Abstract
In 2005 a major multi-national media company launched a New Zealand radio network
that played only New Zealand music—Kiwi FM. Within a year it was clear that the
experiment had failed, with the network attracting only negligible audience ratings and
unsustainable commercial revenue. It was at this point that the New Zealand government
stepped in, granting the network free broadcasting spectrum and significant funding in
return for the ongoing promotion of New Zealand music. How this happened provides
critical insights into ‘third way’ approaches to the creative industries, and in particular,
local music as a cultural, political and economic commodity. Kiwi FM raises questions
about national musical cultures and how artists, governments and businesses interact in
these contested spaces. This article explores Kiwi FM as it moved from being a commercial
enterprise to a government partner from behind the scenes, using previously unseen
documents and interviews with key players in order to interrogate the utility of ‘third
way’ approaches to promoting and supporting the creative industries.
