 | |
Native name | Te Reo Tātaki o Aotearoa (Māori) |
|---|---|
| Company type | Crown entity company |
| Industry | Broadcast television |
| Predecessor | |
| Founded | February 1980; 45 years ago (1980-02) |
| Headquarters | Auckland, New Zealand |
Number of locations | New Zealand |
Area served | Nationally (New Zealand) and somePacific Island nations such as theCook Islands,Fiji, and theSolomon Islands |
Key people | Jodi O'Donnell (CEO) |
| Products | Television |
| Revenue |  NZ$155,900,000[1] (sixth months of 2023) |
| NZ$−16,700,000[1] (sixth months of 2023) | |
| Total assets | 43.2% (2019)[2] |
| Owner | Minister of Finance (50%) Minister for Media and Communications (50%)[3] |
| Divisions | |
| Subsidiaries | Former TV stations
|
| Website | www |
Television New Zealand (Māori:Te Reo Tātaki o Aotearoa, "Te Reo Tātaki" meaning "The Leading Voice"),[4]more commonly referred to asTVNZ, is a New Zealand state-owned media company andCrown entity. The company operates a television network,streaming service, andnews service that is available throughout New Zealand and parts of the Pacific region. All of its currently-operating channels arefree-to-air and funded through advertising.
TVNZ was established in February 1980 following the merger of the two government-owned television networks, Television One (nowTVNZ 1) andSouth Pacific Television (nowTVNZ 2), under a single administration. It was the sole television broadcaster in New Zealand until November 1989 when private channel TV3 (nowThree) was launched.
TVNZ operatesplayout services from itsAuckland studio via Kordia's fibre and microwave network forTVNZ 1,TVNZ 2 andTVNZ Duke, withnew media video services via the American-ownedBrightcove which is streamed on theAkamaiRTMP/HLS DNS based caching network, asTVNZ+. Its former channels includeTVNZ Kidzone (closed 30 April 2016),TVNZ Heartland (closed 31 May 2015),TVNZ U (closed August 2013),TVNZ 7 (closed June 2012),TVNZ 6 (closed 2011), andTVNZ Sport Extra (closed 2009).
TVNZ is commercially supported and receives no direct government subsidies.[5][6] Under the Television New Zealand Act, the broadcaster is legislatively required to "maintain its commercial performance" while providing "high-quality content" which "encompasses both New Zealand and international content and reflects Māori perspectives."
There has been reoccurring debate about TVNZ's role and whether it should be treated as apublic-service broadcaster or a fully commercial network.[7] The broadcaster currently operates as a wholly commercial business.[8]
| Ownership | Channel Year | 1 | 2 | 6 | 7 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 18 | 20 | Sky 17 | Sky 46 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Separate | 1960 | NZBC TV | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1975 | TV One | TV2 | |||||||||||
| 1976 | South Pacific Television | ||||||||||||
| TVNZ | 1980 | TV2 | |||||||||||
| 1989 | Channel 2 | ||||||||||||
| 1995 | TV2 | ||||||||||||
| 2007 | TVNZ 6 | TVNZ Sport Extra | |||||||||||
| 2008 | TVNZ 7 | ||||||||||||
| 2010 | — | TVNZ Heartland | |||||||||||
| 2011 | U | TVNZ Kidzone24 | |||||||||||
| 2012 | TV One Plus 1 | ||||||||||||
| 2013 | TV One Plus 1 | TV2+1 | |||||||||||
| 2014 | |||||||||||||
| 2015 | TVNZ Pop-up | — | |||||||||||
| 2016 | Duke | — | |||||||||||
| TVNZ 2 | TVNZ 1+1 | TVNZ 2+1 | TVNZ Duke | ||||||||||
| 2018 | TVNZ Games Extra | ||||||||||||
| — | |||||||||||||
| 2020 | TVNZ Duke+1 | ||||||||||||
| 2022 | TVNZ Duke | TVNZ 1+1 | TVNZ Duke+1 | — | — |
TVNZ was created in February 1980, through themerger ofTelevision One andSouth Pacific Television (which was renamed TV2). Until January 1989, it was paired withRadio New Zealand as the Broadcasting Corporation of New Zealand (BCNZ).[9]
The broadcaster was initially based in Television One's former headquarters at theAvalon television centre inLower Hutt, with TV One broadcasting out of Avalon and TV2 broadcasting out of Auckland. However over the course of the 1980s, operations were gradually moved to Auckland. In 1989, TVNZ moved to a new television centre in central Auckland.
