MEDIA RELEASEFriday, July 22, 2005

Radio Right At The Top

Radio listeners in the mid and far North will have new listening options from Monday 25 July as two of New Zealand's top radio brands Classic Hits and Newstalk ZB improve coverage of the region.

"Classic Hits Northland will finally be heard on FM throughout Northland. After extensive engineering work I'm very pleased that we have been able to access frequencies to bring Classic Hits to the mid North on 97.2FM and far North on 97.6FM," Mal Egginton, The Radio Network's Northland acting general manager said today.

The long awaited transition of Classic Hits to FM allows Newstalk ZB to be broadcast Northlandwide. Newstalk ZB will be introduced on the former Classic Hits AM frequencies, broadcasting on 1215AM mid North and 1026AM far North.

"We try to cater for all listening tastes with our portfolio of radio brands and it's a matter of responding to listeners' wishes and ensuring they can hear their favourites as much as possible," commented Egginton on the reason for the coverage improvements.

"The new coverage for Classic Hits and Newstalk ZB finally gives both stations coverage equal to that of our competitor," says Mal Egginton.

Bill Francis - general manager talk for the Radio Network says "Newstalk ZB will provide news, sport, weather, fishing reports, the top-rating Paul Holmes Breakfast show with newsreader Bernadine Oliver-Kirby and now Northland".

A fourth Classic Hits frequency 96.8FM in Russell will be switched on in a few weeks once engineering work is completed.

Some of the frequencies were acquired in the recent Government auction and others were privately acquired.

Newstalk ZB has 439,000 listeners across New Zealand with a national audience share of 11.7% and Classic Hits has 441,000 listeners for a 10.2% share of national listening for people aged10+.

About The Radio Network (TRN)

The Radio Network operates 113 stations in New Zealand under eight brands - Coast, Radio Hauraki, ZM, Newstalk ZB, Classic Hits, Radio Sport, Viva, and Flava. The Radio Network is jointly owned by Clear Channel Communications and APN News and Media through Australian Radio Network.

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