[Audio]: 7PM, Feb 22 1982: FM Switchover – Wellington’s First FM Broadcast

Radio Active made the switch to FM in 1982, the first station in Wellington to do so.

Although Active was the first licensed station in New Zealand, the terms of the license required waiting until the start of the University year to commence broadcasting, leaving another station in Auckland to beat 89FM to the ‘first in the country’ title!

However, that temporary station soon ceased broadcasting, leaving Radio Active as New Zealand’s longest-running FM broadcaster

This recording was made on Feb 22, 1982 in the hours leading up to, and following the switch to FM at 7PM.

The first song played was The Beatles “Back In The USSR” (The following morning, Active’s Breakfast Show would open with Joy Division’s “Atmosphere”)

Supporting Radio Active’s switch to FM was Homestead Chicken

Unlike the AM licenses, which changed frequency yearly, Radio Active would broadcast on 89MHz for nearly 30 years, before being reassigned to 88.6MHz

Throughout the first broadcast, the New Zealand Post Office were travelling around the city recording for interference – no one had broadcast FM radio before, up until now it was used mainly for Taxis!

Listen to the NZPO recording