In preparation for the launch of TV3, TVNZ became a profit-oriented state-owned enterprise in 1988.[10]
Broadcasting in New Zealand wasderegulated in 1989. Private broadcasters were allowed to operate in competition to TVNZ, and Radio New Zealand was split off from TVNZ, becoming a separate company.[9] TheBroadcasting Act 1989 also established the organisation now calledNZ on Air which funds public broadcasting and independent media production in New Zealand.[11]
In 1990, TVNZ competed with TV3 with an advertising campaign backed by "expensive imported programmes" and local sports coverage.[10]
A first-right supply agreement withChannel 4 was signed in October 2000. This disabled TV4 from having access to further programmes from the British channel's catalogue, although it still had a few programmes stocked at the time. The first programmes were set to come to the TVNZ channels within a two-month window.[12]
In October 2002, it signed an agreement withThe Walt Disney Company, displacing TV3 from its free-to-air rights.[13]
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TheLabour-led government underHelen Clark from 1999 to 2008 pursued a programme of public broadcasting reforms. New Zealand's wide-ranging adoption ofneoliberal policies in the mid-1980s and 1990s had large sections of thestate sectorprivatised. As a state owned enterprise, TVNZ enjoyed enormous commercial success under CEO Julian Mounter[14] (sustaining two-thirds of the overall audience share) and paid the Crown substantial dividends (over $250 million between 1989 and 1999). However, the commercial success had been achieved through an unabashed pursuit of ratings through populist andtabloid content, and prior to the 1999 election the National-led government was evidently positioning TVNZ for commercialisation Labour-led administrations since 1999 explicitly recognised the market failures of a wholly commercial broadcasting sector (e.g. saturation-level advertising, low levels of local content, heavy reliance on cheap imports and a disregard for quality genres and in-depth news and current affairs) and re-emphasised television's cultural and democratic functions in their policy thinking.
The Clark government's highest profile broadcasting reform to date was the restructuring of TVNZ as aCrown entity in 2003.[15] This introduced a dual remit whereby the broadcaster had to maintain its commercial performance (continuing dividend payments to the Crown) while simultaneously implementing a new public service Charter.
The TVNZ Charter would require the negotiation and reconciliation of potentially contradictory commercial and public service imperatives. The final version of the TVNZ Charter included a range of public service objectives and expectations.
However, this dual remit precluded any transformation of TVNZ into fully-fledged public service broadcaster, and TVNZ's efforts to balance its pursuit of commercial performance and Charter objectives were soon being criticised. Despite some investment in local content, including new documentaries and discussion programmes, the content on TV One and TV2 remained similar to the pre-charter schedules, with a continuing high proportion of light entertainment andreality-TV shows.
TVNZ continues to pay dividends to the Crown. However, from 2006 until 2009 TVNZ received $15.11 million each year from Government to assist it with fulfilling Charter obligations. There was much debate about the initial secrecy surrounding funding allocations and the programmes supported. The allocation of $5 million toward coverage of the 2008 Olympics, the rights for which are secured by a competitive tender between broadcasters, was possibly the most controversial. In 2009 the Government gave control of that funding to funding agencyNZ On Air. NZ On Air announced the creation of the contestable "Platinum Fund" in April 2009, setting aside the $15.11 million for high quality drama, documentary and other programme types. Following the election of a National Party-led government underJohn Key in 2008, the Charter was abolished in favour of a return to the 1990s model of a full commercial broadcaster.[16]
There is much debate on the future of TVNZ, which focuses on the nature of public service broadcasting and its commercial role. An example was in a memo calledA More Public Broadcaster written by outgoing Chief ExecutiveIan Fraser to the board of TVNZ in October 2005, was obtained and released by Green MPSue Kedgley. The memo outlined three (four) options.
These were:
On 15 February 2006, a group of 31 prominent New Zealanders signed an open letter, published as a full-page newspaper advertisement, calling for better quality programmes and less advertising on TVNZ. These included mountaineerSir Edmund Hillary, and formergovernors-generalSir Michael Hardie Boys andDame Catherine Tizard. However, they were accused of being out of touch and nostalgic for local programmes from the 1970s and 1980s, when New Zealand had only one or two TV channels. While the Broadcasting Minister,Steve Maharey, ruled out turning TVNZ into an entirely non-commercial broadcaster, on 25 February 2006, he stated that the Labour Government was "pretty much settled" on the introduction of two new free-to-air, non-commercial channels available via digital television.[18] One screening high-end international documentaries, re-runs ofOne News and minority programmes with a high local content, and another, primarily for children, screening serious drama and arts at night. These channels would eventually become known as TVNZ 7 and TVNZ 6 respectively.
