MediaWorks New Zealand

MediaWorks New Zealand
Type Private
Industry Media
Founded 2004
Headquarters Auckland, New Zealand
Area served New Zealand
Owner(s) Ironbridge Capital
Divisions Radio (10 networks)
Television (TV3/FOUR)
Interactive (18 websites)
Website mediaworks.co.nz

MediaWorks New Zealand is a New Zealand-based television, radio and interactive media company entirely owned by the Ironbridge Capital group. It owns and operates 3 News, TV3, FOUR and C4, ten radio networks, eighteen websites and three non-networked radio stations.

In 2004, CanWest Global Communications combined television company TV3 Network Services and radio company RadioWorks to form the new MediaWorks company. On 29 July 2004, 30% of this new company was sold on the NZSX. Three years later, in July 2007, CanWest sold its stake of the company to Ironbridge Capital, a group of Australian investors, who subsequently obtained the remaining 30% from other investors.[1] MediaWorks is significantly larger than any of its other investments.

Controversy erupted over a $43 million loan guarantee made by the Government to MediaWorks, with critics citing Communications Minister Steven Joyce's conflict of interest as past managing director of the company's RadioWorks division.[2]

Contents

Television

MediaWorks has owned TV3 and C4 since its inception in 2004. TV3 was founded in 1989 after the Fourth Labour government allowed for a private television broadcaster and CanWest obtained TV3 between 1991 and 1997 after the National government loosened rules on foreign ownership. Under CanWest control, TV3 relaunched in March 1998 with a new brand and a 3 News bulletin hosted by John Campbell and Carol Hirschfeld. TV3 staff also launched youth station TV4 in 1997 and relaunched it as C4 in 2003 [1] and revert back to Youth TV in 2008.

Both networks operate out of Auckland City. Television advertising is sold by the MediaWorks offices in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Melbourne, Sydney and Hamilton. There are 3 News bureaus in the TV3 Headquarters in Auckland and MediaWorks offices in Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin, with news staff working out of other offices as needed.

Network Type Target audience Launches/relaunches Availability News content
TV3 General entertainment, News, Sport 25-54 1989, 1998, 2011 By VHF, terrestrial, free satellite, satellite or cable. 3 News bulletins
TV3 +1 TV3 time-delayed by one hour 25-54 2009, 2011 By terrestrial or free satellite. Delayed 3 News bulletins
FOUR Youth TV, General entertainment, Kids 18-49 2011 By VHF, terrestrial, free satellite, satellite or cable. No news content
C4 Music TV 15-39 1997, 2003, 2010, 2011 By terrestrial, free satellite. No news content

Radio

MediaWorks inherited most of its radio stations from its namesake RadioWorks, which was itself the result of a history of amalgamations. That history began when Radio Pacific purchased the Energy Enterprises group of local North Island stations in the 1990s and began to operate as Pacific/Radioworks Group. In 1999 Radio Pacific and Radio Otago merged to form the publicly listed company RadioWorks; this included the growing networks of The Edge, The Rock and Solid Gold. Between 2000 and 2001 CanWest purchased RadioWorks, awaiting company restructuring before completing the year-long takeover, and moved its existing MORE FM group assets, including Channel Z and The Breeze Wellington, into the company.

Since its inception in 2004, MediaWorks have moved its local stations over to More FM and The Breeze network; all these stations now carry the network branding and some or all of the network's programming. At the same time, MediaWorks have rolled out new networks Radio Live and Kiwi FM, converted Radio Pacific to LiveSport, and purchased networks Mai FM and George FM. MediaWorks owns Times FM in Orewa, Coromandel FM on the Coromandel Peninsula and Radio Dunedin in Otago.[1]

All MediaWorks owned and affiliated stations read or carry Radio Live News updates hourly or half hourly during their weekday breakfast programmes. Most also carry pre-recorded news and sports updates hourly at other times. Radio Live News took over from the RadioWorks news service, Global News, with the launch of Radio Live in 2005.

