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Revision as of 08:09, 8 June 2014 by 222.155.155.30 (talk) (→The end)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff) This redirect is about the defunct New Zealand radio station. For other uses, see Channel Z (disambiguation).Radio station
| File:Channel Z logo.svg | |
| Broadcast area | 3 markets in New Zealand |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 94.2 then 93.8 (Auckland) 91.7 – 94.7 (Wellington) 99.3 (Christchurch) |
| Programming | |
| Format | Modern Rock/Modern Alternative (90's) |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | MediaWorks NZ |
| History | |
| First air date | 1996 (Wellington) 1997 (Auckland) 1999 (Christchurch) |
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Channel Z was an alternative music radio station which had a high youth and young adult demographic broadcasting in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, New Zealand. In early 2005, the station was relaunched as Kiwi FM and only plays New Zealand music.
Early years
Channel Z appeared on the air in Wellington, New Zealand, on 19 August 1996. Its founding programme director was John Diver. Channel Z was part of the More FM Group of stations, later to become the CanWest-owned RadioWorks Group. Early presenters included: Martin Devlin, John Diver, James Coleman, and Olivia. Channel Z was named after the B-52's song of the same name, and played a vital role in lynchpining alternative NZ and international artists other stations claimed were too "dangerous" to play.
Later years
In 1998, longtime presenter Pheobe Spiers and breakfast hosts Jon Bridges and Nathan Rarere joined the station. Channel Z Christchurch was launched in 1999, with Willy Macalister presenting a local daytime show, Melanie Wise on the night time show and networked mornings and drive shows. In 2001, major changes to Channel Z were made, including the abolishment of local shows in both Wellington and Christchurch and everything being networked from Auckland. This was not a positive move, especially for Wellingtonians (where Channel Z began). Jon & Nathan's breakfast show was also later canned in favour of a new show featuring James Coleman on his own, with Bomber and Clarke Gayford moving from Nights to Drive.
The end
Major changes in 2003 with the cancellation of the breakfast show, the 94.2 frequency in Auckland being used to laumch The Edge and Channel Z being subsequently moved to a lower powered 93.8 frequency started to see the decline in Channel Z's listenership. This ultimately led to the demise of the station, as many listeners were unable to tune in, although eventually the transmitter was relocated to the Sky Tower from its previous position on Waiheke Island.
In January 2005, MediWorks Radio announced that Channel Z was to relaunch as Kiwi FM on 6 February 2005. Channel Z's final apparent song was Pretty Vacant by the Sex Pistols. The station would only play 100% New Zealand music. The move was not a popular one and many people switched off after Kiwi was launched. Kiwi FM tanked in the ratings and was scheduled for closure in mid 2006. Somehow Kiwi FM still manages to exist today.
Many said there was no other station that kept a perfect distance from mainstream and eclecticism in radio. And former listeners considered it the lynchpin of radio, because of its continued support for alternative music, and without Channel Z, stations still find the music played on Channel Z too risky.
Shows
Other than the normal afternoon and local shows, there were others as well.
- Riot!-a punk show, breaking through new punk/alternative punk acts from overseas and New Zealand.
- Talkback with Bomber - A 'left-leaning' youth oriented Sunday night talkback show. Ran for most of Channel Z's life with host Martyn 'Bomber' Bradbury.
- Breakfast - Included the Dick 84 Brekkie with Nathan Rarere and Jon Bridges from 1998 to early 2003. James Coleman hosted the Coleman Breakfast Programme from 2003 until the station closed in early 2005.
- Daytime shows presented in each market until 2001. Syndicated from Auckland from mid-2001 with Phoebe Spiers.
- The James Coleman Radio Programme - A show on weekday afternoons, hosted by James Coleman, and in particular featuring a regular segment where, live on air, Coleman would telephone an elevator in central Wellington, New Zealand, and pretend to be a representative from Schindler's Lifts (an elevator service company), usually causing hilarious confusion for the elevator users.
- Bomber and Clarke - Syndicated night show with Martyn 'Bomber' Bradbury and Clarke Gayford from 2001 and drive show from 2003.
- Local programming - presented in each market until mid 2001 - daytime, evenings and weekends.
Compilations
Channel Z made several compilations in its radiospan. The compilation tracklistings are either chosen/voted for by the listeners online, or the radio station compiles the most requested or fitting songs. ALL Channel Z compilations feature New Zealand Bands.
- Channel Z-Best of 1,2 and 3
- Channel Z Up Loud!
- Channel Z Coleman Sessions
Bring back z
An online petition and forum was started by Jonathon Kerkhofs and Hayden McCabe, called Bring Back Channel Z. The website had a forum, with rumored members that include former channel Z presenter Martyn 'Bomber' Bradbury and known musicians. The website was run for a year before funding ran out and the site was forced to close. There were exposure campaigns organized,one user asked about a Channel Z memorian album. The Website was mentioned several times in Rip It Up issue No. 305 and a letter was included from co creator Jonathon Kerkhofs. The magazine was largely skeptical of the potential success of the web site giving it as much chance of success as "a Pop Idol winner has at a second album deal". In the same issue Bradbury, who was at the time editor of Rip it Up, cited the need for a station such as channel Z to support the NZ music industry. He claimed "Channel Z served an important role between the b.net and the commercial stations" and that with it gone "Nz music is going to find it a much harder place to get heard". To date the petition has attracted over 1400 signatures, far short of the 10,000 expected to be necessary to have any influence.
Channel Z revivals
Rival rock station Radio Hauraki changed its format in 2013 playing alternative rock music similar to that of Channel Z. Kiwi FM (Channel Z's successor) also began playing alternative music from overseas in a move to attract more listeners.
Other (mostly LPFM) stations have popped up over the years but failed due to limited support.
Return / Demise of Channel Z on The Rock
On Monday 18 January 2010 a version of the Channel Z format was brought back on radio station The Rock. From 7PM to 10PM The Rock aired Channel Z Nights based on the modern rock format similar to that of Channel Z in the early 2000s (decade). The show failed mostly due to the music being not that similar to the rest of the days music played on The Rock with the only thing similar to Channel Z being the name. The show was canned a week before Christmas the same year.
Both The Rock and Channel Z came under the same ownership in 2001 when Channel Z owner Canwest purchased RadioWorks with all stations eventually falling under the same management umbrella.
References
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