An aerial shot of the new RNZ Pacific transmitter. Photo: RNZ
Shortwave transmission to the Pacific is "more important now" than in 1990 when RNZ Pacific first broadcast into the region, New Zealand's Deputy Prime Minister says.
RNZ went live on Thursday with its new Pacific shortwave transmitter, replacing its old one that dates to 1989.
Pacific high commissioners and Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters met in RNZ House in Wellington to mark the launch, while another delegation from RNZ was at the transmitter site in Rangitaiki near Taupō.
"It was very important back then but it's still seriously important now," Peters said, referring to when RNZ Pacific started.
New Zealand and China are now the only two countries providing a shortwave service to the region, with Australia's ABC pulling out in 2017.
RNZ has been broadcasting into the Pacific for the past 75-years using shortwave with the station RNZ Pacific launching in 1990.
"Shortwave is the most certain system there is to make sure that in a crisis, tsunami or cyclone, we can get through to them," Peters said.
In a NZ$4.4 million project, RNZ has installed a new Swiss-made Ampegon shortwave transmitter, capable of both digital and analogue signal, to replace its old transmitter.
Foreign Minister Winston Peters launched the new RNZ's Pacific Shortwave Transmitter on 1 August 2024. The service provides news and critical safety information across the Pacific service reaching 19 countries and nearly 2 million listeners. Photo: X / @NewZealandMFA
RNZ's chief executive Paul Thompson said it is a significant infrastructure upgrade and secures the future of the RNZ shortwave service into the wider Pacific.
He said shortwave is still relevant despite there now being a multitude of ways to access content.
"A lot of those [ways] rely on digital infrastructure, fibre links working, or local transmission assets, where shortwave beamed from New Zealand gets through to those communities."
Like Peters, Thompson said there could be a case for RNZ's transmission being more relevant now than ever because of climate change and rising geopolitical tensions.
"The importance of getting trusted reliable information to the Pacific Islands was really important in 1989 but I'd argue that it's as important now."
Thompson said the 2022 Hunga Tonga-Hunga Haʻapai eruption which took out internet connection in Tonga for five weeks was an example of the services importance - RNZ's broadcasting remained unaffected from the middle of the North Island.
RNZ Pacific broadcasts into the wider Pacific 24 hours a day, in English and Pacific languages, in collaboration with 22 media partners.
Thompson said the number of listeners is unknown. He said a survey to find out how many people are listening even if it was possible would be prohibitively expensive.
However, he said he knew people were listening, with RNZ Pacific journalists often finding listeners in the most remote locations.
Samoa's New Zealand High Commissioner Afamasaga Faamatalaupu Toleafoa said RNZ Pacific had been extremely useful, particularly in the villages, and in areas where broadcasting capability is limited.
Afamasaga said he was disappointed when the Australian public broadcaster shut down its shortwave service.
"I think that that's a sign of not disregard, but perhaps, being pulled down to a lesser importance to other things."
Foreign Minister Winston Peters, middle, launched the new RNZ's Pacific Shortwave Transmitter on 1 August 2024 in Wellington. In attendance were the High Commissioners or Consular representatives from Kiribati, Cook Islands, Samoa, Fiji, PNG and Solomon Islands. The service provides news and critical safety information across the Pacific service reaching 19 countries and nearly 2 million listeners. Photo: X / @NewZealandMFA
RNZ's Transmission Engineer Specialist Steve White said the project had gone smoothly - being on budget and was achieved without disruption to service.
RNZ Pacific Manager Moera Tuilaepa-Taylor said the new transmitter marks the next chapter of a proud legacy of sharing unique stories in the Pacific.