30 September 2004 - 0 Comments
In an update on the fate of Tauranga's Blowhole FM, latest news was that the Ministry of Economic Development had found a replacement frequency for the station, which is currently broadcasting temporarily on 106.4MHz.
However, at 2pm on Monday September 27 four members of the MED's Radio Spectrum management arrived in Tauranga with a search warrant and a seizure document, dismantling and removing Blowhole FM's broadcast rig, removing the station from the airwaves.
This was due to the station broadcasting on a frequency that was within the moratorium area of the FM spectrum, which they did knowingly in protest of their situation. However Blowhole state that they will from now on be playing by the rules due to the co-operation they have received from the NZ Government and at this time they are broadcasting on 106.7 (this is just outside the moratorium) at a greatly reduced rate of power.
Not to be defeated, the Blowhole crew set up a replacement rig was set up and returned to air.
The action taken by the Radio Spectrum group has created quite a stir in the Bay of Plenty, with protests being planned by the public including signwritten cars bearing the message "Save Blowhole FM" being painted, at the owners' own expense; and a petition being circulated which has so far received over 10 thousand signatures of support.
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