RNZ Radio New Zealand Audio Archive and Collections

Overview

Radio New Zealand (RNZ) provides public access to audio collections and programme archives through its website at rnz.co.nz/collections. These resources include curated thematic audio collections drawn from decades of New Zealand broadcasting history, as well as on-demand access to recent programmes. RNZ is New Zealand's public service broadcaster and a Crown entity established under the Radio New Zealand Act 1995.

History and Background

Radio New Zealand's sound archive origins date to the late 1930s, when the state broadcaster established a special library of recorded material. A formal sound archives operation was established in 1956, based initially in Timaru. In 1998, Sound Archives Ngā Taonga Kōrero was established as a subsidiary of Radio New Zealand, combining its own archives with Ngā Taonga Kōrero, a collection established in the 1960s by the New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation to preserve Māori language content. In 2012, the RNZ Sound Archive collection was transferred to Ngā Taonga Sound and Vision, the national audiovisual archive, where physical holdings are now managed. RNZ continues to publish curated audio collections and programme content online.

Collections and Holdings

The RNZ collections portal hosts thematic audio collections on subjects including New Zealand history, music, culture, nature, politics, and the arts. Notable collections include Resounding Radio, a comprehensive 10-part series on the history of New Zealand radio from 1921 to 1996, and the Treaty of Waitangi audio collection. RNZ also produced oral histories and field recordings of significant cultural value. Recent and current programmes across RNZ National and RNZ Concert networks are available for on-demand streaming and podcast download.

Access and Usage

The collections portal at rnz.co.nz/collections is freely accessible. On-demand programme audio is available via the RNZ website and app. Older archival holdings not available online are managed by Ngā Taonga Sound and Vision.