Coast (radio station)
| Company type | Radio network |
|---|---|
| Industry | Broadcasting, Radio |
| Predecessor | The Wireless Station Ltd (as original operator) |
| Founded | April 26, 2004 in Auckland, New Zealand |
| Headquarters | Auckland , New Zealand |
Area served | 22 key cities and provincial areas across New Zealand |
Key people | Toni Street, Jason Reeves, Sam Wallace (presenters) |
| Products | Radio broadcasting (classic hits from 1970s and 1980s) |
| Owner | New Zealand Media and Entertainment |
| Parent | New Zealand Media and Entertainment |
| Website | www |
Coast is a New Zealand radio network specializing in "feel good" music primarily from the 1970s and 1980s. Broadcasting from studios located in central Auckland, it serves 22 key cities and provincial areas across the country. The network is owned by New Zealand Media and Entertainment.
Drawing an audience of around 315,100 listeners each week, Coast features a smooth programming style that includes concise hourly news segments, brief presenter interludes, limited commercial interruptions, and reduced clutter. Its core demographic consists of adults aged between 40 and 64, appealing mainly to established homeowners with discretionary income for luxury purchases and travel. The listenership is almost evenly split by gender, with women representing a slight majority of 52%.
Coast officially commenced broadcasting on 26 April 2004.
Origins
The station initially launched as a local broadcaster in Hawke's Bay in 2002. Its origins date back to 1995 when it operated as The Wireless Station on 1530 AM, focusing on music from the 1930s through to the 1950s. Managed by The Wireless Station Ltd until 1998, the station was subsequently leased or sold to Hawke's Bay Media Group and rebranded as Goodtime Gold, shifting its playlist toward hits from the 1960s and 1970s. In 1999, it adopted the name Gold 1530.
By 2000, The Radio Network had either leased or acquired the station, transforming it into Jammin' Oldies 1530 AM (JO 1530). Two years later, in 2002, it became the first station to operate under the Coast brand. Starting in 2004, programming originated from Auckland studios and was relayed back to Hawke's Bay via AM frequencies—initially on 1530 AM and later switching to 1584 AM in 2011—before extending its reach nationwide.
Rebranding and expansion
In 2004, the station was renamed Coast 1530 and began voice-tracked broadcasts from Auckland ahead of its Auckland market debut on 26 April that year. That same year marked the network’s growth beyond Auckland and Hawke's Bay into further locations. Initially, its music selection included tracks from the late 1940s through to the 1970s, with an emphasis on songs from the '50s to '70s.
By 2006, just two years after its launch, Coast climbed to third place in Auckland’s radio ratings. Programme director Mike Regal credited this achievement to catering specifically to the baby boomer segment—a group underserved by other stations—positioning Coast between youth-focused and older adult formats so as to attract a broad audience without alienation.
Development in recent years
Currently, Coast commands an audience of approximately 100,000 weekly listeners in Auckland, holding a market share of 5.1% and ranking sixth among local stations in a competitive environment.
By 2014, its musical repertoire had evolved away from pre-1960 tracks toward more contemporary artists such as Adele, aligning more closely with a Classic Hits format.
The network completed its transition to full FM broadcasting by late 2018 and early 2019, upgrading former AM-only markets including Hawke's Bay, Whangarei, and Taranaki.
In 2011, ownership of the original Hawke's Bay launch frequency at 1530 AM reverted back to its initial proprietors.
Coast Breakfast
The flagship morning show Feel Good Breakfast, hosted by Toni Street, Jason Reeves, and Sam Wallace, debuted in May 2020. In January 2021, this program expanded its reach to Tauranga, Coromandel, and Thames, replacing a local breakfast show previously presented by Brian Kelly—who had formerly hosted Coast’s breakfast slot—after he transitioned to GOLD SPORT's morning show.
Mike Oliver was Coast’s inaugural breakfast presenter until early 2011; he passed away in 2014. Oliver brought prior experience from Radio Liberty and served as a voice-over artist for Prime TV.
In Hāwera, a locally produced breakfast program titled The 1557 Breakfast aired on Newstalk ZB when it occupied the 1557 AM frequency. Following Newstalk ZB’s frequency change and cancellation of that show, Coast took over the slot until the frequency was reassigned to Hokonui.
