Francesca Rudkin: Here's to another 100 years for ZB

Author: Francesca Rudkin,
Publish Date: Sun, 9 Aug 2026, 10:44am

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Today marks 100 years of ZB. There have been numerous different versions of the station over that time, different station names, frequencies, and formats. There have been many memorable hosts, a change in accents from British to casual modern Kiwi and, of course, an almost incomprehensible amount of coverage of all the major - and minor - domestic and global events of the last 100 years.

Given the media has always been a challenging, competitive and changeable industry, that ZB is still here, healthier and stronger than ever, 100 years after its first broadcast, tells us that the community, comfort, entertainment, discussion and analysis it works hard to provide means something to our listeners.

And the listeners are the point of it all. We’re only here because of our wonderfully diverse, interested and curious listeners from all around the country who text and call to agree or disagree agreeably with us, our interviewees, or each other.

You will all have your own memories or moments of ZB - and I would love to hear them throughout the show today. You can text on 9292.

I started listening to Newstalk ZB properly when I had my two children. I was working part time - mostly nights and weekends, and was fortunate enough to spend my days with the kids. As amazing as it was being in a bubble with my baby and a toddler, by 4pm I was pretty desperate for some adult company, so I’d listen to Larry Williams’ drive show.

Unknown to Larry, I chatted to him, nodded furiously in agreement, and probably blew raspberries when I begged to differ. He made me feel connected to the world and reminded me there were more things to think about than toilet training, mushed up food and the chaotic state of my house. Larry helped get me through those pre-school years, and I will always be grateful.

And that’s where I think, in my humble opinion, Newstalk ZB really gets it right.

For thousands of New Zealanders, the voice coming through the speakers isn't just information. It's company on a sleepless night, a familiar voice during the morning commute, or someone to share a joke or raspberry with while making dinner.

In a world increasingly shaped by personalised algorithms and endless scrolling tailored just for us, radio brings people together. It lets us share our stories with each other, learn more by debating issues together, and connects us with others who feel the same way.

Coming from a television background, I was a bit snobby about radio -TV people tend to believe television is the superior format. But all it took was one show back in 2018 and I was hooked on the immediacy of radio. What I’ve learnt over the last 9 years is that while radio might be one of the oldest forms of media it is still one of the most human.

Here’s to another hundy! However that looks.

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