The Breeze is a New Zealand radio station playing an adult contemporary music format owned by
MediaWorks New Zealand
MediaWorks New Zealand is a New Zealand-based company specialising in radio, outdoor advertising and interactive media. It is jointly owned by U.S. company Oaktree Capital Management and out-of-home advertising company QMS. It operates nine ...
, playing a variety of music from the 70s, 80s, 90s and also current hits. The Breeze network broadcasts in 21 markets throughout New Zealand, with each station presenting a mixture of local and network programming.
The Breeze had ratings success becoming New Zealand's number one music station, a rise from fifth in 2016 and in 2021 reaching its highest ever audience over 671,000 listeners. The Breeze, as of survey results in October 2021, is New Zealand's number one music station for the tenth survey in a row.
The Breeze launched a television channel called
The Breeze TV
Breeze TV was a New Zealand music streaming channel that was launched by The Breeze radio station on 16 April 2020 as a replacement for MediaWorks New Zealand
MediaWorks New Zealand is a New Zealand-based company specialising in radio, outd ...
in March 2020, which was acquired in December 2020 by
Discovery, Inc.
Discovery, Inc. was an American multinational mass media factual television conglomerate based in New York City. Established in 1985, the company operated a group of factual and lifestyle television brands, such as the namesake Discovery Channel ...
as part of its purchase of MediaWorks' television operations. Breeze TV became an online-only channel in March 2022.
History
Early years
The Breeze first started in
Auckland
Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The most populous urban area in the country and the fifth largest city in Oceania, Auckland has an urban population of about ...
,
Waikato
Waikato () is a local government region of the upper North Island of New Zealand. It covers the Waikato District, Waipa District, Matamata-Piako District, South Waikato District and Hamilton City, as well as Hauraki, Coromandel Peninsul ...
and
Wellington
Wellington ( mi, Te Whanganui-a-Tara or ) is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the second-largest city in New Zealand by metr ...
in 1993, when owner Independent Broadcasting Company rebranded local stations
91FM (Auckland), Kiwi 898FM (Waikato) and
Windy FM (Wellington) to The Breeze. The Auckland and Waikato stations previously played a Hit Music format and were changed to a
Hot AC
Adult contemporary music (AC) is a form of radio-played popular music, ranging from 1960s vocal and 1970s soft rock music to predominantly ballad-heavy music of the present day, with varying degrees of easy listening, pop, soul, R&B, quiet sto ...
format using the slogan "Not Too Heavy, Not Too Soft". Wellington was different; Windy FM had been playing
Classic Rock
Classic rock is a US radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock (AOR) format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format comprises rock music ranging generally from the mid-1960s through the mid 1990s, prima ...
before rebranding, and changed to the
Easy Listening
Easy listening (including mood music) is a popular music genre and radio format that was most popular during the 1950s to 1970s. It is related to middle-of-the-road (MOR) music and encompasses instrumental recordings of standards, hit songs, n ...
format that would be used on future The Breeze stations.
All three The Breeze stations operated separately from each other, with local shows in each market.
Change of ownership
In 1995 The Breeze in Wellington was sold to the
MORE FM Group, and in 1996 the parent company of The Breeze in Auckland and Waikato was sold to Prospect Limited.
At the end of 1996, Prospect Limited was sold to
The Radio Network, and in 1997 The Radio Network closed down The Breeze in Auckland and Waikato. It then used these frequencies to start
91ZM in Auckland, and 89.8ZM in Waikato.
The Breeze continued to broadcast in Wellington, and by 2000 the station was owned by
CanWest, along with MORE FM and
Channel Z, CanWest then purchased
RadioWorks, and in 2001 The Breeze became part of RadioWorks collection of local once off station known as LocalWorks. RadioWorks later known as MediaWorks Radio.
Expansion to other markets
The Breeze made a return to Waikato in 2003 when local station Y 99.3 was rebranded as The Breeze, retaining Y99.3 local announcers but changing music format from adult contemporary to easy listening.
