Radio Live (stylised as Radio LIVE) was a nationwide

Auckland Auckland ( ; ) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. It has an urban population of about It is located in the greater Auckland Region, the area governed by Auckland Council, which includes outlying rural areas and ...

-based

New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...

talkback,

news News is information about current events. This may be provided through many different Media (communication), media: word of mouth, printing, Mail, postal systems, broadcasting, Telecommunications, electronic communication, or through the te ...

and

sport Sport is a physical activity or game, often Competition, competitive and organization, organized, that maintains or improves physical ability and skills. Sport may provide enjoyment to participants and entertainment to spectators. The numbe ...

radio network There are two types of radio network currently in use around the world: the one-to-many (simplex communication) broadcast network commonly used for public information and mass media, mass-media entertainment, and the two-way radio (Duplex (teleco ...

owned and operated by

MediaWorks New Zealand MediaWorks New Zealand is a New Zealand-based company specialising in radio, outdoor advertising and interactive media. It is owned by Australian out-of-home advertising company QMS. It operates eight national radio brands, eleven websites and ...

. It was formed by the 2005 split of talk and racing network Radio Pacific into a dedicated talk network which prioritised breaking news coverage (Radio Live) and a talk network which broadcast live

horse racing Horse racing is an equestrian performance activity, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its bas ...

and

greyhound racing Greyhound racing is an organized, competitive sport in which greyhounds are raced around an oval track. The sport originates from Hare coursing, coursing. Track racing uses an artificial lure (usually a form of windsock) that travels ahead of th ...

commentaries which initially retained the Radio Pacific name before a rebrand to Bsport and finally LiveSport. The network competes directly against NZME. station Newstalk ZB. In November 2018, it was announced that RadioLIVE would be merging with Mediaworks sister network, Magic, to form a talk-music radio hybrid known as Magic Talk, which started on 19 January 2019. Former

TVNZ Television New Zealand (, "Te Reo Tātaki" meaning "The Leading Voice"), more commonly referred to as TVNZ, is a New Zealand state-owned media company and Crown entity. The company operates a television network, streaming service, and news se ...

news presenter Peter Williams was the first host revealed for the new network.

History

Radio Pacific

The network began as one,

's Radio Pacific station, in 1978. Set up originally by talkback host Gordon Dryden, Radio Pacific became a

New Zealand Stock Exchange New Zealand's Exchange (), known commonly as the NZX, is the national stock exchange for New Zealand and a publicly owned company. NZX is the parent company of Smartshares, and Wealth Technologies. , the NZX had a total of 179 listed securiti ...

listed company, with the

Totalisator Agency Board The Totalisator Agency Board, universally shortened to TAB or T.A.B., is the name given to monopoly Tote board, totalisator organisations in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. They operate betting shops and Online gambling, online betting ...

as major shareholder. The company also bought a share of a group of North Island music stations known as Energy Enterprises and merged with the South Island radio company

Radio Otago Radio Otago was a radio company that operated a group of local radio stations in radio markets around New Zealand from the 1970s to the late 1990s. Radio Otago was started in 1971 when Dunedin station 4XO was started, 4XO was originally branded ...

in 1999. The merged company, now known as Radioworks was purchased by a subsidiary of CanWest Global Communications which at that time owned the More FM radio network and TV3. CanWest later sold off the company as part of

. During the 1990s, Pacific became one of the first commercial stations to be networked across the country. Although ownership of the network changed, live races and live betting odds continued to be broadcast on the network in pre-determined, limited periods during the race day under a contract with the New Zealand Racing Board. Between 2001 and 2005, this was complemented by a trial Radio Trackside station in the Southland market which simulcast Trackside TV and Radio Pacific as a dedicated racing station.

Relaunch

In April 2005, MediaWorks launched the Radio Live talkback network with newsreader Sarah Bradley and talk host Martin Devlin, making it the first New Zealand radio network to begin broadcasting nationwide on the same day. It launched the station, "the new voice of talk radio", as a sister network to Pacific, "more stimulating talk radio". The new network gained many of Radio Pacific's frequencies and presenters, including Michael Laws, Kerry Smith until 2006 and Paul Henry until 2007. Live was a dedicated talkback network that could prioritise breaking news coverage, while Radio Pacific continued as a talkback and racing network on new frequencies. John Banks, Alice Worsley and Martin Crump remained behind on Radio Pacific to present morning talkback, while a Trackside TV simulcast, branded as Radio Trackside, was broadcast in the afternoon. On 29 October 2007, the station changed its morning format to

sports radio Sports radio (or sports talk radio) is a radio format devoted entirely to discussion and broadcasting of sport, sporting events. A widespread programming genre that has a narrow audience appeal, sports radio is characterized by an often-low comed ...

and introduced new presenters. It was initially branded as "BSport, the station you can bet on" and it was rebranded again as LiveSport in January 2010. On 31 January 2016, RadioLIVE news became Newshub. The first bulletin was presented by Leanne Malcolm. The last Newshub bulletin on RadioLIVE was at 11 pm 18 January 2019 and was presented by Brin Rudkin.

