RNZ Pacific's shortwave service turns 75

Radio New Zealand Pacific's shortwave service turns 75

It has been 75 years since Radio New Zealand started broadcasting on short-wave into the Pacific region.
Using two 7.5 kilowatt transmitters in Titahi Bay, near Wellington, Radio New Zealand began short-wave broadcasts to Australia and the Pacific in 1948.

RNZ Pacific's Moera Tuilaepa-Taylor has this audio report :

https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/programmes/datelinepacific/audio/2018914551/rnz-pacific-s-shortwave-service-turns-75

RNZI moves to a one-transmitter operation

RNZ International (RNZI) is retiring its 27 year old analogue-only short-wave transmitter and moving to a one-transmitter operation.

The digital short-wave mode delivers a signal to relaying Pacific stations, and the analogue short-wave mode reaches individual short-wave listeners.

RNZI has made the decision not to replace the old short-wave transmitter, but to instead maximize the flexibility of our newer short-wave transmitter by using either its analogue or digital mode to deliver to different audiences at different times of the day.

We are also focusing on broadening the options for delivering our signal to relaying radio stations. These stations broadcast our daily news and current affairs content over their own local stations - and allow us to reach a large local Pacific audience.

By working with partners like the BBC World Service (Pacific stream) and Pacific Cooperation Broadcasting Limited (PCBL) (which includes the former TVNZ satellite service) we've been extending our content delivery via satellite. We'll be continuing to focus on this as a complimentary delivery to the DRM digital short-wave service.

RNZI's online content and delivery, partnerships and use of our specialist content by individuals, media and organisations in the Pacific and worldwide, is also growing.

The move to a one-transmitter operation will result in a reduced service to current individual short-wave listeners in the region. RNZI will still broadcast in analogue short-wave for extensive periods of each day, but there won't be a 24 hour service as there has been. This is likely to be most felt during breakfast hours when we will need to broadcast a digital signal for relaying stations, rather than an analogue one.

However, RNZI remains committed towards providing an analogue short-wave service for individual listeners across the Pacific. Our role in warning about, and covering, cyclones remains especially important. During cyclone season, RNZI has the flexibility to choose to broadcast entirely in analogue if we need to temporarily provide a fulltime service to individual listeners.

Over time we hope more individuals will be able to access our content online access the region. Online use of RNZI is growing quickly with Pacific visitors and others now increasingly accessing content on the RNZI site.

And in future years, as stations adopt other ways of receiving our signal, we may be able to devote more of our short-wave transmission capacity back into broadcasting in analogue.

With a mix of analogue short-wave, digital DRM short-wave, satellite, partnerships and online content delivery, we remain in a solid position to deliver our unique Pacific content to audiences in the region and beyond.

Our analogue and digital frequency schedule is available at www.rnzi.com along with with updated broadcast times.

(Linden Clark,RNZI Manager,Radio New Zealand)

Source : http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/307195/rnzi-moves-to-a-one-transmitter-operation

Updated RNZI schedule available at : http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/listen

RNZI A16

RADIO NEW ZEALAND INTERNATIONAL A16

27 MAR 2016 - 29 OCT 2016

UTC       KHZ       TARGET   DAYS

0255-0400 17675 DRM Pacific Mon-Fri
0459-0658 11725 AM  Pacific Daily
0659-0758 9890  DRM Tonga   Mon-Fri
0659-1058 9700  AM  Pacific Daily
1059-1258 9700  AM  PNG     Daily
1259-1650 6170  AM  Pacific Daily
1651-1850 9700  AM  Pacific Daily
1651-1745 7285  DRM Cook Is,Tonga,Samoa Sun-Fri
1746-1835 9760  DRM Cook Is,Tonga,Samoa Sun-Fri
1836-1950 11690 DRM Cook Is,Tonga,Samoa Sun-Fri
1851-2150 11725 AM  Pacific Daily
1951-2150 15720 DRM Pacific Sun-Fri
2151-0458 15720 AM  Pacific Daily

---

Alokesh Gupta

New Delhi, India

RNZI to demolish radio towers

Radio New Zealand is to remove two of its Porirua-based transmission masts after an engineer's report recommended their urgent decommissioning to protect the public.

