4ZA

Infobox Radio Station


name = Southland's 4ZA
airdate = 1956
area = Southland New Zealand
frequency = 98.8 FM & 864 AM (until 1994)
format = Adult Contemporary
owner = Radio New Zealand (at time of rebranding) now The Radio Network
slogan =
callsign_meaning = 4ZA |

4ZA was a local radio station in Southland New Zealand. 4ZA began broadcasting in Southland on 864 AM in 1956 as a commercial station operated by the New Zealand Broadcasting Service. Before 1989 Radio stations in New Zealand were assigned call signs, 4ZA was branded as its call sign name 4ZA until 1993 when it became Classic Hits ZAFM.

In 1979 John "Boggy" Mcdowall joined the station and years later took on the role as the breakfast show host. Despite all the changes made to the station Boggy still hosts a very similar breakfast show today.

4ZA made the move to FM in 1991 when it began broadcasting on 98.8FM, 4ZA was the first commercial station in Southland to broadcast on FM. Years later 4ZA also switched to FM in Te Anau broadcasting on 90.4FM. Between 1991 and 1993 4ZA ran a country music show on the AM frequency on Sunday mornings and a Classic Hits show at the same time on the FM frequency, the same was done weekday mornings where Talkback would run on the AM frequency, it was at this time that announcers started calling the station Classic Hits 4ZA-FM. From 7pm to 6am the station carried RNZ Community Network programming in simulated stereo.

In 1993 Radio New Zealand rebranded many of their heritage stations as Classic Hits but some of the stations maintained part of the heritage name into the branding. For 4ZA the station became known as Classic Hits ZAFM and for most locals the change was seamless it was like the announcers just started calling the station ZA-FM instead of 4ZA-FM. The 7pm to 6am show was replaced with a stereo feed from Auckland branded Classic Hits, and originally with Auckland advertising.

In 1994 Classic Hits ZAFM stopped broadcasting on AM and the 864AM frequency was used by Newstalk ZB as it still is today.

In 1998 Classic Hits ZAFM was reduced to just 4 hours of local programming between 6AM and 10AM 7 days a week, outside this time nationwide shows based from Auckland took over and the announcers simply called the station Classic Hits. The change has seen the station turn into a network station with a local breakfast show, competitions are now held nationwide. In the past local listeners enjoyed local competitions such as Rices Sound of Southland but now this is a nationwide competition known as The Secret Sound. Also calling the studio is done by using a nationwide 0800 phone number instead of a local Invercargill number even during the breakfast show.

Today Classic Hits ZAFM is branded as Classic Hits 98.8 ZAFM although there appears to be a move towards dropping the "ZA" brand with the station often promoted as Classic Hits 98.8. Boggy McDowell still hosts the breakfast show and has been doing so for over 25 years now. The breakfast show still features Birthday Calls done by "Bertie Budgie" and the "Wooly Woofter Awards" are still held on Wednesdays. While the breakfast show remains local and still has that Southland touch music played on the station is actually selected by the Programme Directors in Auckland and even the same songs play in the same sequence across all Classic Hits stations in the country.

2006 marked the 50th anniversary of 4ZA and Classic Hits ZAFM and in October a reunion was held for all employees that ever worked on this station.