Eric Bodell, radio broadcasting - Manawatu Conversations

Description

Broadcast on Manawatu People's Radio, 27th January 2026.
Radio was once the main source of entertainment in the family home
 Families gathered around the radio for music, requests, and shared routines
 Television later disrupted this shared listening culture and changed family life
 Palmerston North originally had only one commercial radio station, 2ZA
 Non-commercial national radio later filled a gap for listeners seeking alternatives
 Once all radio stations operated on the AM band, now most have switched to FM.
 Technical staff numbers were once large and essential to daily broadcasting
 The arrival of private and FM radio greatly increased competition and choice
 Modern networking has weakened the local presence of many radio stations
 Civil defence emergencies revealed serious flaws in centralised broadcasting systems
 Low-power community FM stations proved effective in local crises
 Volunteer-run stations like Radio Woodville show the enduring value of local radioMost radio stations are now streaming on the internet with potentially greater coverage than FM.

Identification

Date

January 27, 2026