List of radio stations in Wellington explained

This is a list of radio stations in the Wellington Region of New Zealand.

Note: Several FM stations changed their frequency during October 2010, as broadcast licenses were renewed and spacing standardized to 0.8 MHz. AM stations were also moved in 1978 when New Zealand switched from 10 kHz frequency spacing to 9 kHz spacing.

Wellington metro radio stations

FM stations

Nearly all full-power FM stations in Wellington broadcast from the Mount Kaukau transmitter. As a general rule, frequencies in Wellington are spaced 0.8 MHz apart, starting from 89.3 MHz.

Some Hutt Valley "infill" frequencies with transmitters at Towai or Fitzherbert have been allocated to the 0.4 MHz "gap" in between other stations.

Frequency^[1]	Name	Format	Licensed Transmitter	Licensed kW	Broadcasting on frequency since	Previous station(s) on frequency
88.6 FM			Tinakori Hill	1	1981 on 89FM
89.3 FM				40
90.1 FM			Kaukau Haywards Towai	40 0.8 0.8	1993	Broadcast on 89.8FM from 1990-1995 and 90.0FM prior to 2010 1990–1991 2ZB 1991–1993 B90 FM (same station but rebranded) 1993-2014 Classic Hits 90FM (same station but rebranded)
90.9 FM	ZM (originally ZMFM)		Kaukau Towai	80 0.8	1985
91.7 FM				80 0.8	2007	1990s - 1991 Fox FM renamed from Greater Wellington FM 1993–1995 The Heat 91.7FM 1995–1997 The Box 91.7FM 1997–1998 92 Hitz FM 1998 99-100 More FM (temporary simulcast) 1998–2005 Channel Z 2005–2006 Kiwi FM 2006-2007 More FM Wellington (temporary simulcast)
92.5 FM			Kaukau	80
93.3 FM			Kaukau	40	2010	Broadcast on 93.1FM prior to 2010
93.7 FM			Towai	0.8	01/07/2020	Broadcast on 93.5FM prior to 2010 1986 - 2007 91ZM 2008 - 2012 Easy Mix 2012 - 2016: Radio Sport 2016 - 30/06/2020: Mix
94.1 FM			Kaukau	40	1993
94.9 FM			Kaukau	16	1990s	also 100.9 FM
95.3 FM			Fitzherbert	1	2004	Station broadcast on 94.7FM prior to 2010 1996-2004 Channel Z
95.7 FM			Kaukau	40	2011
96.1 FM			Towai	0.8		Station broadcast on 95.6FM prior to 2010
96.5 FM			Kaukau Haywards	16 0.8	1999	Station broadcast on 96.3FM prior to 2010 1993-1998 Pirate FM
97.3 FM			Kaukau Haywards	16 0.8	2012	Stations broadcast on 97.5FM prior to 2010 1992 2XX Kapiti 1992–1993 Cadbury Moro FM 1994-1995 The Heat 91.7FM (temporary simulcast) 1995–1997 The Quake 97.5FM 1997–1999 Solid Gold 2000–2008 The Edge 2008-2011 Solid Gold
98.1 FM			Kaukau	25	2010
98.5 FM			Fitzherbert	0.63	1993	Station broadcast on 98.1FM prior to 2010 and relocated to Fitzherbert in 2020 1991–1993 Radio Windy/Windy FM
98.9 FM	Magic^[2] ^[3]		Kaukau Haywards	16 0.8	14/04/2023	Station broadcast on 98.9FM from 1991-2004 and 98.7FM from 2005-2010 1991–2004 More FM 2005-2019: Radio Live 19/01/2019 - 20/03/2022: Magic Talk; 21/03/2022 - 30/03/2023: Today FM
99.7 FM			Kaukau Haywards	40 0.8	1991	Station broadcast on 100.0FM prior to 2010 1990-1991 Windy FM
100.5 FM			Kaukau	16	2012
100.9 FM			Fitzherbert	0.8	2010
101.3 FM			Kaukau	8
101.7 FM			Towai	0.8		Broadcast on 104.5FM prior to 2010
103.7 FM			Kaukau	8	Jan 2019	2010-2019 Niu FM
104.1 FM			Fitzherbert	0.8	Jan 2019	2010-2019 Niu FM
104.5 FM	Channel X	Classic alternative	Kaukau	8	8 May 2023	Stations broadcast on 99.4FM prior to 2010 2005 - 2011 Coast 2011–2013 Radio Sport 2013 - 2015 Flava - 2019 George FM (on 106.7 LPFM) Sept 2019 - 23/04/2023: Magic on 98.9
105.3 FM			Kaukau	2	11/10/2022	2009–2010 Hit Radio X105; 2011 - April 2022: Wellington 105.3FM^[4]
106.1 FM	Wellington Access Radio^[5]		Kaukau	2.5	2017	2010 - 2016 Hutt Radio (previously 106.7 LPFM, now 88.3 LPFM)

