Radio Hauraki co-founder and legendary commercial radio pioneer David Gapes dies

David Gapes (c) on set with the cast of 3 Mile Limit, a programme about the pirate days. Photo / Supplied

Radio Hauraki co-founder David Gapes has died.

The news was confirmed this morning by his son Eddie, who called in to tell Coast host Lorna Riley. The radio legend reportedly loved listening to the station.

NZME Chief Audio Officer Jason Winstanley paid tribute to Gapes in a statement issued to the Herald: “David Gapes was one of Radio Hauraki’s four founders, broadcasting for the first time from the famous ship The Tiri back in 21 November 1966. He played a huge part in the station’s rich history and our team at Radio Hauraki and across NZME send our love and deepest condolences to David’s family and friends.”

Gapes’ death marks a sad day for New Zealand radio. The journalist, band manager and music lover was not only a Radio Hauraki co-founder but was the face of pioneering private radio, as well as local pop and rock music, from the late 1960s and through the 1970s. Pushing open many doors for the industry, Gapes was awarded the officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to broadcasting in 2019.

David Gapes (right) near the pirate radio ship Tiri aground on Great Barrier Island. Photo / Herald Historic Archive

With a background in journalism - which began in 1959 at Wellington’s Evening Post, Gapes also worked at the NZ Truth in Auckland before relocating to Sydney, where he spent two years at the Daily Mirror. While in Australia, Gapes became an expert in all forms of radio and began studying private radio in the northern hemisphere as well as Australia’s mix of public and privately funded stations.

Upon returning to New Zealand in 1965, Gapes reportedly felt frustrated by the state of the country’s broadcasting restrictions and lack of freedom. Convinced the government and New Zealand Broadcasting Service wouldn’t allow him to secure a land-based radio licence due to their lack of private licence approvals, he looked elsewhere. The ocean.

After successfully pitching the idea to Denis O’Callahan and attracting the interest of two ex-NZBC employees, studio technician Derek Lowe and announcer Chris Parkinson, the idea became a reality.

The four men became founders of Radio Hauraki, a sea-based private enterprise radio station in 1966, which in the face of governmental and departmental opposition won sufficient public support to break the state broadcasting monopoly.

It has been 40 years since David Gapes, left, and Denis O'Callahan were pirates of the high seas. Picture / Dean Purcell

Gapes publically headed Radio Hauraki’s fight against government policy in broadcasting and, when in 1969/1970 Radio Hauraki was afforded the chance to apply for a radio licence, steered the company through the application process.

A documentary released in 2014 said when broadcasting began, the pirates weren’t actually playing records on the boat.

The shows were recorded at an Auckland studio a week in advance, flown to Great Barrier Island, and ferried out to the radio boat, Tiri, and the records they played were often supplied by Air NZ pilots, who would go into Tower Records in Los Angeles and pick up a copy of every album in the top 40. It was initially thought it would only take them a few weeks at sea before the licence was granted, but the whole campaign took 1111 days in the end.

At the time Gapes received his Order of Merit, the honours citation stated he became chairman and chief executive of Radio Hauraki when the public company was formed in 1969 and stayed in the role until 1977. As private radio developed in the 1970s he was an unpaid adviser to many new applicants around New Zealand.

Gapes has managed the rock group Hello Sailor, been editor of AdMedia and Onfilm magazines, and founder and editor of the daily online newsletter M+AD.