In 2004, MediaWorks decided to make their local station branding consistent in each market: In regions where MediaWorks operated one local radio station, it was rebranded as
MORE FM
More FM is a New Zealand radio network that plays hot adult contemporary music. It is operated by MediaWorks New Zealand.
More FM broadcasts in 25 centres throughout New Zealand on 81 transmitters with a mix of local and network programming. ...
. If a second local station was operating in the region, that station became The Breeze.
Networking
In 2006 The Breeze launched in the Auckland market as a completely new station; this allowed MediaWorks to have the option to later network The Breeze to other markets.
In April 2007, Dunedin and Palmerston North were the first two regions to replace some of its local programming, focusing on delivering a local breakfast show only. Creating a network allowed The Breeze to launch in other markets such as Hawke's Bay, Bay of Plenty and Southland.
In March 2009, a live networked breakfast show was introduced. The networked breakfast could be heard in regions where there was no local breakfast show - regions with a live breakfast show were not affected. In 2010 the networked breakfast was replaced with the Auckland breakfast show, presented by ''The Two Robbies'' (Robbie Rakete and Robert Scott).
In 2015, The Breeze increased local programming with a local drive show introduced in the Waikato. The
More FM
More FM is a New Zealand radio network that plays hot adult contemporary music. It is operated by MediaWorks New Zealand.
More FM broadcasts in 25 centres throughout New Zealand on 81 transmitters with a mix of local and network programming. ...
local breakfast announcers in Dunedin and Hawke's Bay were moved to the local The Breeze stations in their respective markets.
In 2017, The Breeze Auckland moved away from a network product to become a fully local radio offering. All show day parts, including weekends and overnights, were now local to Auckland only - the only metro major radio brand offering this.
In 2018, The Breeze launched in Timaru, Oamaru, Ashburton, and the Mackenzie Country, increasing its local footprint with a local breakfast show broadcast to the regions.
Format change
Traditionally known as an easy listening radio station, The Breeze dropped this title in 2011. The Breeze in 2017 dropped 60's from its playlist. Positioned as "Your place to relax", with More Music, Less Talk.
Television arm
On 16 April 2020, The Breeze launched
Breeze TV
Breeze TV was a New Zealand music streaming channel that was launched by The Breeze radio station on 16 April 2020 as a replacement for MediaWorks New Zealand
MediaWorks New Zealand is a New Zealand-based company specialising in radio, outd ...
, a music TV channel on Freeview channel 14 and Sky channel 119.
On 1 December 2020, international media company
Discovery, Inc.
Discovery, Inc. was an American multinational mass media factual television conglomerate based in New York City. Established in 1985, the company operated a group of factual and lifestyle television brands, such as the namesake Discovery Channel ...
acquired Breeze TV as part of its acquisition of MediaWorks' television arm.
Stations
Network
Networked programming on The Breeze originates from the Auckland studios (except the workday show, which originates from the Christchurch studios since July 2022). The first network breakfast shown was ''The Two Robbies'' as the show was originally presented by Robbie Rakete and Robert Scott. In 2015 Robert Scott moved to the Drive show and was initially replaced by Anna Thomas, before Jeanette Thomas joined the show in 2016.
In April 2016 the Wellington breakfast show presented by Steve Joll and Kath Bier became the network breakfast show presented from the Wellington studios until the end of 2018.
Since January 2022 Justin Rae hosts the network breakfast show for markets that do not have local breakfast shows. Previously the show was hosted by Kris Edwards from January 2019 until December 2021.
The workday show has been presented from the Christchurch studios by Sarah van der Kley since 2022, previously this show was presented from the Auckland studios by
Kerry Smith
Kerry Lois Smith (29 March 1953 – 20 April 2011) was a New Zealand actor and broadcaster. Between 1978 and 1989, she co-presented the "Top Marks" breakfast show on 89FM in Auckland. She was a presenter on the radio station ''The Breeze'' from ...
until she died in April 2011 and Alison Leonard from 2011 until July 2022.
