Media Release for Immediate Release – Monday 3 April 2017

Ali Pugh and Dave Fitzgerald to Host New Local Breakfast Show in Christchurch

3 April 2017 – The Hits is bringing Christchurch a new local breakfast show from April 10, on 97.7FM. TV personality and Christchurch local Ali Pugh will join Dave Fitzgerald for Ali and Dave weekday mornings, 6am-9am.

Pugh has been a regular guest on Fitzgerald’s show on The Hits recently, and NZME Chief Content Officer Mike McClung says it was these stints that revealed a great dynamic.

“From the first moment Ali dropped in as a guest with Dave, I knew we were on to something special. She’s a brilliant talent and we’re rapt to have her join our line-up on The Hits”.

Pugh will add radio to her busy week and continue her role as a reporter with TVNZ. She said, “I’m so excited, Christchurch is a great city and holds such a special place in my heart so to be joining Dave in the mornings and bringing some laughs to Canterbury is a dream come true.”

Fitzgerald, who has been in radio for 22 years, can’t wait to get started. “Ali is great, we clicked straight away and I’m excited to kick off the show.”

NZME GM Christchurch Greg Cassidy said “We feel there’s a real sense of local lacking here in Christchurch. Many of our clients are squeezed out of any local advertising opportunities with the networked shows and this change is about giving local Christchurch businesses opportunities they haven’t had for years.”

The announcement builds on news announced earlier this month that Sarah Gandy, Sam Wallace and Toni Street would expand their Sarah Sam and Toni breakfast show into more North Island markets, complementing an already stellar line-up of local breakfast shows across the country.

Tune in to Ali and Dave on 97.7FM from Monday April 10.

ENDS

Sources:

[1] Nielsen CMI, fused database: November 2016 (based on population 10 years +). Based on unduplicated weekly reach of NZME newspapers, radio stations, and monthly domestic unique audience of NZME’s digital channels

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