Networks

Network Type Target audience Original station News updates
The Breeze Easy listening 40-59 female The Breeze Wellington in 1993 Half hourly in breakfast; hourly
LiveSport Sports talk 40+ male Radio Pacific Auckland in 1978 Half hourly in breakfast
The Edge Pop/Rock, R&B/top 40 Under 35 The Edge Hamilton in 1994 Half hourly in breakfast
Kiwi FM New Zealand music 18-49 Channel Z Wellington in 1996 Hourly
George FM Dance music 25-39 George FM Auckland in 1998 Hourly in breakfast and drive
Mai FM Urban music Under 35 years Mai FM Auckland in 1992 Half hourly in breakfast,; hourly
More FM AC/Pop 25-44 female More FM Wellington in 1991 Half hourly in breakfast; hourly
Radio Live Talk radio 35-54 Radio Pacific Auckland in 1978 3 daily news hours; hourly; as breaking
The Rock Rock music under 44 male The Rock Hamilton in 1992 Half hourly in breakfast; hourly
The Sound Classic rock/Oldies 35-59 Solid Gold Auckland in 1997 Half hourly in breakfast; hourly

Networked stations

While most networked stations carry network programming, each station is local to a certain extent. More FM and The Breeze stations may have their own breakfast, daytime and drive programmes. Most networked stations carry local advertisements, promotions and community notices, sponsor or report from local events, provide local traffic updates and have local news and sports commentary spots.

Market/location The Breeze LiveSport The Edge George FM Kiwi Radio Live Mai FM More FM The Rock The Sound
Northland tba 95.2 92.4 94.8 94.0 106.8 --- 90.6 95.6 97.8 91.6 90.0 107.3
Auckland 93.4 1476AM 94.2 96.8 102.2 100.6 702AM 93.0 88.6 91.8 90.2 93.8
Waikato 99.4 954AM 97.8 107.3 --- 100.2 --- 92.2 93.0 93.8
Coromandel 96.6 91.7 90.0 --- --- 90.3 --- --- --- --- --- ---
Tauranga 95.8 873AM 99.8 107.3 --- 1107AM --- 93.4 94.2 92.5
Whakatane --- 94.5FM --- --- --- 92.1FM --- --- --- ---
Rotorua 91.9 1548AM 99.9 105.9 --- 1107AM --- 95.9 92.7 91.1
Taupo 99.1 91.1FM 89.1 106.3 --- 99.1 --- 93.5 94.3 99.9
Gisborne tba 1485AM 99.7 ---- --- 94.8 --- 89.9 98.9 94.1 94.1 96.2
Hawke's Bay 97.5 549AM 98.3 106.3 --- 1368AM 105.5 92.7 95.1 91.9
Taranaki 92.4 97.2 94.0 106.8 --- 89.2 --- 93.2 95.6 98.0
Ohakune --- --- --- 106.7 --- --- --- --- --- ---
Wanganui tba 828AM 100.8 --- --- 96.0 --- 92.8 95.2 91.9
Manawatu 98.6 828AM 93.0 107.4 --- 93.8 --- 92.2 95.4 94.6
Wairarapa 99.8 91.1 --- --- --- 98.1 --- 89.3 94.9 93.3
Kapiti Coast 99.6 93.5 97.3 --- --- 99.0 --- 90.2 91.9 94.3
Wellington 94.1 98.1 891AM 711AM 91.7 106.7 102.1 98.7 1233AM --- 94.7 100 96.3 97.5
Nelson 97.8 990AM 89.0 107.5 --- 96.2 --- 93.0 94.6 98.6
Marlborough 96.1 98.5 105.7 104.9 --- --- 95.3 --- 92.9 94.5 90.3 91.3 ---
Westport --- 93.3 --- --- --- 90.1 --- --- --- 95.7
Greymouth --- 89.1 93.9 --- --- --- --- --- --- --- 97.1
Hokitika --- 89.1 --- --- --- --- --- --- --- 91.9
Ashburton --- 1071AM --- --- --- --- --- --- 97.3 ---
Christchurch 94.5 1260AM 95.3 106.9 102.5 99.3 738AM 88.9 92.1 93.7 92.9
Timaru tba 1242AM 95.5 --- --- 89.9 --- --- 91.5 97.1
Oamaru --- 89.6 96.0 --- --- --- --- --- 94.4 99.2
Alexandra --- 107.1 --- --- --- 95.9 --- --- --- 93.5
Dunedin 98.2 1206AM 91.8 107.7 --- 96.6 --- 97.4 93.4 90.2
Central Otago 96.7 --- --- --- --- --- --- 90.3 94.3 98.3 ---
Queenstown and Wanaka 92.0 96.8 93.6 104.2 95.2 98.6 107.3 --- 91.2 --- 99.2 99.4 100.0 97.6 1179AM
Southland 91.6 1224AM 97.2 107.6 --- 94.0 --- 89.2 90.8 98.0

