Community Radio Hamilton is changing its name and frequency. What will this mean for fans of The Blues Room?

In April 2011 the 89FM (Hamilton, NZ) licence expired, and sat unused while the Ministry for Culture and Heritage developed new allocation criteria. In October 2011 the Ministry announced that Community Radio Hamilton was the successful applicant [see Waikato Times coverage].

Background
The frequency has had a number of users in its 25 year history. Initially it hosted University of Waikato student station Radio Contact, who renamed themselves Contact 89FM and started broadcasting on FM in 1986. In 1997, for reasons relating to student politics, the frequency licence was leased to other operators, and over the last several years has been on sold to a number of other operators - including The Generator, Backbeat FM and Rush FM. None of these stations have really delivered on the conditions of the licence, which described simply were to provide a radio station primarily for the use, development and entertainment of tertiary students.

The Waikato Students Union [WSU] attempted to get the frequency back from recent operator Backbeat FM, but this was unsuccessful and most recently the “ownership” changed again, passing to the operators of Rush FM.

What will this change from FM106.7 and AM1206 over to 89.0FM mean for listeners of the LIVE broadcast of The Blues Room on Wednesday nights? Nothing except a better reception and wider coverage. Listeners just need to change to 89.0FM to get the show from 1st August 2012. Thats all. Simple and sweet!

I can't tell you what the new name will be yet, but I will on The Blues Room come 1 August!!!