Robert Scott presents the Drive show and has done so since April 2015. Previously the show was presented by
Mark Leishman, before he moved to newly created MediaWorks station
Magic
Magic or Magick most commonly refers to:
* Magic (supernatural), beliefs and actions employed to influence supernatural beings and forces
* Ceremonial magic, encompasses a wide variety of rituals of magic
* Magical thinking, the belief that unrela ...
.
All regions take the networked night show which is presented by Tania Burgess.
Auckland
Launched on 12 June 2006 on the former
Solid Gold FM frequency with Solid Gold moving to 93.8 MHz. The Auckland studio is where all network shows are produced where all announcers also produce a local show for Auckland, with voice breaks tailored to the Auckland audience. In 2016 a local Auckland only breakfast show was reinstated presented by Robert Rakete and Jeanette Thomas. The major change in 2017, The Breeze Auckland is local 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The only major metro radio brand in New Zealand to offer a full local offering.
Auckland Local Programming:
Breakfast presented by Robert Rakete and Jeanette Thomas followed by Sarah van der Kley (from Christchurch) between 10 am – 3 pm, Robert Scott 3–7 pm, Tania Burgess 7 pm – 12 am along with local weekend shows. The Breeze Auckland is local 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Waikato
This station was originally
Waikato
Waikato () is a local government region of the upper North Island of New Zealand. It covers the Waikato District, Waipa District, Matamata-Piako District, South Waikato District and Hamilton City, as well as Hauraki, Coromandel Peninsul ...
's Y99.3 playing an Adult Contemporary Music Format. The station was relaunched as The Breeze in April 2003, this was the very first station to be rebranded as The Breeze.
Local Programming: Breakfast presented by Stu Smith and Camille Guzzwell.
Coromandel Peninsula
The Breeze broadcasts in Thames on 90.8 MHz,
Mercury Bay
Mercury Bay is a large V-shaped bay on the eastern coast of the Coromandel Peninsula on the North Island of New Zealand. It was named by the English navigator Captain James Cook during his exploratory expeditions. It was first named ''Te-Whangan ...
on 96.7 MHz,
Pauanui
The town of Pauanui (a Māori language name meaning "big pāua (abalone)") is on the east coast of the Coromandel Peninsula in the North Island of New Zealand. It lies at the mouth of the Tairua River on its south bank, directly opposite the l ...
/
Tairua
The town of Tairua is on the east coast of the Coromandel Peninsula in the North Island of New Zealand. It lies at the mouth of the Tairua River on its north bank and on the small Paku Peninsula. Tairua is a Māori name which translates litera ...
on 90.7 MHz and Whangamata on 99.5 MHz.
Tauranga
The Breeze launched in
Tauranga
Tauranga () is a coastal city in the Bay of Plenty region and the fifth most populous city of New Zealand, with an urban population of , or roughly 3% of the national population. It was settled by Māori late in the 13th century, colonised by ...
around September 2007 on 96.1 MHz, a frequency previously used by
Radio Pacific
TAB Trackside is a New Zealand horse racing and sports broadcast network, incorporating two pay TV channels. The TV channels are available on Sky channels and the Spark Sport streaming service. The radio station broadcasts on 14 AM radio and 16 ...
, (now 873 kHz), then by
Radio Live
Radio Live (stylised as Radio LIVE) was a nationwide Auckland-based New Zealand talkback, news and sport radio network owned and operated by MediaWorks New Zealand.
It was formed by the 2005 split of talk and racing network Radio Pacific i ...
, (now 1107 kHz). More recently it moved to 95.8 MHz.
Local Programming: Breakfast presented by Jolene James and Max Baird.