Programmes

Magic Talk broadcasts news updates, breakfast and drive current affairs, open-line talkback, and weekend lifestyle content. News, sports and weather updates are broadcast live half-hourly during current affairs programmes and hourly at other times, through a partnership with MediaWorks's 24-hour Newshub service. Newshub Live at 6 was simulcast live every night until 19 January 2020.

Breakfast

From 5 am - 6 am, Rural Today is hosted by agricultural journalist Dominic George. The show focuses inside and outside the farm gate, featuring rural news, detailed weather reports and sport, while covering hot on-farm topics as well as some off-farm too. Rural Today is broadcast on Magic Talk and on Magic Music in

Taranaki Taranaki is a regions of New Zealand, region in the west of New Zealand's North Island. It is named after its main geographical feature, the stratovolcano Mount Taranaki, Taranaki Maunga, formerly known as Mount Egmont. The main centre is the ...

. From 6 am - 9 am, The AM Show hosted by Duncan Garner, Amanda Gillies and Mark Richardson, with social media guru Aziz Al-Sa’afin. The AM Show is New Zealand's second groundbreaking multi-platform breakfast show, broadcasting simultaneously on Three and online; the first was Paul Henry, hosted by the broadcaster of the same name and ran from 2015–2016.

Daytime

From 9 am - midday Peter Williams hosts Magic Mornings, a three-hour show which invites its listeners to "discuss the news that affects you most. What's happening in NZ and around the world - you'll hear it first". Former morning hosts during the RadioLIVE era include Michael Laws,

Sean Plunket Oliver Sean Plunket (known professionally as Sean Plunket) is a New Zealand broadcast journalist. Plunket has worked for several New Zealand broadcast media companies and stations including Radio Windy, Independent Radio News (New Zealand), Ind ...

and Mark Sainsbury. Magic Afternoons was hosted by

from 12 pm - 4 pm (12 pm - 3 pm during 2019). This show allows listeners to call the free speech hotline for "no-holds barred common sense talk that you control". Former afternoon hosts during the RadioLIVE era include Willie Jackson,

John Tamihere John Henry Tamihere (born 8 February 1959) is a New Zealand politician, media personality, and political commentator. He was a member of Parliament from 1999 to 2005, including serving as a Cabinet of New Zealand, Cabinet minister in the New Zea ...

, Alison Mau and Wendyl Nissen.

Drive

Magic Drive (commonly known as The Ryan Bridge Drive Show) is hosted by Ryan Bridge from 4 pm - 7 pm (3 pm - 6 pm during 2019, followed by a live simulcast of

Newshub ''Newshub'' (stylised as Newshub.) was a New Zealand news service that operated from 1989 to 2024 and served as the local news division of Warner Bros. Discovery New Zealand until its closure. The division, known as ''3 News'' until 2016, had ...

Live at 6). With a mixture of current affairs and open-line talkback, this show sees its host, Ryan Bridge, driving the conversation home when listeners need it most, with unrivalled insight and the passion to share their truths. Previous drive hosts during the RadioLIVE era have included Paul Henry in 2005, 2007 and 2011, James Coleman in 2006, Bill Ralston in 2008, Maggie Barry in 2009 and 2010, Brent Impey in 2011, Duncan Garner from 2011–2016, Alison Mau from 2017–2018, and Lisa Owen in 2018.

Early Evenings

A daily

simulcast played from 6 pm nightly until 19 January 2020. Monday–Thursday from 7–8 pm was InFocus, a deeper look at the day's top interviews and stories, hosted by former More FM newsreader Brin Rudkin. The final edition was broadcast in December 2018 during the RadioLIVE era. On Friday evenings during the RadioLIVE era, the Outdoors Group Fishing Show ran from 7–8 pm.

Nights

Magic Nights is hosted by Leah Panapa from 7 pm - 11 pm. Time to discuss the day's events and have your say with what matters most to you. Previous night hosts during the RadioLIVE era have included Marcus Lush, Karyn Hay,

Andrew Fagan Andrew Fagan (born 1962) is a New Zealand writer, singer-songwriter and long-distance solo sailor. He grew up in Wellington. He gained fame in New Zealand in the 1980s as the lead singer of the pop group The Mockers.Bruce Hopkins, Emma Lange, Joe Reid and Hayden Rickard.

