Hokonui Gold
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| Broadcast area | Southland/Mid-Canterbury/South Taranaki |
|---|---|
| Slogan | "One Great Song After The Other" |
| Frequency | 94.8 FM Southland, 91.3 FM & 88.3 FM South Otago, West Otago 95.2 FM, 92.5 & 96.5 FM Ashburton, 1485 AM Twizel, 88.2FM & 1557 AM Hawera |
| First air date | 1994 |
| Format | Adult Contemporary |
| Callsign meaning | 4ZG |
| Former callsigns | 4ZG |
| Owner |
Radio New Zealand until 1994 Independently owned 1994 - 2004 Since 2004 - Independent but operated by NZME |
Hokonui (previously known as Hokonui Gold) is an Adult Contemporary radio network that is based in Gore, New Zealand and broadcasting across Southland, South Otago, Mid Canterbury and South Taranaki. The name Hokonui comes from the Hokonui Hills which can clearly be seen in Gore and the Southland Plains.
The station was formerly known as 4ZG or Radio Hokonui, which broadcast on 558 AM and was operated by Radio New Zealand. 4ZG was first started in 1981 and the station was used in the evenings to broadcast the Concert Programme until 1990 when Concert FM began broadcasting on its own frequency in Southland. Overnight during the 1980s the station carried the ZM All Nighter from the 1ZM studios in Auckland. In 1992 4ZG was reduced to just 4 hours a day of programming and outside this time a simulcast of 4ZA was played. In the eyes of many this change seemed the station was dying of a slow and painful death so as a result two locals purchased the station. In 1994 4ZG became Hokonui Gold and reverted to being live and local.
In 1996 Hokonui Gold made the move to FM when it began broadcasting on 92.4 (Forest Hill) and 94.8 (High Peak) but with a lack of FM Stereo sound found on most FM Stations. The 558 AM frequency was taken over by The Radio Network and was first used as a second frequency for Classic Hits ZAFM but later this frequency was used for Radio Sport. Over the years Hokonui Gold continued to operate independently and competed well against many new network stations that arrived in Southland during the late 1990s. Hokonui Gold prided themselves on being a local station and once published advertisements stating We believe Auckland radio should stay in Auckland and Our bosses don't live in Canada or Ireland, emphasizing the fact the station is locally owned and operated.
In 2004 the station was leased back to The Radio Network, the successor to Radio New Zealand's commercial operations. Despite this change Hokonui Gold still remained live and local but now used Newstalk ZB news service and The Radio Network advertising. One of the most popular shows on Hokonui Gold at the time was The Farming Show and this show is now played on Newstalk ZB in rural areas and across all of New Zealand on Radio Sport the show is now produced from the Radio Network studios in Dunedin. In 2005 both frequencies were moved to Hedgehope and the 92.4 FM frequency reassigned to Coast. In 2006 spot coverage to West Otago was established on 95.2 FM High Peak. FM Stereo broadcasting was introduced after 2009.
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