Rotorua
The Breeze launched in
Rotorua in 2008 broadcasting temporarily on 96.7. Previously 96.7 had been used to broadcast
Mai FM
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 targ ...
into Rotorua, RadioWorks purchased Mai FM in March 2008 and replaced Mai FM with The Breeze. However, when
The Radio Network purchased the 96.7 MHz frequency in July, it switched frequency to 91.9 MHz, formerly used by
Radio Live
Radio Live (stylised as Radio LIVE) was a nationwide Auckland-based New Zealand talkback, news and sport radio network owned and operated by MediaWorks New Zealand.
It was formed by the 2005 split of talk and racing network Radio Pacific i ...
.
Hawke's Bay
Commenced broadcasting 6 August 2007, on 97.5 MHz, the frequency previously used by Radio Pacific (now 549 kHz), then by Radio Live (now 106.3FM). In 2015 a local breakfast was introduced when More FM Hawkes Bay announcers Kevin Wagg and Megan Banks moved to The Breeze. In April 2017, Martin Good moved from The Hits to The Breeze. In September 2018, Good's former co-host from The Hits, Sarah, also moved to The Breeze Breakfast. In January 2022, Sarah was replaced by Jacque Tucker (transferred from
More FM Rodney).
Local Programming: Breakfast presented by Martin Good and Jacque Tucker. Saturday Breakfast with Grant Bailey.
Taranaki
The Breeze originally launched in
Taranaki
Taranaki is a region in the west of New Zealand's North Island. It is named after its main geographical feature, the stratovolcano of Mount Taranaki, also known as Mount Egmont.
The main centre is the city of New Plymouth. The New Plymouth D ...
in February 2008 broadcasting on 100.4 MHz, a frequency not previously used by any other station, however after less than six months on the air this frequency was taken over by student station
The Most FM. The Breeze was relaunched on 92.3 MHz, a frequency that ironically was previously occupied by
The Most FM. Before switching to a live networked breakfast in March 2009.
Manawatu
This station was originally
Manawatu's
Magic 98.6FM. It was relaunched as The Breeze in 2004 when
RadioWorks rebranded all their
Easy Listening
Easy listening (including mood music) is a popular music genre and radio format that was most popular during the 1950s to 1970s. It is related to middle-of-the-road (MOR) music and encompasses instrumental recordings of standards, hit songs, n ...
stations as ''The Breeze''.
Local Programming: Breakfast presented by Chris Burn (Burnzee).
Wairarapa
The Breeze began transmission across the
Wairarapa
The Wairarapa (; ), a geographical region of New Zealand, lies in the south-eastern corner of the North Island, east of metropolitan Wellington and south-west of the Hawke's Bay Region. It is lightly populated, having several rural service ...
from the Popoiti transmitter southeast of
Greytown and northeast of
Martinborough
Martinborough ( mi, Wharekaka) is a town in the South Wairarapa District, in the Wellington region of New Zealand. It is 65 kilometres east of Wellington and 35 kilometres south-west of Masterton. The town has a resident population of
The town ...
in March 2010. It originally broadcast on 99.8 MHz, a frequency which had previously been used by More FM Wairarapa's Martinborough infill (which moved to 105.5 MHz). In October 2010, the frequency was altered slightly to 99.9 MHz as part of the nationwide realignment of FM frequencies.
Kapiti Coast
The Breeze began transmission across the
Kapiti Coast
The Kapiti Coast District is a local government district of the Wellington Region in the lower North Island of New Zealand, 50 km north of Wellington City. The district is named after Kapiti Island, a prominent island offshore.
The pop ...
and
Horowhenua
Horowhenua District is a territorial authority district on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand, administered by Horowhenua District Council. Located north of Wellington and Kapiti, it stretches from slightly north of the town of ...
regions in late 2004. This occurred when RadioWorks replaced all of their local stations with the More FM brand. Subsequently, local station 90.2 2XX FM was rebranded as More FM, however as there was already a local More FM station in existence on 99.6 MHz, that frequency became The Breeze 99.6.