Weekends

Rural Exchange (commonly known as REX) is hosted by Richard "Loey" Loe and Hamish McKay. REX, which has been on air since August 2017, is a show dedicated to the backbone business of the nation, hosted by a couple of seasoned buggers. It broadcasts on Magic Talk (and on Magic Music in Taranaki) both Saturday and Sunday mornings from 6 am - 8 am. During the RadioLIVE era, REX ran from 5 am - 7 am and Sarah Perriam co-hosted the show until she left in early 2019 due to other commitments. On Weekend mornings during the RadioLIVE era,

Mucking In ''Mucking In'' is a New Zealand "reality" television programme A television show, TV program (), or simply a TV show, is the general reference to any content produced for viewing on a television set that is broadcast via over-the-air, s ...

landscaper Tony Murrell hosted The Home and Garden Show. He was joined on Saturday by former New Zealand Woman's Weekly food editor Helen Jackson and Sundays by interior designer Hamish Dodd and Stan Scott for advice on DIY. By mid-2019, The Home and Garden Show was replaced by The DIY Experts with Hamish Dodd and Stan Scott providing DIY tips and advice in a two-hour, fast-paced, question and answer type format; it broadcasts Saturday mornings from 8 am - 10 am. From 10 am - 1 pm on Saturdays is Weekend Life with Carly Flynn. It's your perfect accompaniment to your Saturday morning covering lifestyle, real estate, books, home styling and food & nutrition. The Sunday Cafe broadcasts Sunday mornings from 8 am - 1 pm, hosted by Mel Homer. With a blend of guests, interviews and talkback, The Sunday Cafe is described as "a conversation at a cafe, covering off the Sunday papers in a laid back way". Previous Sunday hosts during the RadioLIVE era were Wallace Chapman, Mark Sainsbury, Ryan Bridge, Heather du Plessis-Allan and Trudi Nelson. Saturday Sport hosted by Glen Larmer and, later, Brendan Telfer aired on Saturday from 2 pm - 6 pm, and included interviews with sports personalities and really getting to know our sports people. The final edition was broadcast in December 2018 during the RadioLIVE era. Sunday Sport hosted by Andrew Gourdie and Jim Kayes aired on Sunday from 2 pm - 6 pm, and included interviews with sports personalities and unique perspective for our sporting mad country. The final edition was broadcast in December 2018 during the RadioLIVE era. The Magic Talk Weekend Catch Ups fill the weekend afternoon schedule (after 1 pm) and feature clippings of the best segments from the previous week's shows. Occasionally, live talkback will replace the Magic Talk Weekend Catch Ups in the event of major news.

Weekend nights

Sunday Social with Vaughn Davis was broadcast on Sundays from 7 pm to 8 pm - the social media, app and internet show for the rest of us. It is a geek-free zone, where 'buzzwords' are forbidden and jargon is busted. The final edition was broadcast in December 2018 during the RadioLIVE era. Weekend Variety Wireless aired both Saturdays and Sundays from 8 pm - midnight. The talk programme had been part of the station since its inception, and focused on music, conservation, world issues and science. Regular contributors included linguist Max Cryer, Stardome Observatory astronomer Grant Christie, Sceptic Siouxise Wiles and American John Dybvig. Host Graeme Hill is a former Radio Sport and bFM announcer, Sports Cafe presenter and The Able Tasmans band member. His on-air name is a musical pseudonym, due to his 'embarrassment' performing under his real name. "For anyone with a curious bone in their body, tune into the most interesting radio show on the planet!" The final edition of the Weekend Variety Wireless was broadcast in December 2018 during the RadioLIVE era.

Newshub News Bulletins

Award-winning news bulletins, presented live hourly, are produced by the

Radio service. Network weekday newsreaders include Amanda Gillies (The AM Show), Mary-Jane Tomasi (Workdays), Geoff Bryan (Drive), and Richard Baddiley (Evenings/Overnights). Weekend and fill-in newsreaders include Trudi Nelson, Leanne Malcolm, Brin Rudkin, Karen McCarthy, Bridget Hastie, Kim Blair and Eric Young. Sports readers include John McNeil, Chris Forster, John Day and Bruce Rickard.

Magic Music

The Magic Music programme is being simulcast on the Magic Talk network from 11 pm - 6 am on Fridays and after 7 pm on weekends and public holidays. The Saturday Night Jukebox is commercial free and run from 7 pm - midnight on Saturdays, while, on Sundays, Country Magic is hosted by Mark Leishman and simulcast on Magic Talk until Tony Amos takes over at 11 pm. The final hour of Country Magic plays exclusively on the Magic Music network. Occasionally, live talkback will replace the Magic Music programme in the event of major news.

