 | This article needs additional citations for verification .(October 2023) |
 | |
| Frequency | 98.9 and later 96.3 |
|---|---|
| Branding | Pirate FM |
| Programming | |
| Format | Music (Rock) |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Derek Archer |
| History | |
First air date | early 1990 |
Last air date | 1999 |
| Technical information | |
| Class | Terrestrial |
Pirate FM was a radio station in Wellington, New Zealand on 96.3 FM before it was replaced by The Rock in early 1999. The station was primarily operated by DJ Derek Archer.
Archer ran Crescendo studio in Wellington at 99 Kent Terrace above the "Car Stereo Company". In early 1990, he began Fun and Music 99FM at 98.9 MHz.
Archer ran the station with business partners and support from local business. The station aimed for minimal advertising on air.
The station was taken off the air in July 1990 due to the NZ radio frequency tender and lost its frequency to More FM Wellington. Archer continued to broadcast from this frequency becoming known as Pirate FM "Farc 'em All", where FARC referred to "False Acquisition of Radio Control". In April 1991, it ceased broadcasting. The 98.9 FM frequency was used to launch 99-100 More FM the following month.
In 1993 Pirate FM was restarted in the flat at Archer's place in Roseneath on 96.3 FM after he successfully engineered a new frequency despite being told that none were available in the Wellington area. The cost to do this was $60,000.
In 1995 an arson attempt effectively destroyed the station.
Archer was the subject of a number of complaints to the Broadcasting Standards Authority. One such complaint was made by his ex-wife after he made a number of threats on air. [1]
In September 1998, Archer died from a heart attack at age 45, after collapsing at a furious debate between the candidates for the Wellington mayoralty election. Pirate FM died with him. The frequency was acquired that December by Radio Pacific/RadioWorks Group for NZ$600,000 and used to launch The Rock FM in Wellington in February 1999.
Radio New Zealand, commonly known as Radio NZ or simply RNZ, is a New Zealand public-service radio broadcaster and Crown entity that was established under the Radio New Zealand Act 1995. It operates news and current-affairs network, RNZ National, and a classical-music and jazz network, RNZ Concert, with full government funding from NZ On Air. Since 2014, the organisation's focus has been to transform RNZ from a radio broadcaster to a multimedia outlet, increasing its production of digital content in audio, video, and written forms.
Radio broadcasting began in New Zealand in 1922, and is now dominated by almost thirty radio networks and station groups. The Government has dominated broadcasting since 1925, but through privatisation and deregulation has allowed commercial talk and music stations to reach large audiences. New Zealand also has several radio stations serving Māori tribes, Pasifika communities, ethnic minorities, evangelical Christians and special interests.
More FM is a New Zealand radio network that plays hot adult contemporary music. It is operated by MediaWorks New Zealand.
Newstalk ZB is a nationwide New Zealand talk-radio network operated by NZME Radio. It is available in almost every radio market area in New Zealand, and has news reporters based in many of them. In addition to talkback, the network also broadcasts news, interviews, music, and sports. The network's hosts include Kate Hawkesby, Mike Hosking, Kerre Woodham, Simon Barnett, James Daniels, Heather du Plessis-Allan, Marcus Lush, Andrew Dickens, Jack Tame and Francesca Rudkin. Wellington and Christchurch have a local morning show.
RNZ Concert is a publicly funded non-commercial New Zealand FM fine music radio network. Radio New Zealand owns the network and operates it from its Wellington headquarters. The network's playlist of classical, jazz, contemporary, and world music includes recordings by local musicians and composers. Around 15 percent of its airtime features live concerts, orchestral performances, operas, interviews, features, and specialty music programs, many of them recorded locally.
The Breeze is a New Zealand radio station playing an adult contemporary music format owned by MediaWorks New Zealand. The Breeze is heard in 25 markets across New Zealand and each market shows a mix of local and network programmes.
Mix was a greatest hits radio station in New Zealand, broadcasting music from the 70s, 80s and 90s. Mix was owned and operated by New Zealand Media and Entertainment. Mix is targeted at 35 to 54-year-olds. Its head office and studios were located in central Auckland, alongside New Zealand Media and Entertainment's seven other radio networks. In September 2020, Mix was replaced with Gold.
