children had a sit in a caravan while The Crazy Frog played over and over again, in order to win the mother and her child had to stay in the caravan until Axel F from The Crazy Frog had played 3000 times. There were various complaints about this competition and CYFS actually offered to give the contestant $2,000 if she forfeited from the competition immediately.
- Boyband - September 2006
Auditions were held throughout the country to find New Zealand's first ever manufactured boyband. The criteria for the entrants were they had to fit a certain stereotype of a boyband member, either Gay Boy, Mummy's Boy, Bad Boy, Fat Boy and Hot Boy. The aim was to get a Boyband single to number one of the New Zealand music charts and this goal was reached with their cover of The Kinks classic You Really Got Me.
- Win Cheap Plastic Surgery - February/March 2008
This was a fancy name for a competition where The Edge paid a listeners Credit Card bill, the prize was for $5000.
[edit] Jinglebail
The Edge used to run an annual fundraiser every Christmas called Jingle Bail. The Morning Madhouse presenters locked themselves in a make-shift jail cell somewhere in the country and stayed there 24 hours a day until the target amount was raised.
- In 1999 $10,000 was raised in one day for the Salvation Army
- In 2000 $50,000 was raised to sent 8 deserving children and their caregivers to Disneyland
- Since 2001 the funds raised have been used to send deserving children and their caregivers to the Gold Coast of Australia.
- In 2003 excess funds raised were used to send 15 children to a Rugby World Cup game in Sydney.
- The highest amount raised was $155,000 in 2005 allowing as many as 24 children to travel to the Gold Coast.
- 2006 was the last year Jingle Bail took place raising $125,000.
The deserving children were nominated by listeners, these were children who are sick or have been through a rough time.
[edit] EdgeFest
Every summer between 2001 and 2006 The Edge put on major concerts featuring popular bands from its playlists. Starting as Summer Jam, the concert series has grown significantly over the years, featuring a steadily increasing number of international acts.
- 2001 - The very first Summer Jam took place in Hamilton, Wellington and Christchurch. Featuring Zed, Stellar*, Breathe, Garageland and international act Killing Heidi. Tickets were as low as $19.
- 2002 - The second Summer Jam featured Silverchair as the international act and New Zealand bands The Feelers, Tadpole, Che Fu and Rubicon.
- 2003 - With The Edge now broadcasting in Auckland the city became a venue for the third Summer Jam as well as Hamilton, Wellington and Christchurch. The ticket price now increased to $35 but this price now included seven bands with Good Charlotte as the main international act and Taxi Ride as a second international act. Zed, Nesian Mystik, Rubicon, Carly Binding and Elemeno P were the New Zealand acts.
- 2004 - Summer Jam became known as Edgefest and now included as many as 11 acts. Shihad, who were at the time, calling themselves Pacifier were the headline act but did not perform in Wellington. Alien Ant Farm and Yellowcard were the international acts. Elemeno P, The Feelers, Scribe, Blindspott, Zed, Che Fu and the Krates, Nesian Mystik and Steriogram were the New Zealand acts.
- 2005 - The second Edgefest and this time the headline and international act was Chingy New Zealand bands were; Blindspott, The Feelers, P Money, Steriogram, Fast Crew, 48 May, Dei Hamo, Misfits of Science, Savage and Goodnight Nurse.
- 2006 - The final Edgefest concert took place in 2006. Edgefest 06 included 5 international bands P.O.D., Presidents of the United States of America, Matafix, The Living End and Thirsty Merc. Also New Zealand bands, Elemeno P, Nesian Mystik, Frontline, Savage feat. Aaradhna and Goodnight Nurse played at Edgefest 06. Ticket price now increased to $45 but this was justified with the larger selection of overseas artists.
[edit] Other radio stations
The Edge is also the brand name of several other radio stations, including CFNY-FM in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and the network of FM and Internet radio stations in Lucena and Davao, Philippines operated by United Christian Broadcasters.
[edit] External links
[edit] Notes and references
- ^ Southland Ratings November 2000. Medianstrip (from Web Archive) (2000).
- ^ Dunedin Ratings November 2000. Medianstrip (from Web Archive) (2000).
- ^ Christchurch Ratings April 2001. Medianstrip (from Web Archive) (2001).
- ^ Radio Chick Radio Ratings April 2004. Radio Chick(from Web Archive) (2004).
- ^ Radio Scope Ratings October 2007. RadioScope (2007-10-25).
- ^ Radio Ratings Roll In. RadioScope (2007-10-25).
- ^ Radio Scope Ratings April 2008. RadioScope (2008-04-4).
- ^ Radio Chick Radio Ratings October 2007. Radio Chick (2007-10-25).
- ^ Radio Station World New Zealand Radio Awards. Radio Station World.
- ^ "Bust-up puts radio star on leave", New Zealand Herald, 2004-11-06.
- ^ "Reeves settles cellphone hoax case with CanWest", New Zealand Herald, 2005-05-19.
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