{{more citations needed|date=February 2025}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2014}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=October 2014}} {{Infobox radio station | country = NZ | name = The Planet 97FM | logo = Planet97s.jpg | airdate = {{Start date|1999|04|}} | last_airdate = {{End date|2004|04}} | area = Nelson, New Zealand | format = Hit Music | owner = Planet Media Ltd 1999-2001 <br />The Radio Network 2001-2004 | webcast = | website = }}
'''The Planet 97FM''' was a hit music radio station in Nelson, New Zealand.
==History== The station was founded in 1999 at 1 Haven Road, Nelson<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2000-10-21 |title=PlanetFM On Air |url=http://www.planetfm.co.nz/index.htm |access-date=2025-02-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20001021191713/http://www.planetfm.co.nz/index.htm |archive-date=21 October 2000 }}</ref> by Kevin Ihaia who was the former manager and founder of Fifeshire FM in Nelson.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Here's to the right time and place for a drink |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/9679634/Heres-to-the-right-time-and-place-for-a-drink |access-date=2025-02-06 |website=www.stuff.co.nz}}</ref> Ihaia left Fifeshire in 1998 after the station was sold to Radio Otago. Several ex-Fifeshire staff followed him to the new station. Ihaia left the station in 2001 and died in 2004. Originally The Planet was a locally owned and operated station playing Hot AC music.
After Ihaia left in 2001 the station was purchased by The Radio Network (TRN) and the music format was changed from Hot AC to a Hit Music format similar to the format used on network station ZM. The Planet FM slogan was changed to ''Today's Hit Music'', the same slogan used by ZM. Following the sale the station also moved its studios to The Radio Network's Nelson premises on Selwyn street.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2001-08-25 |title=Planet FM - Profile, Nelson New Zealand |url=http://www.planetfm.co.nz:80/profileindex.htm |access-date=2025-02-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010825005655/http://www.planetfm.co.nz:80/profileindex.htm |archive-date=25 August 2001 }}</ref>
In April 2004 TRN purchased the frequency that had previously been leased and The Planet FM was replaced with ZM with the station branded as ''97ZM''. Local content was replaced with content from the ZM network and The Planet brand was phased out altogether.
==External links== *[https://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.planetfm.co.nz Web archive of the Planet FM website]
==References== {{Reflist}} {{coord|-41.2719|173.2807|display=title}}
{{New Zealand Media and Entertainment}} {{Radio in New Zealand}} {{Nelson, New Zealand}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Planet 97FM}} Category:ZM (radio station) Category:Mass media in Nelson, New Zealand Category:Defunct radio stations in New Zealand Category:Radio stations established in 1999 Category:1999 establishments in New Zealand Category:Radio stations disestablished in 2004 Category:2004 disestablishments in New Zealand