In early 2006, TVNZ purchased Harmonic brandedH.262 encoding equipment for the upcoming Freeview DTH service, which is an Electra 1000 on-the-fly video re-encoder.[19]
On 14 November 2006, TVNZ announced plans to launch two commercial-free digital channels. The first, with the working titleTVNZ News 24, would feature news, sport and special interest content, and be launched in late 2007. This would be followed by a channel featuring children's, families', arts and documentary programming, with the working title of TVNZ Home, in early 2008.[20] While 80 per cent of the programming would be local content, 70 per cent of this would consist of repeats from TVNZ's existing channels or its archive.
In April 2008, TVNZ made another purchase of moreH.264 encoding equipment for the upcoming Freeview HD DTT service, which are the Electra 7000 for HD and Electra 5400 for SD on-the-fly video re-encoders.[19] The proposal was criticised byTV3, which accused the Government of "bailing out" TVNZ and argued that the money would be better spent on new programming. AlthoughSue Kedgely welcomed the decision to make the channels (including children's programming) commercial-free, she accused the Government of tight-fistedness.[21]
In late 2011, TVNZ and its pay-TV rivalSky Network Television announced the joint ventureIgloo, which is to provide a low-cost pay-TV service for households not currently covered by Freeview or Sky.Igloo closed in 2017.[22]
In mid 2013, TVNZ changed its on-screen branding to a more flat, modern look.[23] TVNZ went fully digital in December 2013, with the accompanying shutdown of the analogue transmitters to free up spectrum for telecommunications use.[24]
In January 2017 TVNZ launched their 'New Blood Web Series Competition' supported by NZ On Air. The competition is calling for aspiring content creators to submit a web series pilot episode. The winner will receive $100,000 to make a complete web series, which will launch through TVNZ's online channels.[25]
In addition to debates over whether TVNZ should be a public broadcaster or a commercial one, there have been other controversies.
In 1996, the defamation caseTelevision New Zealand Ltd v Quinn was decided at theCourt of Appeal of New Zealand.[26]
For 3 weeks in January–February 1999,John Hawkesby became a weekday newsreader for One News, replacingRichard Long (who moved to presenting weekend bulletins alongside Liz Gunn). The change was short-lived, and Hawkesby received a $5.2m payout.
In 2000, the Broadcasting Standards Authority ruled against TVNZ over inaccuracies in a news story about the drug Lyprinol (an extract from theNew Zealand green-lipped mussel), which was erroneously touted as a cure for cancer.[27]
In 2004 current affairs veteran of 15 yearsPaul Holmes sparked a public outcry after he referred to United Nations Secretary-GeneralKofi Annan as a "cheeky darkie" on his radio show on Newstalk ZB and subsequently chose not to renew his contract at TVNZ.
Also in 2004 there was the public outcry over newsreaderJudy Bailey's $800,000 salary package, negotiated with head of news and current affairs at TVNZBill Ralston, she finished her final 12-month contract the following year after 34 years working at the broadcaster.