RNZI has three masts - used for AM transmission - on land within the Whitireia Regional Park at Titahi Bay, north of Porirua. The engineer's report, received this week, found corrosion issues with each of the masts, though two were of particular concern - one 53-metres tall and the other 220m.

Full story at :

http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/287011/rnz-to-demolish-radio-towers

Extra RNZI DRM for HFCC

RNZI extra DRM transmissions for HFCC meeting in Brisbane:

17675 kHz 2151-2355 UTC Aug 24-28

(Chris Mackerell via drmna list)

RNZI complete schedule at : http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/listen

RNZI A15

Radio New Zealand International A15

Mar 2015 - 24 Oct 2015

UTC	kHz	Target	Days
02:00 - 02:55	15720 AM	Pacific	Daily
02:55 - 04:00	15720 AM 17675 DRM	Pacific	Daily
04:00 - 04:58	15720 AM	Pacific	Daily
04:59 - 06:50	11725 AM	Pacific	Daily
06:51 - 07:58	11725 AM 9890 DRM	Tonga	AM Daily DRM Mon - Fri
07:59 - 10:58	9700 AM	Pacific	Daily
10:59 - 12:58	9700 AM	NW Pacific, PNG	Daily
13:00 - 15:50	6170 AM	Pacific	Daily
15:51 - 17:45	9700 AM 7330 DRM	Cook Islands, Samoa, Niue, Tonga	Daily
17:46 - 18:50	9700 AM 11690 DRM	Cook Islands, Samoa, Niue, Tonga	Daily
18:51 - 19:50	11725 AM 11690 DRM	Cook Islands, Samoa, Niue, Tonga	Daily
19:51 - 20:50	11725 AM 15720 DRM	Cook Islands, Samoa, Niue, Tonga	Daily
20:51 - 22:00	11725 AM 15720 DRM	Solomon Islands	AM Daily DRM Sun - Fri
22:00 - 22:55	15720 AM	Pacific	Daily
22:55 - 02:00	15720 AM 17675 DRM	Pacific	AM Daily DRM Sun - Fri

Bougainville/Papua New Guinea and Timor Transmission 1100 -1300 UTC

From 1100 -1300 UTC our programme is directed to the North Western Pacific and Asia.

Satellite

RNZI is now available on Satellite, courtesy of TVNZ Pacific Service.
The coverage area extends from Singapore, and eastward to the Cook Islands, which includes Fiji, Tonga, Niue and Samoa.

• IS19/23 C Slot A
• DL 4146.5 V
• FEC 1/2 SR 4.0

Radio New Zealand mailbox program goes after 65 years

We were saddened to learn today that the Radio NZ International Mailbox program to which we regularly contribute features about Pacific radio has been cancelled after 65 years. That's a good run,

and we're pleased the funds will now be used for the core news and information programs directed to the South Pacific, which is the funded target area for RNZI.

We have about 10 years of features we've researched and presented, and we will shortly be working through these and converting them into multi-media features at our website www.radioheritage.net. We've already got an example there, Papua New Guinea Radio, and it's proving quite popular. Why not check it out.

A special thanks to our team of financial supporters who make it possible to keep the project going each month. If you can join them, we'd love to hear from you this month. Currently, we need to find

$1,649 to meet all our obligations by July 31. We welcome your gifts to help us continue all aspects of the project to protect radio memorabilia from being thrown away or lost, and we'd also love to add

you to the Supporter Roll of Honor at www.radioheritage.net.

You'll find simple and quick ways to make a gift that counts just by looking under the ZCO Tonga logo on the right-hand side of every page. And, whilst you're there, have a look around the hundreds of features and images, explore our radio guides, learn more about our mission, and share us on various social media. Did you know we have a Facebook page with over 1,350 fans!

Whether you're in the middle of summer or the middle of winter, it's good to know we have so many friends, like you, that we can count on to keep the radio memories safe for future generations.

