The unbranded music format on the remaining Today FM stations has been replaced by a rather humourous audio loop advertising that a different station will replace the current one “in the next week or two”. The announcer sounds familiar, can anyone place it?
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Richie Culph - More FM Station VO, and is the head of digital audio at Mediaworks, so most likely will be something related to rova I’d imagine
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Audio here:
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I am “semi-excited” 
Christchurch’s Pulzar FM announced recently that, after nearly 25 years on air, it will be closing its doors in about two weeks from now.
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According to the (paywalled) Herald article below MediaWorks are offering Lloyd, Duncan and Polly podcast gigs.
Lobbyist Mark Unsworth, RNZ’s Guyon Espiner battle over MPs guide; some Today FM stars may get reprieve; Stuff’s paywall and NZ Herald response - NZ Herald
Just as George FM enters the market
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On reddit a person associated with the station indicates this is a key factor, especially as Pulzar are currently based out of Mediaworks Chch studios which is no longer an option for them with the George launch and MW must also have a role with their advertising which is also a factor.
I am thinking if you are a true Pulzar fan then the homogenized George FM will be a poor replacement.
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With Pulzar FM preparing to close down and George FM broadcasting to Christchurch on 95.3FM (from the Sugarloaf transmitter), I don’t know if Mai will take over from Pulzar FM on 100.9FM (from the Huntsbury Hill transmitter) as it currently broadcasts on a low power frequency (106.8FM) since the arrival of Today FM…
George FM broadcasts from the Auckland Studios. So I don’t think studio space is the reason.
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End of an era for the station, at least George FM will take control.
Yes I know, but it sounds like MW isn’t letting the Pulzar use their studio facilities anymore as they are operating a dance format station of their own which is fair enough really. Apparently it was leased monthly.
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Ah that makes sense. Sorry I misunderstood your comment.
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It’s a real shame about Pulzar. Proudly and fiercely local and a legitimate dance station.
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I don’t believe Mai FM or any other Mediaworks programme is allowed to be broadcast under the current local commercial licence for 100.9. Options for the licence:
- sell to a broadcaster who can meet the local commercial licence terms;
- return the licence to MBIE for cancellation noting that current owner Dew-Oh Holdings paid $60,000 to the previous holder; or
- there may be a possibility of converting licence to full commercial as Pulzar did with 105.7 at a cost of ~$315,000 in 2018, before transferring to NZME in 2020 after the two year transitional period.
It would be interesting to know what the cost to transition would be given licence has less than eight years to run
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Pulzar had also previously operated from the same address as NZME in Christchurch around the time their licence for 105.7 was transferred to NZME.
Yes, Pulzar have certainly had a unique arrangement in recent years. I believe they moved to Mediaworks when NZME reloacted into the central city last year.
Must have been ususual for NZME and MW have a fully local station operating on their premises, it’s not really a specialty for them.
Yep, spot on. It’s the only thing noted in the RSM’s Monthly Update:
The result of Auction 25 is as follows:
- Transmit Location: Southshore (Christchurch City)
- Frequency (MHz): 94.1
- Reserve Price (incl. GST): $6,448
- Sale Price (incl. GST): $256,100
- Winning Bidder: Rhema Media Incorporated
- Licence number: 298785
Source: RSM
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1-May: 106.7 2XSFM simulcast has replaced Coast on 1548kHz in Palmerston North. Nothing yet on official website or linked Facebook page.
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Just tuned into 104.5 in Welly and they’ve changed from the retune advisory to some loop with short random clips from all MW brands & other samples. Have they changed to this for any of the other unbranded frequencies?
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