Radio Live (stylised as Radio LIVE) was a nationwide Auckland-based New Zealand talkback, news and sport radio network owned and operated by MediaWorks New Zealand. It was formed by the 2005 split of talk and racing network Radio Pacific into a dedicated talk network which prioritised breaking news coverage (Radio Live) and a talk network which broadcast live horse racing and greyhound racing commentaries which initially retained the Radio Pacific name before a rebrand to Bsport and finally LiveSport. The network competes directly against NZME. station Newstalk ZB. In November 2018, it was announced that RadioLIVE would be merging with Mediaworks sister network, Magic, to form a talk-music radio hybrid known as Magic Talk, which started on 19 January 2019. Former TVNZ news presenter Peter Williams was the first host revealed for the new network. History Radio Pacific The network began as one, Auckland's Radio Pacific station, in 1978. Set up originally by talkback host Gordon Dryden, Radio Pacific became a New Zealand Stock Exchange listed company, with the Totalisator Agency Board as major shareholder. The company also bought a share of a group of North Island music stations known as Energy Enterprises and merged with the South Island radio company Radio Otago in 1999. The merged company, now known as Radioworks was purchased by a subsidiary of CanWest Global Communications which at that time owned the More FM radio network and TV3. CanWest later sold off the company as part of MediaWorks New Zealand. During the 1990s Pacific became one of the first stations to be networked across the country. Although ownership of the network changed, live races and live betting odds continued to be broadcast on the network in pre-determined, limited periods during the race day under a contract with the New Zealand Racing Board. Between 2001 and 2005, this was complemented by a trial Radio Trackside station in the Southland market which simulcast Trackside TV and Radio Pacific as a dedicated racing station. Relaunch In April 2005, MediaWorks launched the Radio Live talkback network with newsreader Sarah Bradley and talk host Martin Devlin, making it the first New Zealand radio network to begin broadcasting nationwide on the same day. It launched the station, "the new voice of talk radio", as a sister network to Pacific, "more stimulating talk radio". The new network gained many of Radio Pacific's frequencies and presenters, including Michael Laws, Kerry Smith until 2006