AM stations

Frequency	Name	Format	Transmitter	Licensed power (kW)	Broadcasting on frequency since	Previous station(s) on frequency
567 AM				160	1978	previously 2YA also broadcast on 720 and 570 kHz^[6] from 1927–1978
657 AM				160	2000	1978–1986 Concert Radio, 2YC (that also broadcast on 840 and 660 kHz prior to 1978)
711 AM	SENZ^[7]		Horokiwi	16	19/07/2021	1992–2005 Radio Pacific 2005–2007 Radio Pacific and Radio Trackside 2007–2010 BSport and Radio Trackside 2010–2015 LiveSport and Radio Trackside 2015–2020 TAB Trackside
891 AM			Horokiwi	16	2015
972 AM			Horokiwi	12.5	1992
1035 AM				63	1993	1978–1993 2ZB (previously broadcasting on 980 kHz between 1937 and 1978)
1161 AM		Māori radio		32	1986	1978–1986 2ZM (previously broadcasting on 1130 kHz between 1969 and 1978 and using callsign 2YD between 1937 and 1969)
1233 AM			Horokiwi	12.5	31/03/2023	1990–1994 BBC World Service 1995–1996 Radio Liberty 1996–1997 BBC World Service 1997–1999 Southern Star 1999–2008 Solid Gold 2008-2019 Radio Live 19/01/2019 - 20/03/2022: Magic Talk; 21/03/2022 - 30/03/2023: Today FM
1503 AM			Horokiwi	16	01/07/2020	1982–1992 Radio Rhema 1997–1998 Sports Round Up 1998 - 30/03/2020 Radio Sport 30/03 - 30/06/2020: Newstalk ZB
1566 AM	To be activated. Licence created 28/04/2022, MBIE transferred to Radio Tarana NZ Ltd 30/08/2022		Horokiwi	16

Internet Radio Stations

The rise in internet radio stations has been prevalent in Wellington. Mouthfull Radio is the contemporary station that showcases community online radio from Wellington. Most stations also use an m3u stream on their website so you can listen online if you are outside of the band of radio in proximity.

Decommissioned frequencies

The following frequencies were previously used in the Wellington region, but most were decommissioned in the reallocation of frequencies in October 2010.

It is unlikely that most of these FM frequencies will be re-used as most do not fit within the current band spacing plan. Possible exceptions are 102.1/102.9 FM and 96.9 FM that fit the band plans for Wellington and Hutt Valley respectively.

