Plains FM

Plains FM (later Plains Media) has broadcast on 96.9FM from Christchurch’s Ara campus since 29 February 1988, serving Canterbury as one of New Zealand’s twelve community access radio stations. Governed by the Canterbury Communications Trust and part-funded by NZ On Air, it produces over 100 programmes a week in 15 languages, representing communities largely absent from mainstream media. In April 2025, after 37 years, the station rebranded as Plains Media to reflect its expanded reach across digital platforms.