Lakeland FM
| Company type | Radio broadcaster |
|---|---|
| Industry | Broadcasting |
| Predecessor | Radio Lakeland |
| Founded | 1960s |
| Headquarters | Taupō , New Zealand |
| Owner | The Radio Network (since 1996) |
Lakeland FM was a radio broadcaster located in Taupō, New Zealand.
Originally established in the 1960s by Radio New Zealand (then known as the National Broadcasting Service) under the name Radio Lakeland, the station initially transmitted on 1500AM (call sign 1ZA) in Taupō and on 1390AM (1ZT) in Turangi. After the AM frequency realignment across New Zealand in 1978, Taupō's transmission shifted to 1494AM while Turangi moved to 1386AM.
In 1988, the station began broadcasting on 96.7FM in Taupō, with National Radio taking over the AM frequency in 1989. Although Turangi's AM broadcasts ended that same year, the station resumed there on 89.6FM before later transitioning to 92.4FM. The brand Lakeland FM was officially adopted in 1989.
Ownership changed hands in 1996 when Radio New Zealand sold its commercial stations, transferring Lakeland FM to The Radio Network, a division jointly owned by APN News & Media and Clear Channel Communications, operating under the umbrella of the Australian Radio Network.
By 1998, The Radio Network integrated local stations into the Community Radio Network, with Lakeland FM serving as the central hub. While local breakfast programs continued, network content was broadcast from Lakeland FM’s facilities in Taupō.
In 2000, Turangi's relay on 92.4FM was replaced by Radio Hauraki, although listeners could still tune into Lakeland FM via Taupō’s 96.7FM frequency. That year marked the end of the Community Radio Network as all member stations joined the Classic Hits FM network. Consequently, Lakeland FM was rebranded as Classic Hits Lakeland FM, keeping its local breakfast segment but sourcing all other programming from Classic Hits studios based in Auckland.
Following government-mandated frequency changes in 2010, the station adjusted to 96.8FM and adopted the name Classic Hits 96.8.
When Classic Hits underwent a nationwide rebranding to become The Hits in 2014, Lakeland FM transitioned to The Hits 96.8. This change introduced a networked breakfast show hosted by Polly Gillespie and Grant Kareama, while local broadcasts from Taupō were discontinued and replaced by shared programming from The Hits Rotorua between 9 am and 3 pm.