Radio Dunedin - History

History

The station first went to air on 4 October 1922, and celebrated 85 years of broadcasting in 2007. It has had a number of call signs over the years including DN, 4AB, 4ZB (not to be confused with the government-owned station of the same name), Pioneer Radio, and for from 1948 until the 1980s as 4XD. Between 1922 and 1990, 4XD was operated by the Otago Radio Association as a non-commercial and voluntarily run radio station. In 1990, Radio Dunedin was set up as a commercial radio station, and a few years later was purchased by Radio Otago Limited which also operated 4XO.

Radio Dunedin has broadcast on 1431 AM and 1305 AM, the latter of which it still uses. In 1997, the station began simulcasting on 90.2 FM Stereo, but this was for only a brief period before 90.2 FM became "Lite FM" and later Solid Gold. Over a decade passed before Radio Dunedin broadcast again in FM Stereo. Test signals began in mid-April 2008, with the official launch of 99.8 FM on Tuesday 6 May 2008. The station introduced live streaming on the internet in mid-2007. Slogans over the years have included 'one of a kind', 'easy listening', 'hits and memories', and (since June 2011) 'Good Talk, Good Music'.

Radio Dunedin broadcasts locally from Radio Otago House in the central city. Previous premises have been in Maclaggan Street and in the city's southern suburb of St Kilda Noted presenters and on-air announcers have included "Toots" Mitchell, Colin Lehmann, and Neil Collins.