Noel Wesney

ROCKHAPPENZ Public Collection

Noel Wesney  —  major instigator, original promoter, and managing director of Radio Avon

Radio Avon was launched in August 1973 and was Christchurch's first highly successful private commercial radio station.  It broke the state-owned broadcasting monopoly in Christchurch with its dynamic Top 40 format, heavy emphasis on local news, and high-energy city promotions. .....

Prior to the start of Radio Avon in August 1973, the only private station available in Christchurch was Auckland's Radio Hauraki - which could only be heard from the Port Hills.  Several of Avon's board members talk about challenges in getting the station started - including opposition from the government-owned New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation.  The new station was very popular from the start - with a Top 40 format and taking radio out in the community more than the NZBC had ever done.  A 1977 audience survey found that Radio Avon had over 50 percent of all Christchurch listeners aged 10 and over.   Avon's local news was a strong part of the station's strongidentity.  An excerpt of a local news bulletin read by Bob Sutton, and an excerpt of a report by Elaine Price.  Tom Clark, Avon's news director recalls the heavy emphasis on local news.  Avon made heavy use of telephone interviews - which the NZBC was not equipped to do - and used a lot of sound bites in their news stories.  Sales manager Malcolm Ballentine remembers the impact of Avon's commercials written by copywriter Tim Crowther for local retailers.  The station's Christmas parties were famous and clients would raise their advertising spend in order to be invited.  Radio Avon's station promotions were something the city had never seen before and had a huge public response, as several former staff recall.  Morry Shanahan remembers the personalities of Avon's announcers, which were a contrast to the more reserved NZBC approach.  Murray "Muzza": Inglis took over the breakfast show and gained a reputation for pushing boundaries with his style of humour.  In 1977 the NZBC relaunched rock station 3ZM with a new easy-listening format, as Radio Nova - Avon spelt backwards.  Morry Shanahan recalls his wife Heather Eggleton was working for Nova and was very unimpressed at the tactics.   Several key staff members departed at the end of the 1970s, which impacted the station's performance.  Ken Ellis was then Avon's programme director.  Don Douglas recalls the improving performance of local Radio New Zealand station 3ZB, under manager Earl Rowle.  The 3ZB breakfast duo of Pat Courtenay and John Craig was successful as 3ZM reverted to a youth format after the demise of Radio Nova.  The slide in Radio Avon's performance continued into the 1980s, and 3ZB eventually regained top-spot in the ratings.  Avon stayed on air until the late 1980s but never regained the extraordinary success it enjoyed in the mid-1970s.

The Incredible Radio Avon .....

The Radio Avon Pioneer - Noel Wesney .....

Radio Avon staff - picture taken circa 1980 ....

Before launching Radio Avon, Noel Wesney owned a business called Instant Music Limited, which specialized in in-flight programming for Air New Zealand and piped background music to businesses nationwide.  This experience provided the blueprint and the drive to establish a private commercial station in Christchurch.  Partnering with critical figures like Peter Greenslade and engineer Ian Kirkpatrick, Noel fought the government-owned Broadcasting Corporation to bring Radio Avon to the airwaves.  He is also humorously remembered in New Zealand media circles for a legendary, short-sighted quote regarding the early internet, famously stating - "I don't have time to waste online" and predicting the Internet would not last.  In the mid-1980s, Noel Wesney was the key figure behind Radio Avon Limited's push to launch a subsidiary FM music station called Music 90 FM.