More than 30 documents released under the Official Information Act show RNZ sought another frequency for a youth channel for months, before dropping the idea.
The broadcaster scrapped its new plan to remove RNZ Concert from its FM frequencies and replace it with the youth channel in February after a public outcry.
The documents also outline how the new station would cost between $3 million and $8 million to set up and up to $2 million a year to operate.
Colin Peacock is the host of RNZ's Mediawatch and has been looking at the documents.