Frequency	Status	Previous stations on frequency	Area served	Replacement frequency (if applicable)
89.0 FM	Decommissioned		Wellington	88.6 (Radio Active)
89.4 FM	Decommissioned		Upper Hutt / Hutt Valley	93.7 (Radio Sport - Hutt Valley transmitter)
90.0 FM	Decommissioned		Greater Wellington	90.1 Classic Hits 90FM
93.1 FM	Decommissioned		Greater Wellington	93.3 (Hauraki)
93.5 FM	Decommissioned		Hutt Valley	Easy Mix moved to 93.7 MHz & closed June 2012, replaced by Radio Sport
94.7 FM	Decommissioned		Hutt Valley	95.3 (More FM - Hutt Valley)
95.6 FM	Decommissioned		Hutt Valley	96.1 (RNZ Concert - Hutt Valley)
96.3 FM	Decommissioned		Greater Wellington	96.5 (The Rock)
96.9 FM	Decommissioned		Wellington & Hutt Valley (excluding Porirua)	100.9 Atiawa Toa FM
98.7 FM	Decommissioned		Greater Wellington	98.9 (Radio Live)
99.2 FM	Decommissioned		Porirua	98.1 (Life FM - Porirua)
99.4 FM	Decommissioned		Greater Wellington	95.7 (Coast)
100.0 FM	Decommissioned		Wellington / Porirua	99.7 (More FM)
100.7 FM	Decommissioned		Hutt Valley	104.1 (Niu FM - Hutt Valley)
102.1 FM	Decommissioned 2015 Crown Reserve
102.9 FM	Expired Licence 265411 Crown Reserve Maori	20-24/02/2019: Haka Translate Te Matatini ki te Ao (Event Broadcast)^[8]	Westpac Stadium/Wellington CBD
783 AM	Decommissioned 2017	1981 - 2017: Wellington Access Radio (original call sign 2YB) Samoan Capital Radio		106.1 FM Wellington Access Radio
1323 AM	Decommissioned	1988 - 1994: Aotearoa Radio

Low power FM frequencies

There are a number of Low Power FM stations that are operating, or have operated, in Wellington whose broadcast range may be less than that of the full-power FM stations.

Wellington

• AREC FM, 107.0, mono, BBC World Service. Good coverage of CBD right out to the airport and the station is commercial free.
• Calvary Chapel Radio, 106.9 stereo, near Newtown, Christian Radio
• Critical Analysis Broadcasting 107.1 FM, broadcasting to Kilbirnie, Melrose and Miramar, was on 107.5 til 8 March Talks of left-green persuasion
• Family Radio - Karori, 106.9 FM, Stereo, Bible-centred and God-glorifying broadcast. Bible readings, music, studies, and talkback discussion
• Fleet FM, 107.3FM Wellington from July 2003 until May 2010
• George FM, 106.7, (replaced Rova 1067 September 2019). Appears to be transmitting from on or around Victoria University in Kelburn
• Groove FM, 106.8, mono, located at Trades Hall, used for uplink to 107.7 transmitter
• Groove FM, 107.7, mono, some adverts, broadcasting from the CBD area
• High-Fi FM, 107.3, Wellington High School radio station
• Human FM, 88.1 stereo, eclectic music, poetry, Christian, broadcasting from Victoria University Anglican Chaplaincy (started May 2007)
• Kix FM 87.6 stereo, CBD, Capital Rock
• Kool FM, 107.3 stereo, adverts, NZ Radio School, Cuba Street
• Maranui FM, 106.7FM Lyall Bay School since 2008
• Matrix 107.5 FM mono, music and educational material
• Mix FM 87.9 MHz stereo, Grenada Village, Churton Park, Johnsonville, northern suburbs, Pop/rock music ranging from the 80s to today.
• MUNTfm, 88.5 stereo, broadcasting from old Museum, now Massey University, music mix incl. NZ music (monitored to have played Half a Bat Cat)
• Muse Radio, 87.9FM, Student radio Wellington Central
• only around Oriental Bay, 107.3, jazz, low power
• Radio Brooklyn, 106.9 mono, 0.5 Watts but superior location, opened 12. Feb 2008, plays copyright free speeches and university lectures, at 7pm relays Radio Netherlands Newsdesk and Democracy Now.
• Radio Island Bay 107.5 FM mono, broadcasting from Island Bay
• Radio Karori, 107.5 mono, political talks
• Radio Melina 107.4 MHz FM, stereo 1W output, broadcasting from Seatoun, .
• Radio Rainbow, 107.6
• Rova 1067, 106.7FM down town Wellington "The Rova All Day Breakfast with Polly & Grant" live and then replayed, started July 2017 (Stuff), George FM reinstated September 2019
• Up FM, 88.1FM Wellington, dance music launched October 2006
• Te Upoko O Te Ika,^[9] 87.6FM (simulcast of 1161AM) Maori radio Wellington CBD
• The Sound FM, 88.7, Plays all your hit music and your favourite jams from the 70s to today with shows that cater for everyone.
• The Wedge 88.1 FM, Newtown, weekday evenings
• TLC Radio, 88.0 FM,^[10] country music broadcasting for Wellington CBD, Mt Vic & inner hill suburbs