Non-networked stations

Network Type Target audience Market and location News updates
Big River Radio Adult contemporary 25-54 Otago: Balclutha since 1992 Hourly
Coromandel FM Hot AC Coromandel Peninsula: Thames since 1992 Hourly
Radio Dunedin Otago: Dunedin since 1922 Hourly
Times FM Adult contemporary 25-54 Rodney: Orewa since 2002[3] Hourly

Interactive

MediaWorks Interactive consists of the 3 News website, the official websites of the company's television and radio networks, and six specialist websites set up since the department was formed in 2004. The Interactive department designs, maintains and sells advertising on all eighteen websites. Most websites have a similar layout and a MediaWorks link bar at the top of every page.

The 3 News website is the flagship news website of MediaWorks, and is continuously updated by the company's journalists. It claims to have provided the first video coverage and breaking news coverage of several events, including being the first website to have posted the verdict of the retrial of David Bain in 2009.[4] It includes sections on national, world, sport, business, entertainment, politics, lifestyle, technology and odd news, as well as weather forecasts, information on 3 News programmes and a news forum. The other websites carry feeds from relevant sections.

Website Name Primary purpose Target audience News content
3news.co.nz Website of 3 News 18-54 Articles, videos, audio clips from 3 News, Radio Live and affiliates
tv3.co.nz Website of TV3 18-49 Feed of 3 News
adsearch.co.nz Ads-on-demand from MediaWorks clients 20-40 None
thebreeze.co.nz Website of The Breeze 40-60 female Feed of 3 News
four.co.nz Website of Four 15-39 None
theedge.co.nz Website of The Edge 18-34 female Feed of 3 News, in-house music news
georgefm.co.nz Website of George FM 25-39 None
thesound.co.nz Website of The Sound 35-59 male Feed of 3 News
radiolive.co.nz News and general website of Radio Live 35+ male Feed of 3 News
livesport.co.nz Website of LiveSport 18-49 Sports feed from 3 News
kiwifm.co.nz Website of Kiwi FM 18-30 male Feed of 3 News
maifm.co.nz Website of Mai FM 15-30 male Feed of 3 News
morefm.co.nz Website of More FM 25-44 female Feed of 3 News
mymobizone.co.nz Mobile content provider 10-34 3 News videos for mobile download
nzsport.co.nz Listings for sports clubs, results, cancellations 10+ Sports feed of 3 News
therock.co.nz Website of The Rock 20-44 male In-house music news
undertheradar.co.nz Music and ticket retailing website 18-30 male In-house music news
vouchermate.co.nz Print and mobile voucher website All ages None

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c http://www.mediaworks.co.nz/Default.aspx?tabid=38
  2. ^ "Govt warned on media deal". The New Zealand Herald. 8 April 2011. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10717908. Retrieved 22 October 2011. 
  3. ^ Gibson, Anne (11 September 2005). "Cook's recipe transformed family legacy". The New Zealand Herald. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/pmp-communications-ltd/news/article.cfm?o_id=154&objectid=10344890. Retrieved 22 October 2011. 
  4. ^ 3 News radio advertisement on MediaWorks stations September 2009

External links