Radio frequencies for Star and Rhema AM will be changing on Wednesday 6 April 2022. Star will be available on 540AM, and Rhema will be available on 104.6FM.
Star listeners will now have uninterrupted access to the station. For over 24 years, Star in the Bay of Plenty has shared the Parliament radio frequency, meaning Star goes off air and switches over to live broadcast from Parliament whenever it is sitting.
Rhema Media’s Head of Marketing and Development, Chris Price, says many Star listeners value the constant companionship throughout the day:
“Star listeners will even leave it on in the house when they are out so that their home and pets have the constant peaceful presence… When the broadcast changes over to Parliament it is a jarring change in the atmosphere in the home, so this change to 540AM will mean that the serenity and companionship they receive from Star will be continuous without any unwanted intrusion from Parliament or transmission drop outs”.
David and Wendy Hennessey of Tauranga have been listening to Star for more than a decade:
“We’re excited, we heard about the possibility a while ago and we’re looking forward to Star being available 24/7 and without transmission issues. We thoroughly enjoy Star as a station—the banter, the speakers, and the music”.
Rhema listeners will also benefit from the changes. The shift from AM to FM will sound better—in stereo with greater fidelity—meaning sharper, clearer audio.
The change is the result of a repositioning of Rhema FM’s transmission site, says Chris Price:
“This has resulted in it having much better coverage, almost on par with the AM frequency in the Bay of Plenty. As a result the opportunity arose to make Rhema available on FM only.”
Rhema Media, which owns both Star and Rhema, is pleased to introduce these changes, says Chris Price, “to improve listening experience at no cost to Rhema or Star listeners, all they need to do is switch their frequency on Wednesday 6 April”.
Star listeners move to 540AM for round-the-clock access to the station. Rhema will be broadcast exclusively on 104.6FM for Bay of Plenty listeners to enjoy greater sound quality.
Any listeners who want help with navigating the changes can phone 0508 000 717 or email admin@rhemamedia.co.nz
Media Release 6 April 2022.