In late 2010, TVNZ garnered criticism over various comments made byBreakfast hostPaul Henry. Henry had referred to Delhi Commonwealth Games organiserSheila Dikshit as "the dip shit woman" and "Dick Shit", going on to state that "it's so appropriate, because she's Indian, so she'd be dick-in-shit wouldn't she, do you know what I mean? Walking along the street... she's just so funny, isn't she?"[28] Henry also questioned whether theGovernor-General of New ZealandAnand Satyanand was "even a New Zealander", going on to ask, "Are you going to choose a New Zealander who looks and sounds like a New Zealander this time ... are we going to go for someone who is more like a New Zealander this time?"[29][30] Following widespread public complaints and official criticism, Henry was suspended from TVNZ for 2 weeks without pay, eventually resigning from the broadcaster. Henry's resignation polarised the New Zealand public, with supporters claiming he was a victim ofpolitical correctness, and critics accusing him of pandering to thelowest common denominator.[31]
Renewing previous debate about the role of TVNZ as a commercial broadcaster, theSixth Labour Government announced a proposal to disestablish TVNZ andRadio New Zealand (RNZ) and establish a single public media entity. The television and radio broadcaster would have a public-service role to provide content on a variety of platforms, "some of which may be advertising free".[7] By mid-March 2021, the merger proposal was still in its early stages.[32]
In late December 2021, formerNational Party Member of ParliamentSimon Power was appointed as the chief executive of TVNZ. Power had recently stepped down as acting chief of Westpac Bank when the bank appointed Catherine McGrath as chief executive in November 2021. Power assumed the position in March 2022, on the 4th April 2023 Power Resigned effective from the 30th June 2023 with Brent McAnulty taking over as acting CEO.[33][34]
In mid-June 2022, Broadcasting MinisterWillie Jackson introduced draft legislation to TVNZ and fellow public broadcasterRadio New Zealand into a new non-profit autonomous Crown entity calledAotearoa New Zealand Public Media (ANZPM), commencing 1 March 2023. Under the proposed legislation, both TVNZ and RNZ would become subsidiaries of the ANZPM, which would be supported by both government and commercial funding. The new organisation would also be headed by a board and be governed by a media charter outlining its goals and responsibilities including editorial independence. The Government has also allocated NZ$370m over four years in operating expenditure and $306m in capital funding from the2022 New Zealand budget for funding the ANZPM.[35][36]
On 8 February 2023,Prime MinisterChris Hipkins announced that the merger of TVNZ and RNZ into ANZPM would be scrapped due to a shift in government priorities towards "cost of living issues." He confirmed that RNZ and NZ On Air would receive additional government funding.[37][38] Prior to the public media entity's cancellation, the two public broadcasters had spent a total of NZ$1,023,701 on ANZPM; with TVNZ spending NZ$592,424 in the period between 1 March and 31 October 2022.[39]
In February 2024, Jodi O'Donnell became CEO of TVNZ.[40]
In early March 2024, due to financial difficulties from competing large Internet companies such asNetflix andYouTube and a decline in advertisement revenue, the state-owned broadcaster proposed ending television programmesFair Go andSunday along with1News' midday and late night news segments. In addition, TVNZ has proposed 68 job cuts (roughly 9 percent of its staff).[41][42] In response to the proposed cuts and layoffs, the Better Public Media Trust has proposed funding TVNZ through a $60 annual levy on individuals or alternatively a digital services levy.[43]
On 13 March 2024, TVNZ employees affiliated with theE tū union objected to TVNZ's proposal to slash almost 70 jobs. E tū negotiations specialistMichael Wood said that E tū members were unhappy with the proposed restructure and "shoddy" consultation process.[44] In early May 2024, E Tū filed a case against TVNZ with theEmployment Relations Authority (ERA), arguing that the broadcaster failed to follow the consultation requirements of its collective agreement with its members. On 6 May, TVNZ executives, staff members, and Wood submitted evidence during an investigative meeting at ERA's Auckland office. During the meeting, aFair Go employee said that the company had not raised the issues of job cuts and programme cancellations during staff meetings on TVNZ's future direction.[45] On 10 May, ERA ordered TVNZ to enter into mediation with theE tū union over THE staff redundancies caused by its programming cutbacks. TVNZ issued a statement voicing disappointment with ERA's decision and that "we will now take the time to consider the decision and our next steps."[46] On 31 May,Employment Court Chief Judge Christina Inglis dismissed TVNZ's appeal against the Employment Relations Authority's ruling and ruled that TVNZ had to enter into collective bargaining with its employees.[47]