Stations

Frequencies

These are the frequencies Magic Talk broadcasts on: * Mid-Northland - 100.7 FM *

Whangārei Whangārei () is the northernmost city in New Zealand and the largest settlement of the Northland Region. It is part of the Whangarei District, created in 1989 from the former Whangarei City, Whangarei County and Hikurangi Town councils to admi ...

- 90.8 FM *

- 702 AM *

Waikato The Waikato () is a region of the upper North Island of New Zealand. It covers the Waikato District, Waipā District, Matamata-Piako District, South Waikato District and Hamilton City, as well as Hauraki, Coromandel Peninsula, the nort ...

- 100.2 FM *

Paeroa Paeroa is a town in the Hauraki District of the Waikato Region in the North Island of New Zealand. Located at the base of the Coromandel Peninsula, it is close to the junction of the Waihou River and Ohinemuri River, and is approximately 20 kil ...

- 98.0 FM *

Tauranga Tauranga (, Māori language for "resting place," or "safe anchorage") is a coastal city in the Bay of Plenty Region and the List of cities in New Zealand, fifth-most populous city of New Zealand, with an urban population of or roughly 3% of t ...

- 100.6 FM *

Bay of Plenty The Bay of Plenty () is a large bight (geography), bight along the northern coast of New Zealand's North Island. It stretches from the Coromandel Peninsula in the west to Cape Runaway in the east. Called ''Te Moana-a-Toitehuatahi'' (the Ocean ...

- 1107 AM *

- 93.3 FM * Whakatane - 92.1 FM *

Rotorua Rotorua () is a city in the Bay of Plenty region of New Zealand's North Island. It is sited on the southern shores of Lake Rotorua, from which it takes its name. It is the seat of the Rotorua Lakes District, a territorial authorities of New Zea ...

- 95.1 FM * Gisborne - 94.9 FM * Gisborne - 684 AM * Hawke's Bay - 106.3 FM * Hawke's Bay - 1368 AM *

Whanganui Whanganui, also spelt Wanganui, is a city in the Manawatū-Whanganui region of New Zealand. The city is located on the west coast of the North Island at the mouth of the Whanganui River, New Zealand's longest navigable waterway. Whanganui is ...

- 96.0 FM * Manawatū - 93.8 FM * Kapiti - 99.1 FM *

Upper Hutt Upper Hutt () is a city in the Wellington Region of New Zealand and one of the four cities that constitute the Wellington#Wellington metropolitan area, Wellington metropolitan area. History Upper Hutt is in an area originally known as Orongo ...

- 98.9 FM *

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 t ...

- 98.3 FM *

Wellington Wellington 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 third-largest city in New Zealand (second largest in the North Island ...

- 98.9 FM *

- 1233 AM * Blenheim - 95.3 FM *

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 ...

- 96.0 FM * Picton - 92.3 FM * Westport - 90.1 FM *

Kaikōura Kaikōura (; ) is a town on the east coast of the South Island of New Zealand, located on New Zealand State Highway 1, State Highway 1, north of Christchurch. The town has an estimated permanent resident population of as of . Kaikōura is th ...

- 89.1 FM *

Christchurch Christchurch (; ) is the largest city in the South Island and the List of cities in New Zealand, second-largest city by urban area population in New Zealand. Christchurch has an urban population of , and a metropolitan population of over hal ...

- 738 AM *

Timaru Timaru (; ) is a port city in the southern Canterbury Region of New Zealand, located southwest of Christchurch and about northeast of Dunedin on the eastern Pacific Ocean, Pacific coast of the South Island. The Timaru urban area is home to peo ...

- 105.9 FM * Mackenzie Country ( Tekapo and Twizel) - 91.0 FM *

Oamaru Oamaru (; ) is the largest town in North Otago, in the South Island of New Zealand, it is the main town in the Waitaki District. It is south of Timaru and north of Dunedin on the Pacific Ocean, Pacific coast; State Highway 1 (New Zealand), Sta ...

- 100.8 FM *

Alexandra Alexandra () is a female given name of Greek origin. It is the first attested form of its variants, including Alexander (, ). Etymology, Etymologically, the name is a compound of the Greek verb (; meaning 'to defend') and (; genitive, GEN , ; ...

- 95.9 FM * Queenstown - 91.2 FM *

Dunedin Dunedin ( ; ) is the second-most populous city in the South Island of New Zealand (after Christchurch), and the principal city of the Otago region. Its name comes from ("fort of Edin"), the Scottish Gaelic name for Edinburgh, the capital of S ...

- 96.6 FM * Southland - 94.0 FM

References

External links

RadioLIVE Official Website

MediaWorks Information About RadioLIVE

Media Works notice of Launch for BSport
{{New Zealand radio networks News and talk radio stations in New Zealand