Wellington
Wellington
Wellington ( mi, Te Whanganui-a-Tara or ) is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the second-largest city in New Zealand by metr ...
is the home of the very first ''The Breeze'' radio station under the Easy Listening format. The history of this station dates back to the 1970s as
Radio Windy
Radio Windy was a local radio station in Wellington, New Zealand. Radio Windy first started by ''Capital City Radio Limited'' broadcasting in Wellington in 1973 on 1080 kHz with the call sign 2XW. In 1976 the station moved to 890 kHz ...
and later Windy FM when the station switched to
FM. Radio Windy changed formats several times from
Easy Listening
Easy listening (including mood music) is a popular music genre and radio format that was most popular during the 1950s to 1970s. It is related to middle-of-the-road (MOR) music and encompasses instrumental recordings of standards, hit songs, n ...
to
Adult Contemporary
Adult contemporary music (AC) is a form of radio-played popular music, ranging from 1960s vocal and 1970s soft rock music to predominantly ballad-heavy music of the present day, with varying degrees of easy listening, pop, soul, R&B, quie ...
to
Classic Rock
Classic rock is a US radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock (AOR) format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format comprises rock music ranging generally from the mid-1960s through the mid 1990s, prima ...
before changing back to Easy Listening when the station became The Breeze in 1993. The format of The Breeze in Wellington was then rolled out to other stations in 2003 and 2004.
The local Wellington breakfast show with Steve Joll & Kath Bier became the network breakfast show into selected regions from April 2016 until December 2018. From 2019 the show reverted to being a local show for Wellington.
In May 2021, Shelley Venning replaced Kath Bier as co-host of the local breakfast show.
Local Programming: Steve Joll and Shelley Venning present a local breakfast show. Weekend programming between 6 am – 6 pm is local.
Nelson
The Breeze launched in
Nelson
Nelson may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Nelson'' (1918 film), a historical film directed by Maurice Elvey
* ''Nelson'' (1926 film), a historical film directed by Walter Summers
* ''Nelson'' (opera), an opera by Lennox Berkeley to a lib ...
in March 2008 broadcasting on 97.8 MHz. Previously this frequency was used to broadcast
Radio Pacific
TAB Trackside is a New Zealand horse racing and sports broadcast network, incorporating two pay TV channels. The TV channels are available on Sky channels and the Spark Sport streaming service. The radio station broadcasts on 14 AM radio and 16 ...
and more recently
BSport
TAB Trackside is a New Zealand horse racing and sports broadcast network, incorporating two pay TV channels. The TV channels are available on Sky (New Zealand), Sky channels and the Spark New Zealand#Spark Sport, Spark Sport streaming service. ...
, however these stations broadcast on 97.6 MHz, and now broadcast on 990 kHz. The Breeze is now on its old Radio Pacific frequency 97.6 MHz.
Local Programming: Breakfast presented by Blair Kiddey
Marlborough
In January 2008 RadioWorks purchased ''Marlborough Media,'' which operated two local stations
Sounds FM
Sounds FM was a radio station in the Marlborough region of New Zealand. Sounds FM had its origins as a school-based radio station, X-Static FM operated by ''The X-Static Society.'' The station was based at Marlborough Boys' College and broadca ...
and Easy FM. Later in 2008 Easy FM was rebranded as The Breeze broadcasting on 96.1 MHz.
Christchurch
This station was originally
Canterbury's Lite 94.5 FM. It was relaunched as The Breeze in 2004 when
RadioWorks rebranded all their
Easy Listening
Easy listening (including mood music) is a popular music genre and radio format that was most popular during the 1950s to 1970s. It is related to middle-of-the-road (MOR) music and encompasses instrumental recordings of standards, hit songs, n ...
stations. Programming on this station is local between 6 am and 3 pm including weekends.
Local Programming: Breakfast presented by Dave "Fitzy" Fitzgerald & Hilary Muir and the workday show is presented by Sarah van der Kley.
