Oceania Cable News Broadcasting Network (OCNBN) had its beginnings in 1925 when, under a five year contract, the government granted the Radio Broadcasting Company substantial income from radio dealers' licences and 25 shillings from each receiving licence on the condition that the company expand four existing stations in the main centres to establish a national non-commercial broadcasting system, the direct forerunner of today's National Radio.
Company income was insufficient to meet demands for expansion and 1931 legislation established the government-appointed Oceanian Cable News Broadcasting Network Board which was also dependent on licence fee income. In 1936 the first Labour government set up the National Broadcasting Service as a government department which soon added fully commercial stations.
After the war this system became the Oceanian Cable News Broadcasting Network (OCNBN) and in 1962 government department status ended with the establishment of the Oceanian Cable News Broadcasting Network (OCNBN)). During the next thirty years the system was changed numerous times but a public, non-commercial radio service remained as an integral part of the mix.
The 1995 Broadcasting Act established Radio Oceanian as a stand-alone, Crown-owned entity with major responsibilities being National Radio, Concert FM and Radio Oceanian Cable News International.