Best wishes from the team

Radio Heritage Foundation

www.radioheritage.net

Connecting today's people with yesterday's radio

RNZI CEO eyes global platform

Radio New Zealand's chief executive is calling on the world's public service broadcasters to join forces in providing a global digital news and information service. Paul Thompson made the call during a speech to the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association conference in Glasgow.

More at : 

http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/244138/rnz-ceo-eyes-global-platform

RNZI A14

Effective 30 Mar 2014 - 03 May 2014

 

UTC kHz Target Days

0459-0758 11725 AM 11675 DRM Pacific

0759-1058 9700  AM 9890  DRM Pacific Daily

1059-1158 9700  AM 9890  DRM NW Pacific,PNG Timor Daily

1159-1258 9700  AM           NW Pacific, PNG Timor Daily

1259-1550 6170  AM           Pacific Daily

1551-1650 9700  AM 7330  DRM Cook Islands Daily

1651-1850 9700  AM 9630  DRM Cook Islands Samoa Niue, Tonga Daily

1851-2050 11725 AM 11675 DRM Cook Islands, Samoa Niue, Tonga Daily

2051-2150 11725 AM 15720 DRM Solomon Islands Daily

2151-0458 15720 AM 17675 DRM Pacific Daily

 

Bougainville/Papua New Guinea and Timor Transmission 1100 -1300 UTC

 

From 1100 -1300 UTC our programme is directed to the North Western Pacific and Asia.

Radio NZ's way forward

KARL DU FRESNE

There's an "under new management" sign, figuratively speaking, outside Radio New Zealand's head office in Wellington. Paul Thompson, former editorial chief of the Fairfax media group which publishes the paper you're reading, recently took over as RNZ's chief executive.

 

More at .....

http://www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/opinion/9420466/Radio-NZs-way-forward

RNZI A13

RNZI A13

31 Mar 2013 - 27 Oct 2013

 

UTC     kHz                 Target Days

--------------------------------------------------

0459-0758 11725 AM 11675 DRM Pacific     Daily

0759-1058 9700  AM 9890  DRM Pacific     Daily

1059-1200 9655  AM 9890  DRM Timor AM Pacific DRM Daily

1200-1258 9655  AM           Timor       Daily

1300-1550 6170  AM           Pacific     Daily

1551-1650 6170  AM 7440  DRM Cook Islands,Samoa Daily

1651-1750 9700  AM 7440  DRM Cook Islands,Samoa,Tonga Daily

1751-1850 9700  AM 9890  DRM Cook Islands,Samoa,Tonga Daily

1851-2150 11725 AM 15720 DRM Niue, Samoa,Tonga Daily

2151-0458 15720 AM 17675 DRM Pacific      Daily

 

 

RNZI New Year Schedule

RNZI will be relaying RNZ National programming on statutory holidays over the Christmas/New Year fortnight (Dec 25 and 26, and Jan 1 and 2).

On December 27, 28, 29 and 31 and January 3, 4 and 5, RNZI will broadcast shorter news bulletins on the top of the hour throughout the breakfast session and will have nornmal bulletins at 2.30pm, 4pm and 8pm NZ times. These bulletins will include World, Pacific, New Zealand, Business and Sports News.

RNZI's full normal news bulletin service will resume from Monday January 7th. RNZI's cyclone watch service will be maintained throughout the period and special weather bulletins regarding tropical cyclones will be broadcast if required.

 

(RNZI)

RNZI - Election coverage

Radio Newzealand Election 2011 Coverage

RNZI will be relaying Radio NZ National on the evening of the election and on the Sunday morning for a special Morning Report.