On 7 October 2024, TVNZ's management proposed several measures to find NZ$30 million in cost-savings including closing down the1News website by February 2025, investing more in itsTVNZ+ streaming service and reorienting its youth-oriented platform Re:News to focus on video storytelling.[48] On 29 October, TVNZ abandoned plans to shut down its 1News website but proposed expanding the news content of TVNZ+.[49] On 7 November 2024, TVNZ proposed cutting 90 roles and creating 41 new roles in order to save NZ$30 million. This includes cutting several roles on itsBreakfast andSeven Sharp current affairs shows.[50]
The TVNZ Board is the governing board of Television New Zealand. It is appointed by theMinister of Broadcasting and Media, who was at the timeWillie Jackson.[51] As of August 2017[update], the directors are: the chairpersonDame Therese Walsh (Wellington), deputy chairperson Andy Coupe (Hamilton), Abby Foote (Christchurch), Cameron Harland (Lower Hutt), Toko Kapea (Wellington),Kevin Malloy (Auckland), Julia Raue (Auckland) and Susan Turner (Auckland).[52][53] Former board members includeRoger MacDonnell (2010–2016).[54]
TheFifth Labour Government introduced a "TVNZ Charter" in 2002.[55] This was a list of objectives for TVNZ which specified it must broadcast a wide variety of New Zealand-made content; the broadcaster was given public responsibility to provide news, drama, documentaries and "promote understanding of the diversity of cultures".[56] In 2008 the Government announced that the broadcaster was to become "more public-service" like. TVNZ responded by launching two commercial free channels;TVNZ 6 andTVNZ 7. By 2011 Prime MinisterJohn Key announced the closure of these channels. 6 in 2011, and 7 in mid-2012, with much of their content put intoTVNZ Heartland andTVNZ Kidzone24 which are only available behind a Sky TV paywall.[57] TheFifth National Government abolished the Charter in 2011.[56] Political opponents accused the Government of reducing TVNZ's commitments as a public broadcaster.[56]
TVNZ 1 is TVNZ's flagship channel. Launched on 1 June 1960, it has a broad range of programming, including news, sport, food, drama, and comedy. Its news service is1News and its sports division is1 Sport.
The channel, once the traditional home of television sport, has since lost the rights to most of the world's main sporting events, including the Olympics, andAll Blacks test matches to pay television competitorSky. TVNZ's outside broadcasting division, Moving Pictures was established in 1962. It provided the production facilities for such events with 8 outside broadcast trucks across the country. This wound up in the mid-2000s after then-Australian owned outside broadcaster Onsite Broadcasting started to expand and took the OB contract off Moving Pictures for the filming of major sports for Sky TV. OSB was then owned by Sky before it was sold to American OB providerNEP. TVNZ 1 also broadcasts rural focused programmes such asCountry Calendar andRural Delivery, Māori community presentations such asWaka Huia,Marae Investigates andTe Karere, a dailyMāori language news bulletin, and shows for minorities, such asAttitude,Neighbourhood,A Taste of Home andTagata Pasifika. Elsewhere TVNZ 1 specialises in food shows, including the locally producedMasterChef, and international shows, mostly from theBBC andNetwork Ten Australia.
TVNZ 2 targets a younger audience than TVNZ 1. Launched on 30 June 1975, its line up consists of dramas, sitcoms, comedies, children's programming, and reality shows, most of which are produced in New Zealand or imported from the United States.
Locally produced content includesShortland Street,Motorway Patrol andWhat Now, and international shows (which are predominantly American) includeThe Big Bang Theory andThe Walking Dead. TVNZ 2 is sold by TVNZ as the "home of entertainment".
TVNZ Duke was launched on 20 March 2016. It initially broadcast between the hours of 6pm and midnight, although it occasionally screened live sport events outside of these hours. On average, the channel broadcasts from 10:30 am until late on weekdays, and from 7 am until late on weekends. It screens programming for a male audience with comedy, drama and factual series such asTwo and a Half Men,Everybody Hates Chris andRiver Monsters. It also screens a number of sporting events such as theMen's andWomen's Hockey Pro Leagues and theDream11 Super Smash domestic cricket tournament.
TVNZ broadcaststimeshift channels of its three television channels. These broadcast the Auckland feed, delayed by one hour.TVNZ 1+1 was launched on 1 July 2012, replacingTVNZ 7.TVNZ 2+1 was launched on 1 September 2013, replacingTVNZ U.TVNZ Duke+1 was launched on 17 November 2020.[citation needed]
Internationally, TVNZ has helped provide television services inPacific Island nations such as theCook Islands,Fiji, and theSolomon Islands. While TVNZ provides much of the programming, scheduling andcontinuity are done locally.
Because of its history TVNZ has inherited and developed its own services in the production and broadcasting services area. These include The New Zealand Television Archive, production facilities, television school.
