Call signs in New Zealand
Call sign Location Original AM Frequency Notes
3XA Christchurch 1260AM Radio Avon , this station merged with C93FM which was closed down in 2001 . FM frequency was replaced with network station Solid Gold . Solid Gold was rebranded as The Sound in 2012
3XG Christchurch 1575AM Radio Rhema Christchurch
3XP Christchurch 1413AM Still operating today as Radio Ferrymead
3YA Christchurch 675AM Radio NZ National network
3YC Christchurch 963AM Formerly used for Radio NZ Concert programme
3YW Westport 1458AM Radio NZ National network , still broadcasting on 1458AM
3YZ Greymouth 918AM Radio NZ National network , FM only now
3ZA Greymouth 747AM Used to broadcast Radio Scenicland which became Scenicland FM in November 1992 , then West Coast 's Classic Hits Scenicland FM in 2001 and The Hits West Coast in 2014
3ZB Christchurch 1098AM Now part of Newstalk ZB
3ZC Timaru 1152AM Originally Radio Caroline , became Classic Hits 99FM in 1995 , South Canterbury 's 99FM in 1997 ( after leaving the Classic Hits network ) and Classic Hits 99FM in 2001 ( after rejoining the Classic Hits network ) and The Hits South Canterbury from 2014
3ZE Ashburton 873AM Originally 3ZE , became Ashburton 's Classic Hits 92.5 ZEFM in 2001 and The Hits Ashburton since 2014
3ZM Christchurch 1323AM Now part of ZM
3ZO Twizel 1485AM Twizel call sign for relay of Radio Caroline programme , discontinued in the 1990s
3ZR Reefton 1521AM Used to broadcast Radio Scenicland which became Scenicland FM in November 1992 , then West Coast 's Classic Hits Scenicland FM in 2001 and The Hits West Coast in 2014
List of call signs -- Region 3
Radio stations that originally broadcast on an AM frequency .
Call signs in New Zealand are no longer generally used to identify broadcast stations. However, New Zealand's radio stations were once known by their call signs and would usually broadcast their call signs as a number followed by X, Y, or Z, and another letter (e.g. 1YA). Call signs are regulated internationally by the ITU and nationally by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), formerly the Ministry of Economic Development. The ministry is also responsible for providing policy advice to Government on the allocation of New Zealand's radio spectrum to support, efficient, reliable and responsive wireless telecommunications and broadcasting infrastructure. In 1924, New Zealand was granted the prefix 'Z', and in 1925 the number of licensed amateur reached 100. In 1927 the International Telecommunication Union Conference in Washington (D.C., USA) established internally agreed upon call sign prefixes - New Zealand was assigned 'OZ'. In 1929 this was expanded to the ZK-ZM letter block, with New Zealand opting for the ZL prefix for land based stations. 'OZ' by 1927 was reassigned to Denmark. In 1969 the ZM prefix was allowed to celebrate the Captain James Cook bicentenary. In 1974 the prefix was allowed again to celebrate the Commonwealth Games, as well as in 1989 when the Games returned. In 1981 the ZL0 prefix was allowed for visitors to New Zealand.