South Canterbury
MediaWorks purchased Timaru radio station
Port FM
Port FM was a local radio station based in Timaru, New Zealand that broadcast throughout South Canterbury and the MacKenzie Country. It also operated as a network with sister-stations in Ashburton and Oamaru known as 'Port FM Local'. Port FM's ...
in April 2018 with Port FM being rebranded as More FM shortly after. Before this acquisition, MediaWorks had operated many of their network stations in the South Canterbury and West Coast of the South Island under a franchise agreement with Port FM. Following the sale of Port FM The Breeze was started in Timaru on 89.9FM and 92.3FM and the local breakfast announcer from Port FM was moved to The Breeze South Canterbury.
Local Programming: Breakfast presented by OJ Jackson.
Dunedin
The Breeze began in
Dunedin
Dunedin ( ; mi, Ōtepoti) is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand (after Christchurch), and the principal city of the Otago region. Its name comes from , the Scottish Gaelic name for Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. Th ...
at 7pm on 3 December 2004 a week after the frequency's former 98
More FM
More FM is a New Zealand radio network that plays hot adult contemporary music. It is operated by MediaWorks New Zealand.
More FM broadcasts in 25 centres throughout New Zealand on 81 transmitters with a mix of local and network programming. ...
switched to 97.4 MHz. Initially, the program was a simulcast of The Breeze Christchurch. In April 2007 Tracy Chambers (the daytime announcer) was moved to the breakfast show to present a local breakfast. In October 2021 The Breeze Breakfast show with Damian & Hannah is simulcast to Radio Dunedin due to Owen Rooney's departure on 1 October 2021.
Local Programming: Breakfast presented by Damian Newell and Hannah Wilkins
Queenstown
Radioworks purchased
Queenstown radio station Q92FM in March 2006 and later rebranded the station as Q92 The Breeze. Originally Q92FM played Adult Contemporary Music but was changed to the Easy Listening format used by The Breeze when the station was rebranded. Q92 The Breeze could also be heard in Wanaka on 96.8 MHz and previously in Central Otago (however Central Otago now takes the networked The Breeze). In late 2009 the station traded places on the FM dial with
99.2 More FM with the More FM station becoming Q92 99.4 More FM (the 99.4 MHz frequency is for Wanaka). At the same time the local breakfast show that was on The Breeze in Queenstown was moved to More FM with The Breeze in Queenstown now running networked shows at all times. Q92FM was purchased by Australian radio
mogul Kevin Blyton in November 1992 and was later sold.
Central Otago
The Breeze began broadcasting in
Central Otago in 2007 originally this station was a relay of the
Queenstown programme with Queenstown advertising. In 2009 this was replaced with the Auckland-based network feed with local Central Otago advertising.
Southland
The Breeze launched in
Southland Southland may refer to:
Places Canada
* Dunbar–Southlands, Vancouver, British Columbia
New Zealand
* Southland Region, a region of New Zealand
* Southland County, a former New Zealand county
* Southland District, part of the wider Southland Re ...
at 11 pm on Sunday 28 October 2007 on 91.6 MHz, a frequency previously used by
Radio Pacific
TAB Trackside is a New Zealand horse racing and sports broadcast network, incorporating two pay TV channels. The TV channels are available on Sky channels and the Spark Sport streaming service. The radio station broadcasts on 14 AM radio and 16 ...
. Radio Pacific was rebranded as
BSport
TAB Trackside is a New Zealand horse racing and sports broadcast network, incorporating two pay TV channels. The TV channels are available on Sky (New Zealand), Sky channels and the Spark New Zealand#Spark Sport, Spark Sport streaming service. ...
the following morning and in Southland moved to 1224 kHz.
References
External links
*
Radio Works Information Site About The Breeze
{{DEFAULTSORT:Breeze
Radio stations established in 1993
MediaWorks New Zealand
*