The TVNZ Archive collection contains over 600,000 hours of television spanning almost 55 years of New Zealand's public television history.[58] It includes iconic New Zealand content such as documentaries, dramas, sports programmes[59] and every TVNZ news broadcast from December 1986 to 2014.[60][61] In a 2014 briefing to Minister Craig Foss, theMinistry for Culture and Heritage noted that the long-term preservation of the TVNZ Archive collection did not align with broadcaster's business needs and that transferring the collection to the Crown would allow for the proper preservation of the collection.[62] Both the Ministry and TVNZ explicitly wanted to ensure the archive was preserved and that it was made increasingly available for re-use through online streaming and other means.[63] On 1 August 2014 guardianship of the archive collection was transferred to the Crown.[64] Budget 2014 included $24.4 million to facilitate the transfer and ongoing management of the archive. Of that, $11.32 million was for the purchase of the TVNZ Archive facility at Avalon – including land, building, fixtures, fittings and plant. $5.066 million was for the depreciation and capital charge of the facility, and $8 million (spread over four years) was for the ongoing management of the archive.[65] The building and land were transferred to theDepartment of Internal Affairs and the Ministry for Culture and Heritage took over guardianship of the collection.[66] The Ministry appointedNgā Taonga Sound & Vision as the initial archive manager.
TVNZ+ is Television New Zealand's on-demand streaming platform, TVNZ OnDemand was launched 20 March 2007, and is available onPlayStation 3 andPlayStation 4 via the TVNZ app onPlayStation Network for New Zealanders. It is also available on FreeviewPlus, iOS, Android, Xbox One and Windows 10. The content usesgeotargeting for New Zealand only connections via a US-basedBrightcove media company using theAkamaiRTMP network, with some local content being made available to an international audience via their YouTube channel. At the end of 2012, the contract withBrightcove was expanded to include streaming to iOS devices via theAkamaiHLS network.[67] From 2012[citation needed], TVNZ OnDemand began uploading episodes of select shows prior to their airing on TVNZ channels and usually within a day of their original overseas airings (although sometimes this was weeks or months after their international airing). In September 2014, it was announced that episodes of seventeen shows would be uploaded within a day of their airings in the US, coinciding with the 2014–2015 season.[68] One of the shows,Manhattan Love Story was cancelled by the US network ABC, but episodes continued to be uploaded to TVNZ OnDemand in line with their intended US airings, making TVNZ the de facto original broadcaster of the series. On 1 May 2016 (01.06 am), when TVNZ Kidzone (channel version) closed it is now on TVNZ OnDemand with lot of the shows to watch (it is still use the former channel programs). On June 13 the service rebranded to TVNZ+ after on Friday 10 TVNZ sent an email out to staff saying "exciting upgrade coming for TVNZ OnDemand."[citation needed]
TVNZ began ateletext service in 1984 originally with the intention to help New Zealand's deaf community get improved access to news and information. A captioning service was available for certain television shows and could be accessed by browsing to page 801. The TVNZ Teletext service could be received on all TVNZ channels and the TVNZ service could be received onTV3 including captioning of some TV3 shows.Trackside also operated a Teletext service called TAB Text which only displayed the racing pages of Teletext.
A Teletext capable television was usually required to receive Teletext. With the arrival of digital television services such as Freeview, Teletext could be received through a Freeview decoder. In this case captions were normally accessed by subtitle button on a Freeview remote.
In December 2012, TVNZ announced the closure of their Teletext service from 3 April 2013. The captioning service would however continue to be available. TVNZ cited the reasons for the closure due to a decline in use particularly since most services are now available from the TVNZ website or other websites.[69]
On 26 March 2009 TVNZ announced that it had acquired a 33% stake inHybrid Television Services (67% owned by Australia's Seven Media Group). Hybrid TV is the exclusive licensee ofTiVo products in Australia and New Zealand. On the same day it was announced that TiVo would be arriving in New Zealand by Christmas 2009 (Hybrid launched it in Australia in July 2008).[70] The TiVo service was discontinued on 31 October 2017.[71]
Between 1995 and 1997, TVNZ operated a network of regional TV stations under the 'Horizon Pacific' name and through a subsidiary calledHorizon Pacific Television. Its broadcast content includedBBC World and NZ documentary programming. The network consisted of newly formed stations ATV inAuckland, Coast to Coast inHamilton, Capital Television inWellington and Southern Television inDunedin. TVNZ subsequently also purchasedCTV, based in Christchurch. CTV continues to broadcast, but is no longer owned by TVNZ.
