AM and FM radio licence auction goes online

AM and FM radio licence auction goes online

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) has today released further details of the upcoming auction of AM and FM broadcasting licences.

Around 180 fully commercial licences are for sale, with tenure to 2031.

For the first time in New Zealand, these broadcasting licences will be sold via an online auction - managed by Turners. The auction will run on both the Turners website and Trade Me.

“Using these well-established, online sites means bidders around the country will have easy access to the auction,” says Len Starling, Radio Spectrum Manager at MBIE.

The auction is due to start on 27 November 2014 and will run for seven days.

“Radio spectrum auctions are held to ensure that licences are allocated to the highest value use,” Mr Starling said. “The auction will also mean long-term certainty for the successful bidders.”

Existing holders of temporary licences in these frequencies will be able to continue to broadcast until the auction process has been completed.

The auction catalogue has been published on the MBIE Radio Spectrum Management website at:

http://www.rsm.govt.nz/cms/policy-and-planning/projects/auction-13-2014-am-and-fm-licences-for-sound-broadcasting

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