The Rock (New Zealand)

Infobox Radio Station
name = The Rock


area = New Zealand
branding = "The Rock"
slogan = "Music, It's the only thing we take seriously"
airdate = 1992
frequency = Various
format = Music (Rock)
erp = N/A
class = Terrestrial/Internet
callsign_meaning =
owner = MediaWorks NZ
website = http://www.therock.net.nz
webcast = [http://www1.streaming.net.nz/meta/rock-32.asx Listen Live]
callsign_meaning =

The Rock is a New Zealand rock music radio station. The station has in the past had some issues with the Broadcasting Standards Authority with a number of complaints upheld against broadcasts on The Rock. The Rock's major competitors are Radio Hauraki, ZM and Classic Hits. Every year they have The Rock 1000 counting down the biggest 1000 rock songs.

History

The station began in 1992 in Hamilton as "The Rock 93FM". A local version of The Rock also started in 1993 in Taranaki originally on 100FM but later moved to 95.6FM. A relay station of the Hamilton Rock was also created in the Bay of Plenty on 94.2FM. In 1996 The Rock created a regional network by replacing the Taranaki and Bay of Plenty stations with the Hamilton based The Rock station and also networked into Rotorua. In 1998 The Rock began networking to other regions in the North Island. In 1999 The Rock relocated their studios to Auckland and began broadcasting there, later that year RadioWorks bought Radio Otago and as a result the station was networked into the South Island. In Christchurch, Radio Otago had already been operating their own rock station called C93FM and this station was networked to Dunedin and Invercargill, C93FM actually played a Classic rock format similar to Radio Hauraki. RadioWorks replaced C93FM in Dunedin and Invercargill with The Rock and kept C93FM operating in Christchurch but changed it's format to Adult Contemporary and launched The Rock on a separate frequency. C93 no longer operates as the station failed to attract new listeners after the format change. Today The Rock broadcasts over most of New Zealand. Their slogan is "the best rock music from "the '80s, '90s and now".

The only remaining original members of The Rock crew are Rog & Tracey Donaldson. Tracey started at The Rock in 1992 and left for her OE (Overseas Experience) in 1996 but returned to The Rock in 2003. Other DJs to have left include Greenman, who went on his OE to the UK, Beachy (Christopher Beach) who moved into sales, and Julie.

Rock Jocks

The current morning radio show is known as The Morning Rumble with Roger (Rog) Farrelly and is on air weekday mornings between 5:30am and 10am. Nick Trott was also a member of The Morning Rumble, until in 2006, when he moved back to his home town of Hamilton in Waikato to work on the morning show on More FM. The Morning Rumble now consists of Rog & Leah Panapa assisted by ex-New Zealand cricketer, (Simon Doull) from 5:30am - 10:00am. Tracey Donaldson takes over from 10:00am - 3:00pm. Robert and Jono are on from 3:00pm - 7:00pm, then Bryce Casey from 7:00pm - 12:00am midnight, Casey attempted to break two world records. Casey's most notable attempt being to break the record for the longest time ten-pin bowling continuously, falling short only a few hours. Jason Mac is the DJ from midnight until the Morning Rumble arrive. Jason Mac is also the host of The Rock30 Countdown from 3 on Saturday afternoons.

Also on The Rock is The Axeman, Paul Martin, who hosts his own show called The Axe Attack on Sunday nights from 8pm. Paul is one of The Rock's longest serving DJs, presenting, programming and producing his hugely successful weekly metal show The Axe Attack on The Rock since 1992. He is one of NZ's staunchest ambassadors of Kiwi music (no less than 25% per show)5:30 - 10:00
* Roger Farrelly
* Leah Panapa
* Simon Doull
* Paul Ego
* Special Jimmy10:00 - 3:00
* Tracey Donaldson3:00 - 7:00
* Robert Taylor
* Jono Pryor7:00 - 12:00
* Bryce Casey12mid - 5:30am
* Jason Mac

8:00 - 12:00 Sunday Night
* The Axeman (Paul Martin) - The Axe Attack

Former Rock Jocks

* Nick Trott
* Christopher Beach (Beachy)
* Greenman
* Julie Moffet
* Bill and Ben

Do Stuff To...

On Fridays during The Morning Rumble, a section of the show was called "Do Stuff To Jono Fridays". Nick & Rog would think up stunts to do to fellow Rock Jock, Jono. Some of the stunts were "The Human Slushy", "The Pyramid of Fire", "Human Coleslaw", "Sleigh of Fire", "The Skater Ramp of Doom", a full body wax, and giving Jono a tattoo on his bum but not telling him that it was a love heart with Nick & Rog's names. Photos, video and details of all the "Do Stuff To Jono" episodes can be viewed [http://www.therock.net.nz/TheMorningRumble/DoStuffToJono/tabid/60/Default.aspx here] .

In 2006 when Jono got his own slot with Robert on weekday afternoons, the show became "Do Stuff To Jimmy". So far the stunts have included putting electrodes on his nipples, and on Friday 13th October 2006 was a bad luck day for Jimmy in the "Wok of Shame". Photos, video and details of the "Do Stuff To Jimmy" stunts can be seen [http://www.therock.net.nz/TheMorningRumble/tabid/75/articleID/735/Default.aspx here] .

Ratings

The most recent survey taken in April 2008 revealed that The Rock has 407,100 listeners and is the third most listened to station in New Zealand behind Newstalk ZB and The Edge. The Rock has the second highest market share in New Zealand with 10.4% of all listeners aged 10+ in New Zealand listening to The Rock. [http://www.radioscope.net.nz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1121&Itemid=39] The Rock has the most listeners in Dunedin and the highest audience share in Dunedin, Waikato, Hawkes Bay, Manawatu and Tauranga.

Frequencies

North Island Northland 90FM, Auckland 90.2FM, Tauranga 94.2FM, Waikato 93FM, Rotorua 92.7FM, Taupo 94.3FM, Gisborne 94.1FM, Taranaki 95.6FM, Wanganui 95.2FM, Hawkes Bay 95.1FM, Manawatu 95.4FM, Wairarapa 94.9FM, Kapiti 91.9FM, Wellington 96.3FM South Island Blenheim 91.3FM, Nelson 94.6FM, Christchurch 93.7FM, Ashburton 97.3FM, Timaru 91.5FM, Central Otago 98.3FM, Queenstown 100FM, Dunedin 93.4FM, Invercargill 90.8FM

External links

* [http://www.therock.net.nz/ The Rock Official Website]
* [http://www.mediaworks.co.nz/Default.aspx?tabid=70 RadioWorks Information Site About The Rock]
* [http://www.theaxeattack.com/ The Axe Attack Official Website]