A Match Made In Hamilton

For immediate release

1 March, 2004

A Match Made In Hamilton

It’s not everyday one of New Zealand radio’s same sex couples celebrate their tenth anniversary, but on April 1st of 2004, The Rock’s breakfast hosts, Nick Trott and Roger Farrelly will do just that.

Yes, it was a match made in Hamilton. What started out as a one-night stand, (because management couldn’t find anyone else) has since blossomed into one of New Zealand’s longest standing network radio match-ups.

The years of hard nights and early mornings have taken their toll on the guys, but Nick still remembers it like it was a decade ago, “Yeah I saw Rog standing at the bar and I used the old classic on him, “So what do you want for breakfast?” and he said “A co-host”.

10 years on and Nick’s one-liners haven’t got any better, but they can still get a laugh out of Rog, and the other 175,700* folks sharing their breakfast table with the guys. Of course like any relationship, it’s had its fair share of ups and downs but never the less, they’ve endured it all to mark this, their tenth anniversary. Which, as luck would have it, is traditionally done with the exchanging of tin or aluminum… or even aluminum tins… no doubt filled with a bubbly brown liquid.

So this April Fool’s Day crack open an aluminum tin and raise it, to two of the country’s biggest fools as they celebrate one of New Zealand radio’s longest running jokes – Nick and Rog – The Morning Rumble – on The Rock.
SERVING UP BREAKFAST FOR 10 YEARS
Image can be found at:
http://mediacom.nzpa.co.nz/attachments/3021_md7041.jpg

From an audience of a few dozen listeners in Waikato milking sheds, to a breakfast audience of over 175,700*, The Rock’s breakfast team, Nick and Rog, celebrate ten years together on-air this April.

Nick Trott (32) and Roger Farrelly (31) – “The Morning Rumble” - have one of the longest-standing network breakfast shows in the country. Their popularity continues to grow as they serve up the breakfast show for New Zealand’s biggest rock station.

The Rock started in a basement in Hamilton in 1992 - its transmitter on top of Hamilton’s Hospital cafeteria. In 1994, management were in a dilemma as to what to do with the crucial breakfast slot. In the interim it was decided that The Rock’s night announcer Roger Farrelly and The Buzzard’s breakfast jock Nick Trott would fill in until someone suitable could be found. Nick and Rog debuted April Fool’s Day, 1994 and replacements have never been found.

Rog remembers the first couple of months well. “Nick and I would have breakfast show meetings with the boss and we’d come out of them ready to jump off the Claudlands Bridge . . . mind you, nothing much has changed”. Nick agrees, “we couldn’t work out why we weren’t toping the ratings, we thought we were hilarious … apparently no-one else thought so.”

Nick had no intention of ever working in radio. Originally from Otorohonga, he had planned to become a policeman – however, a mooning incident on a rugby bus trip put paid to that. Rog (born-and-bred in Katikati) has career beginnings steeped in legend - the story being that Rog arrived for his first interview at Tauranga’s Coastline FM with his Mum, wearing in his school uniform. When the station manager came to reception to greet “Mr Farrelly” he turned around and went back to his office – thinking that the kid in reception with his Mum was just picking up a prize.

Brent Impey, CanWest New Zealand CEO**, believes the boys have a long career in front of them, “ . . . their credibility as broadcasters goes from strength-to-strength and with the addition of new breakfast team members Simon Doull and Leah Panapa, I believe the show will generate an even wider appeal, compared with say, even 3-years ago.”

Nick & Rog now broadcast in fourteen markets across New Zealand. In the last ratings period, The Morning Rumble had significant growth in the competitive Auckland market for the lucrative 25 – 39 Male target audience#. They now hold the top spot in Auckland## and nationwide^ for this audience.

*Research International National Database 2/2003, Cumulative Audience, All 10+, Mon-Fri 6am-10am
Does not include figures from Kapiti and Taupo (not currently part of surveyed areas).

**CanWest New Zealand is the owner of RadioWorks NZ Limited - New Zealand's second largest radio group. RadioWorks owns and operates four national radio networks and 27 local stations in New Zealand.

# Research International Auckland 2/2003 & 1/2003, Stataion Share, Males 25-39 years, Mon-Sun 12mn-12mn

## Research International Auckland 2/2003, Station Share, Males 25-39 years, Mon-Sun 12mn-12mn

^ Research International National Database 2/2003, Station Share, Males 25-39 years, Mon-Sun 12mn-12mn

A VERY QUICK HISTORY OF THE ROCK & THE MORNING RUMBLE

1992 The Rock began broadcasting in basement below RNZ station ZHFM in Hamilton. Later that year moved to crappy premises on Victoria Street – above a sex shop.

1993 Rock consolidate in Waikato market with excellent survey results

1994 The Morning Rumble began. Legend has it the 1st of April was the duo's first on air show, but there were bugger all people listening at the time as they'd all switched off, believing it to be a very sick kind of joke. Ratings drop.
1995 The beginning of the turn around. The Rock was sold to The Radioworks and the show was networked to Tauranga. New Plymouth, Rotorua, Hawkes Bay and other towns followed.
1996 Current Rock Programme Director Brad King joins Rock team. Hundreds get culled in revamp. Amazingly Nick and Rog survive the trim.

1997 The Rock starts it’s own band ‘the Farrelly Brothers’. Nick and Roger win New Zealand Radio Award for best breakfast team in a regional market and take out number one station in Waikato.
1998 The Rock finally networks throughout New Zealand.
1999 The Rock is relocated to Ponsonby in Auckland. All of the Waikato listeners switch off.

2000 Rock becomes number one rock station in the Auckland market.
2001 Nick and Rog both have baby girls in a desperate attempt to increase ratings. Rock receives numerous complaints from listener in Hawke Bays. The Broadcasting Standards Authority come down hard on the Rock and are fined $38,000.

2002 Nick elopes and has another baby girl.
2003 Ex Black Cap cricketer Simon Doull joins Nick and Rog in the morning as sports anchor. The Rock’s business house cricket team goes from last to first place in one season. Nick and Rog claim responsibility with their ability to take wickets at crucial times. Leah Panapa joins The Rock and agrees to read news for the boys in the morning.

2004 Nick and Rog celebrate 10 years on air together.

ENDS

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