ZM is a New Zealand contemporary hit radio network owned by New Zealand Media and Entertainment. It broadcasts 19 markets throughout mainland New Zealand via terrestrial FM, and worldwide via the Internet. The network targets the 15–39 demographic specialises in a chart-music playlist of pop, rock, hip hop and dance music. It reaches approximately 486,800 listeners weekly, making it the fifth largest commercial radio station in New Zealand.
Radio Live was a nationwide Auckland-based New Zealand talkback, news and sport radio network owned and operated by MediaWorks New Zealand.
Kiwi FM was a New Zealand alternative music radio network. From 1996 to 2005, as Channel Z, it broadcast alternative and local music for a youth-oriented market. From 2005 to 2015, as Kiwi FM, it broadcast predominantly New Zealand independent music, to showcase local music across a wide range of genres and enable greater access to an international market for local contemporary artists. The station broadcast in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch on FM frequencies and globally through an internet stream. During its later years it operated as a non-profit subsidiary of MediaWorks New Zealand, and was affiliated with XFM and Triple J.
The Hits is a Hot adult contemporary music radio network, broadcasting to 26 markets across New Zealand. It was set up by Government broadcaster Radio New Zealand in 1993 by consolidating existing stations into a single brand and has been privately owned since 1996. The Hits has had the broadest broadcast reach of any radio network in the country since 1996, and is now available on 40 full-power FM frequencies and 18 iHeartRadio streams.
Hokonui is an Adult Contemporary radio station that first launched in Gore, New Zealand, broadcasting across Southland and now also broadcasts across South Otago and Mid Canterbury. Hokonui also from April 2015 was broadcasting in Taranaki until late in 2020 when it was disestablished by NZME and replaced by Gold AM. The name Hokonui comes from the Hokonui Hills which can clearly be seen in Gore and the Southland Plains.
Mai FM is New Zealand's largest urban contemporary radio network, promoting Māori language and culture and broadcasting hip hop and rhythm and blues. It is located in Auckland, and is available in ten markets around the country. The network targets 15- to 34-year-olds, and reaches an estimated 382,300 different listeners each week.
Rhema Media is a Christian media organisation in New Zealand. It owns radio networks Rhema, Life FM and Star, and television station Shine TV. It also publishes Bob Gass's quarterly devotional publication The Word For Today, and a youth version called The Word For You Today. Rhema Media is based in Newton, Auckland and is the founding organisation of United Christian Broadcasters (UCB).
WWCT is an FM broadcasting station licensed to Bartonville, Illinois. Through most of its history, the WWCT callsign was associated with Peoria's 105.7 frequency allocation; the call sign and related format was moved to 96.5 (Farmington) in 2003, then 99.9 (Bartonville) in 2006. The original 99.9 callsign, WIXO, and its music format, had moved to 105.7 in 2006.
KTXR is a radio station licensed to Springfield, Missouri, United States broadcasting a soft adult contemporary format. The station was previously a sports talk format known as "JOCK 98.7 ESPN." This format moved to 98.7 FM's sister stations KBFL and KBFL-FM on July 30, 2020, as part of the purchase of the Meyer Communications owned stations by Zimmer Midwest Communications.
Flava is a New Zealand classic hip hop and R&B music radio network. The network is owned by NZME Radio, and is operated and produced from the company's Auckland offices and studios on Graham Street. It competes directly with MediaWorks New Zealand's Auckland long-running modern urban music station Mai FM.
Te Whakaruruhau o Ngā Reo Irirangi Māori is a New Zealand radio network consisting of radio stations that serve the country's indigenous Māori population. Most stations receive contestable government funding from Te Māngai Pāho, the Māori Broadcast Funding Agency, to operate on behalf of affiliated iwi (tribes) or hapū (sub-tribes). Under their funding agreement, the stations must produce programmes in the Māori language, and must actively promote Māori culture.
Magic is a New Zealand oldies radio network owned by MediaWorks New Zealand. The network targets New Zealand's growing population of baby boomers with a line-up of veteran broadcasters. Its breakfast show, is hosted by Mark McCarron.