New promotional image on FB, the “Classic Rock” tagline has also been dropped from the logo
Interesting although I don’t know if that really warranted basically shutting down the station for a week (or however long it was).
Martin Devlin not there anymore eh? I just looked at The Sound’s page and indeed he’s not listed - what was the reason for him going?
Also, I don’t know if anyone from Radio New Zealand reads this page or not, but I was pleased to hear the urban forecasts again after the 7 o’clock news this morning on National Radio 
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Came on at 7.30 and said management had said he was doing two jobs, Sound breakfast and the Devlin Sports Podcast Network (the latter of which is excellent, in my opinion) and they see growth in the DSPN and want him to focus on that. Says he found out on Friday and his photos were airbrushed out of the promo shots but that seems a bit last minute!
Just not needed. Weird planning.
Yeah I’m fairly crystallised in that it was a survey stunt to get a bit of talkability around the station and create some intrigue.
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Agree i think adding a bunch of new tracks warranted a station shut down seems they gave everyone a week off
Sorry didn’t warrant a shut down
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Just par for the course these days. Big build ups, teasing something awesome, and then…it all turns out to be a fizzer. That is with everything, not just radio,
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An independent review has revealed major internal issues at RNZ National amid falling ratings. It says ‘some people shouldn’t be on air’.
The review recommends at least one new high-profile hire “to signal ambition”, and that the flagship Morning Report show should be fully relocated to Auckland, to “counter perceptions of Wellington bias”.
Under audience focus, it says RNZ should be targeting people aged 50+, with a primary target of 50-69-year-olds.
RNZ is moving into TVNZ’s central Auckland premises later this year - and now plans to host more radio and production roles there.
There will also be “a strong focus on lifting on-air standards” with more training for presenters, RNZ told staff.
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I think it should be relocated to Dunedin, to get rid of the North Island bias.
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Hopefully this is the boot in the arse RNZ needs.
Intrigued to see who RNZ employs as Chief Audio Officer - and if they choose someone with commercial radio experience, and if that person is locally sought or from abroad (the role, like most executive-level positions, was advertised overseas too).
In terms of an ambitious “high-profile hire”.. no names come to my mind. I doubt anyone from ZB would be tempted to cross over (the likes of Hosking, Bridge, HdPA) but I might be wrong - and I suppose everyone has a price.
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An independent review by Richard Sutherland, RNZ’s then head of news, is one of several inputs guiding a new strategy at RNZ to address a decline in RNZ National’s live listenership.
The new plan targets listeners aged 50+, with a primary focus on the 50-69 year old demographic, and seeks to increase the cumulative audience to 500,000 by November 2026. The strategy also includes a significant shift in focus toward Auckland, treating it as the ‘strategic centre of gravity’.
Key changes for RNZ
The changes are in response to a continuous decline in live listenership for RNZ National, which has seen its cumulative audience drop from over 600,000 in 2021 to 468,000 this year. RNZ’s new strategy, influenced by Sutherland’s review, includes several key shifts:
Targeting an older audience
The new plan explicitly defines the target audience as ‘broadly 50-69, male and female’. Staff will be provided with data to better tailor the station’s content for this demographic’s preferences.
Focusing on Auckland
The review emphasised that Auckland must be treated as the ‘strategic centre of gravity’. This includes moving RNZ’s flagship early morning news and current affairs programme, Morning Report, to Auckland and creating a ‘more Auckland-focused team’. RNZ is also moving some radio and production roles to TVNZ’s central Auckland premises.
Programme and staffing reviews
The new plan will review all of RNZ National’s programming to ensure it aligns with the target audience. This may result in some programmes being discontinued, though RNZ has stated it’s not about reducing staff numbers but rather finding redeployment options for affected employees. The review also recommends an audit of on-air staff and a focus on raising on-air standards through more training.
These changes are part of a broader ‘turnaround strategy’ to improve the live listening experience and prevent the perception of RNZ becoming irrelevant.
Yep, we’ve all read the article(s) Paddy, no need to summarise them
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Thanks for the heads up, @OnAir.
What do we think RNZ needs more of?
Mediawatch is the only thing from them I regularly listen to although via spotify not on FM. I find RNZ national a bit dull and dreary to listen to from a presentation angle. The news shows and content is good but any sort of shows or features on music, culture or the arts are an instant switch off for me.
I do find it worrying that RNZ feels that moving more media to Auckland is a big answer to their problems. I guess since almost everything else is based there then they might as well be to.
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I think it needs to be pacier (which I think I’ve said before). Morning Report in particular is a trainwreck and very dull - Corin and Ingrid are just so inoffensive it’s unlistenable. Obviously being a public broadcaster they have to toe a fine line but the presenters need a bit of oomf, it’s a morning wakeup show.
I suggested a few ideas previously but someone like a Bernadine Oliver-Kerby (health permitting) or Ali Mau with Jack Tame or Eric Young could be good. Hell, even Tova if you don’t think her first radio stint was too cancerous.
I get the desire to move out of the Wellington bubble - and it’s largely a smart move - but there can also be an Auckland bubble too. Wellington is unique as a place, a lot of the culture, viewpoints and the like aren’t shared outside the region and I think it’s a problem that has got worse in recent years.
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Stand by this . . .
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