Today’s TV: Saturday 26 April 1986
from the NZ Listener
TV One
6.00am Bonanza (Rpt)
6.55 Paddington Bear (Rpt)
7.00 Secret Squirrel (Rpt)
7.25 The Muppet Babies
8.00 What Now
10.00 Get Smart (Rpt)
10.30 The Munsters (B&W) (Rpt)
11.00 The Man from UNCLE (Rpt)
Noon News
12.02 Saturday Matinee: Mrs Sundance (1974) (Rpt)
1.20 Sport on One
Includes yachting (Match Race Yachting), equestrian (NZ Horse Trials - cross country and showjumping), netball (Swiss Maid League - Verdettes v Carmel) and rugby (NSW v Canterbury; Queensland v Wellington)
6.00 Ready to Roll
6.30 News
7.00 The Cosby Show
7.30 Miss Universe New Zealand 1986
8.30 McPhail and Gadsby
9.00 It’ll Be Alright Late at Night
10.00 News
10.05 Entertainment This Week
Shortened programme
10.30 Dire Straits: Thank You Australia and New Zealand
Live from the Sydney Entertainment Centre; this programme is being simulcast on selected radio stations nationwide
1.00am Bogart (Late Movie): Dark Passage (1947) (B&W)
2.50 Doctor at Large (Rpt)
3.15 Target (Rpt)
4.05 Taxi (Rpt)
4.30 Early, Early Movie: Dakota Incident (1956) (Continues to 6am)
TV2
11.00am Africa (Rpt)
Noon Our World - The Battle of the Bison Forest (Rpt)
12.55 Fame (Rpt)
1.45 Saturday Afternoon Movie: The April Fools (1969)
3.25 The Ringed Seat
3.45 The People’s Court
4.10 More Real People
4.35 Vegetarian Kitchen (Part 2)
5.00 Emmerdale Farm (Double episode)
5.55 News
6.00 News Review
6.30 Metal Mickey
7.00 Fast Forward
7.30 Foreign Correspondent
8.30 Saturday Playhouse - Dr Fischer of Geneva
10.10 News
10.25 World Cinema: The Beads of One Rosary (1980)
A Polish film with English subtitles
12.15am Closedown
In 1985, Dire Straits embarked on a world tour of unprecedented proportions. Promoting their hit album “Brothers in Arms”, the tour included a thirteen-night residence at Wembley Arena (featuring Eric Clapton helping out) and a brief jaunt at Live Aid (featuring Sting), before winding up in Australia in the autumn of 1986.
They ended with a 21-night stand at Sydney’s Entertainment Centre, packing the place every night, and wrapping it all up with one final show on the evening of Saturday 26 April 1986. The show was televised live on TV One (now TVNZ 1) at 10.30pm NZ time.
Featuring the one-off calypso version of “So Far Away” and an impromptu version of the Australian folk anthem “Waltzing Matilda” (with the whole stadium providing the vocals), it was truly a show for the ages. This show represented a band at their very finest, a band that had perfected the art of transitioning from structured verse/chorus parts to solos and back, bringing the audience along on an emotional and gorgeous journey for each and every song.
The show, Dire Straits: Thank You Australia and New Zealand, was simulcast in FM stereo on the following radio stations, according to @Sleek822:
- KCC FM (Northland)
- 89.8 Kiwi FM (Hamilton and Tauranga)
- Radio 1XX (Whakatane)
- 93FM (Hawke’s Bay)
- Radio 2XS (Manawatu)
- 91 ZMFM (Wellington)
- 3ZM (Christchurch)
- 4XO (Dunedin)
- Foveaux Radio/4XF (Southland)
During the simulcast, some radio stations - including 1XX, 2XS, 3ZM, 4XO and Foveaux Radio/4XF - were available on the AM band as there were no FM frequencies at the time!
In May 1986 Christchurch’s 3ZM (or Hit Radio 3ZM as it was also known) was converted from 1323AM to 91.3FM, while Radio 2XS in Manawatu (aka Better Music 2XS, 828 2XS and Music 2XS respectively) changed frequencies from 828AM to 92.2FM and became known as 92.2XSFM or 2XS FM in October that year. A fortnight later, the AM frequency (828AM) was used to launch a second station known as Bright ‘n’ Easy 828.
In 1988 Whakatane’s Radio 1XX began broadcasting on 90.5FM and continued to broadcast on its original frequency (1242AM).
In 1990 Dunedin’s 4XO became what was known as 4XO FM after it converted to 97.4FM, but 4XO continued to broadcast on its original frequency (1206AM).
In 1991 Southland’s Foveaux Radio/4XF began broadcasting on 89.2FM and continued to broadcast on its original frequency (1224AM), although the AM frequency was later used exclusively for specialty programming such as talkback and sport.
Correct me if I’m wrong.