Upper Hutt, Lower Hutt and Petone

• 107.2 Secret FM, 107.2FM Lower Hutt Central, Youth radio established 2012
• 107.7 FM HIBS Student Radio, Hutt International Boys' School, Trentham, Upper Hutt
• andHow.FM 107.5, Stereo, Mangaroa Valley, Indie Rock
• Boom FM, 88.7, Electronica interspersed with classics and kiwi sounds
• Calvary Chapel Radio, 106.9, Christian Radio
• Core FM, 107.1 FM, Alicetown
• Hutt City FM,^[11] 106.7 FM, Lower Hutt
• Hutt Radio,^[12] 88.3 FM (previously 106.1 and 106.7 FM), Lower Hutt
• KIX-FM was a fully commercial rock radio station with studios in central Lower Hutt, Wellington, New Zealand. First going to air in 1993, it filled a gap in Wellington for a rock station when the former Radio Windy reformatted to an easy listening format as The Breeze in 1993. All the on-air staff on KIX FM were volunteers and new to radio. After the station went off-air in 1996 many of the original staff went on to work at some of the New Zealand's biggest radio stations including Mike Currie (Thrasher) on Radio Hauraki & The Sound, Spiros Foundoulakis went to More FM Wellington, Kris Miller worked for The Breeze in Wellington and David Cunningham (deceased) moved to Port FM in Timaru. After going off-air it was resurrected in 2001 as a low power FM radio station and is completely commercial free. Originally on 106.7FM, then 88.7 FM and 87.6FM 2010 - 2017, the station streams on the internet and is completely automated.^[13]
• Robot FM, 107.5 mono, Lower Hutt, broadcasting political talks (started May 2006)
• Supernova, 107.0, mellower music mix + NZ
• The Cheese FM, 87.9, Stereo, Lower Hutt. Broadcasting to Central Lower Hutt and the CBD Area. Hits of the 80's 90s and Today.
• The Hutt Valleys River FM 88 Upper Hutt and 87.6 Central Hutt, The station has been broadcasting since Feb 2009. We are a community station broadcasting live morning shows Mon-Fri with community & up to date commuter information as well as a wide range of music. Totally local the Hutts Best Music River FM and also streaming on www.riverfm.co.nz "click" the listen now button

Porirua

• AREC FM,^[14] 87.6, mono, Porirua, BBC World Service, simulcast on 87.9 Kapiti (see table below), and Wellington 107.0, in the CBD. Good coverage on SH1 from Johnsonville to Pukerua Bay Bay and the station is commercial free.
• Genesis FM, 88.1, mono, Porirua, Bible preaching
• S-FM, 88.3, stereo, Broadcasting from Pak'nSave, Porirua, Top 40, Urban, no broadcasts 13th,17th March 2018
• Tawa College FM, tba, Tawa only, plays rock songs apart from 1:20 - 2:15 on weekdays when there is a talk show
• World FM,^[15] 88.2, stereo, Tawa, World Music plus relays of WRN & Radio Six International

Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) trial in Wellington

Kordia operated a (DAB) test service between October 2006 and 30 June 2018. At the conclusion the trial transmissions were from Mt Kaukau in Band III on 192.352 MHz. The multiplex delivered a mix of DAB and DAB+ programmes over nearly 12 years. The programmes at the conclusion of the trial were:

Programme	Format	DAB/+	Bit rate kb/s
KDAB		DAB+	96 stereo
Base FM		DAB	128 stereo
		DAB	64 mono
		DAB+	96 stereo
		DAB+	112 stereo
		DAB	128/stereo
	Talk radio Finance	DAB+	32 mono
		DAB	128 j/stereo
		DAB+	96 stereo
Spice+	Punjabi radio	DAB+	96 stereo
	Contemporary Indian radio	DAB	128 stereo
		DAB+	96 stereo

Kāpiti Coast/Horowhenua radio stations

Frequency	Name	Format	Transmitter location^[16]	Licensed power (kW)	Broadcasting on frequency since	Previous stations on frequency
87.9 FM	AREC FM ^[17]			0.001	2018	Was 87.6 Waikanae Live
88.2 FM	Paekākāriki 88.2 ^[18]	Local issues and artists		0.001
88.7 FM	Vacant January 2021		Forest Heights	0.63		Reo FM
89.5 FM			Forest Heights	0.63
90.3 FM			Forest Heights	2.5		Was 90.2 Kapiti / 95.1 & 104.2 Horowhenua; Previous names 2XX & 95FM
91.1 FM			Forest Heights	0.63	2004
91.9 FM			Forest Heights	0.63
92.7 FM			Forest Heights	0.63	2004	Radio Sport until 2004, Classic Hits 92.7 until 2014 Same station but rebranded
93.5 FM			Forest Heights	0.63	19/07/2021	TAB Trackside
94.3 FM			Forest Heights	1	2012	Solid Gold FM, The Heat, The Box
95.1 FM			Forest Heights	0.5	2015	95.1 More FM Horowhenua (95.1 Relocated from Heights Road Shannon) More FM now 90.3 Kapiti & Horowhenua
95.9 FM			Forest Heights	0.63
96.7 FM			Forest Heights	0.63		Coast Access Radio
97.5 FM			Forest Heights	0.63
98.3 FM			Forest Heights	0.5
99.1 FM	Channel X	Classic alternative	Forest Heights	0.63	8 May 2023	2005-2019: Radio Live; 19/01/2019 - 20/03/2022: Magic Talk; 21/03/2022 - 30/03/2023: Today FM
100.7 FM			Forest Heights	0.63
101.5 FM			Forest Heights	0.5
103.9 FM			Forest Heights	0.5
104.7 FM			Forest Heights	0.63
106.3 FM		Local commercial radio	Forest Heights	0.63
107.5 FM	silent 1/04/2021			0.001		2016- ? Triple X FM ^[19]
1377 AM	silent 15/02/2020		Te Horo	8		2004-2020 Radio Sport