Additional shows
Since 2015, Lorna Riley has hosted Coast’s weekday daytime segment. With over two decades of media experience—including roles as a traffic reporter for Newstalk ZB and appearances on programs such as Shortland Street—she succeeded founding daytime host Jacqui Taite who departed in 2011. Subsequent daytime hosts included Gael Ludlow (2012), Murray Lindsay (2013), and Nik Brown (2014).
The current host of Coast’s Feel Good Drive Home is Jon Dunstan, who took over in 2020 following Jason "JT" Tikao and Mel Homer. JT and Mel had assumed hosting duties in 2018 after Jason Reeves moved to the breakfast show replacing Murray Lindsay—a long-serving daytime host formerly associated with Classic Hits. Previous Drive hosts comprised Rick Morin until his departure in 2012 and John "Boggy" McDowell in 2013; McDowell transitioned from Southland’s Classic Hits after more than three decades before moving to Gore’s Hokonui in 2014 in an exchange with Nik Brown.
Jason "JT" Tikao now leads Coast’s Night Show airing from 7 pm until midnight; before this role commenced in 2013, this time slot was automated.
Weekend programming highlights include Old School Saturdays, which features hits from the ’70s and ’80s between midnight and 6 pm; Club Coast, delivering party tracks Saturday evenings from 6 pm to 2 am; and Double Shot Sundays, airing two consecutive songs by the same artist from early morning until midnight. Additionally, former ZM Morning Crew presenter Grant Kereama hosts Coast Feel Good Weekends from noon until six in the evening.
Stations
Since launching in Auckland in 2004, Coast has rapidly expanded its station network. Initially focusing on coastal locations before gradually extending into inland provincial centers such as Rotorua starting in 2008.
Frequencies
- Bay of Islands - 89.6 FM
- Northland - 96.4 FM / 900 AM
- Auckland - 98.2 FM
- Waikato -105.0 FM
- Coromandel -97.9 FM
- Thames -107.1 FM
- Tauranga -97.4 FM
- Rotorua -96.7 FM
- Gisborne -106.1 FM
- Hawke's Bay -99.9 FM
- Taranaki -106 FM /1323 AM
- Whanganui -98.4 FM
- Manawatū -105.8 FM
- Kāpiti Coast /Horowhenua -95.9 FM
- Wairarapa -91.9 FM
- Wellington -95.7 FM
- Nelson -100.8 FM
- Marlborough -94.5 FM
- Christchurch -90.1 FM /105.7 FM /1593 AM
- Dunedin -104.6 FM /954 AM
- Wānaka -94.6 FM
- Southland -92.4 FM
Additional services
News
Coast delivers hourly updates covering news, sports, traffic reports, and weather forecasts sourced from the NZ Herald newsroom alongside announcer commentary.
During breakfast hours (6 am–12 pm), Brin Rudkin presents half-hourly news and sports bulletins while Raylene Ramsay provides hourly updates throughout afternoons (1 pm–6 pm) via ZB Affiliates.
On weekends, news segments including sports and weather are broadcast every hour.
Promotions
The station frequently hosts competitions such as Toni Street's Big Spender, which awards a $10,000 shopping spree with previous prize destinations including Hawaii and Las Vegas. Furthermore, Coast organizes the Feel Good 500 Countdown, a week-long event where listeners vote for their favourite uplifting songs featured on air.
iHeartRadio
The Coast network stream can be accessed through the iHeartRadio service.[1][2]
Ratings
As reported in May 2025, Coast holds the tenth position in the commercial radio sector across New Zealand, capturing a 5.0% audience share.[3]
| Region | Audience Share | Variation | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nationwide | 5.0 | Template:Fluc | 10 |
| Auckland | 5.2 | Template:Fluc | 4 |
| Christchurch | 1.8 | Template:Fluc | 12 |
| Wellington | 4.6 | Template:Fluc | 8 |
| Waikato | 6.9 | Template:Fluc | 6 |
| Tauranga | 8.4 | Template:Fluc | 2 |
| Manawatū | 5.6 | Template:Fluc | 12 |
| Hawke's Bay | 2.8 | Template:Fluc | 11 |
| Northland | 15.3 | Template:Fluc | 1 |
| Dunedin | 3.7 | Template:Fluc | 11 |
| Taranaki | 5.4 | Template:Fluc | 9 |
| Nelson | 2.8 | Template:Fluc | 12 |
| Southland | 4.8 | Template:Fluc | 10 |
| Rotorua | 5.1 | Template:Fluc | 8 |