Election 2011
7:04 pm (0604 UTC) on Saturday, 26 November 2011
Kathryn Ryan and Simon Mercep are joined by commentators and analysts as the results flow in, for Election 2011

Morning Report Election Special
8:10 am (1910 UTC) on Sunday, 27 November 2011
Mary Wilson and Geoff Robinson host a Morning Report Election Special with an analysis of the results and the implications for the incoming government

Soundwaves - Newsletter of RNZI

Read the Sept 9, 2011 issue of Radio Newzeland International's newsletter here :

http://www.radionz.co.nz/media/newsletter

RNZI's new online feature "New Flags Flying"

Radio New Zealand International (RNZI) has launched a new online feature called "New Flags Flying". The online service features extensive archival audio and transcripts of 17 former Pacific leaders as they remember the move to independence and self government in the Pacific. From 1960 onwards, first in Polynesia, then in Melanesia and Micronesia, colonies became nations and millions of 'subjects' became citizens. The interviews on the website provide a unique record of Pacific history and reflect the views and memories of the most influential decision makers of their time. The project is the work of veteran New Zealand broadcaster/writer Ian Johnstone and former New Zealand diplomat Michael Powles and has had support from Radio New Zealand and UNESCO's Office for the Pacific States in Samoa.

Check out the RNZI "New Flags Flying" page at : http://www.rnzi.com/newflagsflying

RNZI Airs New Radio Heritage Documentary Earthquake Radio

Join us from Monday, June 13 2011 as we bring you the inside story on Radio New Brighton 102.1 FM, the emergency radio station for earthquake hit Christchurch, to be broadcast on the Mailbox program from Radio New Zealand International.

This unique documentary includes on-air sound grabs, interviews with the people who set up the station, volunteer announcers, and local residents. We usually research and write about radio stories, this time we were in the heart of the story ourselves.

You can listen directly via shortwave radio from RNZI in New Zealand, or audio on demand [for the following month] with full details of current broadcast frequencies [both DRM and analog] and times possible for your area as well as audio downloads at www.rnzi.com.

The report also backgrounds how the earthquake on February 22 2011 affected local radio stations, how they responded to the loss of their studios and yet still maintained 24/7 service, and broke the biggest news story in New Zealand for decades.

You'll also learn about JOYZ2U 77.2 FM and other disaster recovery FM stations set up in Japan after their earthquake, tsunami and nuclear triple hit just two days before Radio New Brighton went to air.

How the radio community in the two countries responded to the earthquakes has many similarities, but there are also key differences in how civil defence and local authorities regarded these emergency local radio stations. In one country they were ignored, in the other fully supported.

So join us from Monday, June 13 2011 as we explore these two recent examples of earthquake radio on the Mailbox program from Radio New Zealand International [www.rnzi.com].

You can also use our fully up to date guide to contemporary AM radio in Japan and New Zealand with free access to our PAL Radio Guides at our global website www.radioheritage.com.

Radio Heritage Foundation is a registered non-profit organization connecting popular culture, nostalgia and radio heritage across the Asia and Pacific region. Our website is www.radioheritage.com. To be removed from this mailing list send a return email with 'au revoir' in the subject line.

We currently have an urgent need for donations towards our operating costs as the donor base in New Zealand has been devastated by calls for earthquake relief. If you can help us, please make a donation today at our website www.radioheritage.com.

(Media Release, Radio Heritage Foundation, www.radioheritage.com , June 11 2011)

RNZI Shortwave Budget Frozen Again

Radio New Zealand International Budget Frozen for Third Year

Wellington[NZ]
New Zealand's international shortwave broadcaster, Radio New Zealand International [RNZI] has again had its annual budget frozen in the latest government budget for FY 2011-12 announced here today.

This is the third year in a row that RNZI's budget has been capped at NZ$1.9m [US$1.5m) but the buying power in US dollars has actually increased by almost 20% because of the stronger New Zealand currency.

The budget is forecast to stay the same in future years through to 2015, so the good news is that core shortwave services to the Pacific continue to be funded, but the bad news is that increased wages, costs and inflation [around 2-4% in the coming few years] will effectively put greater pressure on the broadcaster.

Again, no funding is provided for a replacement of the 21 year old 100kW analog transmitter, but RNZI must achieve 99% transmission service on both this and the more recent 100kW digital capable transmitter.

