15 November 2016

Press Release

14th November 2016 Earthquake proves Hutt Radios’ Point

The Hutt Radio Trust has long been campaigning for a dedicated Community Radio Station in, and for, the Hutt Valley.

This has been stepped up recently as the Ministry for Culture and Heritage (MCH) decided that our old frequency of 106.1FM would be better served by gifting it to Wellington Access Radio (WAR) in April this year.

Aside from treating the Hutt Valley as second class citizens by denying it the voice the Valley had enjoyed for six years – and the latest radio ratings prove this – today’s earthquake proved the other main point the trust has been making for years: in the event of any natural disaster, the “main” stations, all based in the Aro Flat area of the CBD – the ones to rely on in an emergency – would be totally inaccessible.

And so it proved.

Newstalk ZB had no meaningful coverage to aid local people, except perhaps for phoned interviews with their local announcer by the Auckland studio – who also has to entertain the rest of the country. And play scheduled commercials.

As of 6pm 15/11/16, WAR has been totally off the air for at least 42 hours, unable to gain entry to their premises a few metres from Mediaworks and NZME stations. Not a good look for the station that said it could take over as the “Voice of the Valley”.

Had Hutt Radio still been on-air from our original premises – with power backups and willing volunteers – we would have been able to provide 24/7 the on-the-ground reporting, CD information and general coverage that the “big boys” abjectly failed to do.

Surely it is now time to give a license to Hutt Radio, REAL local radio!

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