• Radio Kapiti, (frequency not recorded) holiday broadcaster

Wairarapa radio stations

Frequency	Name	Format	Location	Licensed power (kW)	Years	Previous station(s) on frequency
87.6 FM				0.001	01/072020	Oct 2019 - Mar 2020: Radio Sport 30/03 - 30/06/2020: Newstalk ZB
87.8 FM				0.001		3ABN
88.1 FM	Hit Student Radio^[20]			0.001
88.7 FM	Life FM	Christian radio	Masterton (Pariwhariki Trig)	0.32
89.5 FM			Wairarapa Valley (Popoiti)	4		Hitz 89FM (later known as Hitz 89.3FM), Today FM (not the Mediaworks brand)
90.3 FM			Masterton (Otahoua)	4		Classic Hits Wairarapa, Radio Wairarapa, 2ZD
91.1 FM			Masterton (Otahoua)	4	19/07/2021	TAB Trackside, Live Sport, BSport, Radio Pacific-Trackside
91.9 FM			Masterton (Otahoua)	4	Oct 2019	Radio Sport
92.7 FM			Wairarapa Valley (Popoiti)	0.8
93.5 FM			Wairarapa Valley (Popoiti)	4		Solid Gold FM
94.3 FM			Masterton (Otahoua)	4
95.1 FM			Wairarapa Valley (Popoiti)	4
95.9 FM			Wairarapa Valley (Popoiti)	4
97.5 FM	Rhema		Masterton (Pariwhariki Trig)	0.32
98.3 FM	Channel X	Classic alternative	Wairarapa Valley (Popoiti)	4	8 May 2023	Radio Pacific Radio Live; 2019 - 20/03/2022: Magic Talk; 21/03/2022 - 30/03/2023: Today FM
99.1 FM		Classical music	Masterton (Otahoua)	4
99.9 FM	The Breeze		Wairarapa Valley (Popoiti)	4
100.7 FM		Christian radio	Masterton (Pariwhariki Trig)	0.32
101.5 FM			Masterton (Otahoua)	4
105.5 FM			Wairarapa Valley (Popoiti)	4
105.9 FM				0.32
106.5 FM	Radio Eketāhuna	Local radio	Eketāhuna (Mount Bowen)	0.5		2ZE FM
846 AM		Talk radio	Masterton (Waingawa)	6.3		Community Radio Wairarapa, 2ZD (2ZD previously broadcast on 1180, 1170 and 840 kHz between 1931 and 1978)
1071 AM		Public radio	Masterton (Waingawa)	8

Notes and References

1. https://rrf.rsm.govt.nz RRF Licences Database; Frequency, Transmit Location and Power
2. Web site: Frequencies Wellington . 2023-04-19 . radioheritage.net . en.
3. Web site: Magic 98.9 Wellington & Hutt . 2023-04-14 . forums.mediaspy.org . 13 April 2023 . en.
4. Web site: Wellington 105.3 (Archived). https://web.archive.org/web/20161029105432/http://wellington105.3fm.co.nz. 29 October 2016.
5. Web site: Wellington Access Radio . accessradio.org.nz.
6. Web site: New Wavelengths 1-Dec-1933 . Grid Bias . . 30 November 1933 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200523004500/https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19331130.2.210.2 . 23 May 2020.
7. Web site: Listen live to SENZ. www.sen.com.au.
8. Web site: Te Matatini: Haka Translate Service. 24 February 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190224010636/https://www.hakatranslate.nz/ . 24 February 2019 .
9. Web site: Te Reo Irirangi O Te Upoko O Te Ika. www.teupoko.co.nz.
10. Web site: New Zealand Country Music Network . https://web.archive.org/web/20210119065428/http://www.countrymusic.net.nz/ . 19 January 2021 .
11. http://www.huttcityfm.co.nz Hutt City FM
12. http://www.huttradio.co.nz Hutt Radio
13. Web site: Rock Radio In Wellington KIX FM 87.6FM Wellington New Zealand (NZ) Classic Rock/New Rock.. kixfm.co.nz.
14. Web site: AREC FM – News Information Talk Music.
15. Web site: World FM New Zealand – LPFM Radio for Marahau, Stoke & Tawa. 25 August 2023.
16. https://www.rsm.govt.nz/the-register Register of Radio Frequencies
17. Web site: BBC – AREC FM.
18. Web site: Paekākāriki 88.2FM.
19. https://www.triplexfm.co.nz/ TripleXFM 107.5 Kapiti
20. Web site: 88.1 Hit Student Radio . https://web.archive.org/web/20200119061648/http://www.mc.school.nz/connect/student-radio . Makoura College . 19 January 2020.