To reduce costs, RNZI often cuts the power down to 50kW on both transmitters, whilst making sure it also delivers daily news bulletins able to be rebroadcast by a minimum of 17 Pacific region radio stations.

Currently, RNZI provides FM quality news bulletins and its flagship 'Dateline Pacific' program to some 19 Pacific stations, and rebroadcasts by the BBC Pacific program stream reach another 11 local stations across the Pacific region.

In addition, RNZI provides live audio feeds, podcasts and audio on demand news, current affairs and other programs from its website www.rnzi.com.

RNZI also continues to provide emergency tsunami, earthquake and cyclone warnings for much of the region between French Polynesia and the Solomon Islands and also works with New Zealand and Australian aid programs to upgrade the shortwave broadcasting capacity of local broadcasters such as VBTC Vanuatu and SIBC Solomon Islands.

The budget freeze is in the context of government budget expenditure reaching 8.4% of GDP this year because of the world economic climate and the massive economic and social cost of the Christchurch earthquake in February. All government agencies have had budgets frozen or reduced for FY 2011-2012.

****************************************************
Radio Heritage Foundation is a registered non-profit run by volunteers connecting popular culture, nostalgia and radio heritage across the Pacific. Features, news, information and radio listener guides are at www.radioheritage.com.
Operating costs are currently 60% funded from supporters worldwide. Donations are welcome to support this free community service. US$50 donation covers one day of operating costs.
****************************************************
Media Release, Radio Heritage Foundation
www.radioheritage.com

Radio New Zealand promised more funding

New Zealand's Labour Party has said it would restore Radio New Zealand's funding to compensate for the government's budget freeze, the public service broadcaster reported.

Full story at :

http://www.abu.org.my/abu/index.cfm/elementid/69027/Radio-New-Zealand-promised-more-funding

Christchurch Earthquake Radio Status

Christchurch Earthquake New Zealand - Radio Broadcasting Status

A major 6.3 earthquake struck Christchurch on the South Island of New Zealand on February 22 2011 with nearly 400 killed or missing and most of the CBD of this city of 350,000 ruined.

A complete list of AM and FM radio services in Christchurch with updates on their current status is now available.

Many studios are located in the CBD, are damaged and no longer accessible and several locally based stations [such as Plains FM] are no longer broadcasting.

Main transmitter sites are operational, but several local low power FM stations in the eastern suburbs of Aranui, South New Brighton and Sumner have all sustained damage and are silent.

Other local LPFM stations such as Power Hits 87.7 FM have been broadcasting emergency accommodation messages for the St Albans/Mairehau community and offers to help stations have come from other local stations as far away as Wellington and Queenstown.

Volcano Radio 88.5 FM in Lyttelton returned to the air shortly after the quake and has been broadcasting community messages and information since.

The detailed list is available for download from www.radioheritage.com and is located at the homepage under the header 'Christchurch Earthquake 2011'.

Donations towards the 'Helping Rebuild Christchurch' project which was launched only the day before the earthquake as part of the Kiwi Radio Campaign are also welcomed through Paypal at the website or can be mailed to the Radio Heritage Foundation, PO Box 20024, Newtown, Wellington 6242. Donations are tax deductible.

The Radio Heritage Foundation is a registered non-profit organization connecting popular culture, nostalgia and radio heritage.

We host the PAL Mediumwave and Shortwave Radio Guides, the New Zealand Low Power FM Radio Guide and maintain Pacific country directory listings for the World Radio TV Handbook.

Our latest radio heritage radio documentary about the FM radio dial in Bacolod City, Philippines can be downloaded from the Mailbox audio page for February 21 at Radio New Zealand International www.rnzi.com.
The second in this series is scheduled for broadcast March 7.

Our global website is www.radioheritage.net. Thank you for supporting our ongoing operational costs through Paypal donations.

(Media Release,Radio Heritage Foundation, www.radioheritage.com)

RNZI Transmitter Shut-Down

On Tuesday 26 October due to antenna maintenance, Radio Newzealand short-wave services will be off-air from 1145-1800 approx NZT. (2230-0500 Mon UTC)