Horizon Pacific was replaced by a local 'free to air' version of the music video channelMTV, based on MTV's UK service and local programming, although the channel was dropped in 1998. Prior to MTV's demise, TVNZ had bought the channel's competitor,Max TV.[72]
TVNZ also operated a satellite services division organising and downlink facilities and across the globe, but this service was wound down in 2005.
TVNZ operatedTVNZ 6 from 2007 to 2011. TVNZ 6 was a digital-only, commercial-free television channel. It was available in 60.3% of New Zealand homes on the Freeview and Sky Television Digital platforms. TVNZ 6 was on air daily from 6 am to midnight.
TVNZ 7 was launched in March 2008 and was a commercial-free news and information channel. It was available via the Freeview and Sky platforms. The New Zealand Government, under Prime MinisterJohn Key and Broadcasting MinisterJonathan Coleman decided to discontinue funding for TVNZ 7. The final broadcast ended at midnight on 30 June 2012. TVNZ 7 was replaced with time shift channel TV One Plus 1 (now TVNZ 1 +1).
TVNZ launchedU on 13 March 2011. U was a 24-hour youth orientated channel available via both Freeview and Sky. TVNZ U was launched to fill the gap when TVNZ 6 closed in 2011. TVNZ U specialised in musical tastes, reality, gaming, fashion and informative youth orientated documentaries.
On 29 July 2013, TVNZ announced that the channel would be closed on 31 August 2013 and be replaced by a time shift channel, TV2+1 (now TVNZ 2 +1).
TVNZ Heartland was a pay-TV channel that launched on the Sky Television platform on 1 June 2010. It was TVNZ's first channel available exclusively on a pay-TV platform and featured 100% New Zealand made programming, mostly sourced from the TVNZ archives. The channel closed in May 2015.
TVNZ ceased delivering its Pacific Service in October 2015. The service was taken over by Pacific Cooperation Broadcasting Limited, who expanded the service in February 2016 as Pasifika TV. The service became a collaboration of all major New Zealand broadcasters, as opposed to just TVNZ. The transition of the service meant that it was now funded by Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and the objectives were broadened beyond supplying content, to focus on strengthening partnerships in the Pacific by building capacity and capabilities amongst the respective Pacific free to air broadcasters.
TVNZ has offered HD broadcasts since July/August 2008, when the2008 Summer Olympics were broadcast in High Definition. The service is offered on the Freeview|HD platform, using DVB-T transmission. Only TV One and TV2 are offered in HD, and the majority of programming is still up-converted from Standard Definition. From 1 July 2009 the HD versions of TV One and TV2 became available to Sky TV subscribers who have the MySky HDi decoders. Content on the HD versions of TV One and 2 are the same as the Standard Definition versions however when watching certain shows that broadcast in High Definition the HD logo is displayed next to the channel logo, this logo is not seen when watching the same show on the Standard Definition versions of TV1 and 2.
TVNZ has adopted1080i as their HD broadcast format.
TVNZ's transmission network is operated byKordia, formerly a subsidiary of TVNZ known asBroadcast Communications Limited until 2006. The company owns and operates the terrestrial transmission network used for broadcast of all major terrestrial television networks in New Zealand, includingDiscovery New Zealand andSky Open – TVNZ's major competitors, along with other voice and data telecommunications services.
TVNZ's primary television channel TV One is provided as four distinct terrestrial feeds, localising to viewers within and around the Auckland, Waikato, Wellington and Christchurch regions. Localised satellite feeds were made available in 2010 to channel-locked SD receivers. Localised content currently only consists of targeted regional advertising spots toward the end of a commercial break. Localised regional news programming was discontinued in the late 1980s and all localised versions for TV2 were discontinued in the early 2000s in favour of only national advertising.
TVNZ's predecessor,NZBC started as distinct stations in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin. Nationwide networked services were first introduced in July 1969 to broadcast theApollo 11 landing footage, flown in specially from Australia, from Wellington simultaneously across all stations. However, the network was still incomplete, and in some places, outside broadcast vans were strategically placed to temporarily complete missing links. The network was fully completed in November that year.
The national television network consisted ofmicrowave links linking the major transmitters via intermediate repeaters. In 1985, the microwave network extended from Maungataniwha in Northland to Obelisk in Central Otago via Auckland, Waikato, Taupo, Hawke's Bay (with a spur to Gisborne), Manawatu (with a spur to Taranaki), Wairarapa, Wellington, Marlborough (with a spur to Nelson and the West Coast), Canterbury, Dunedin and Southland.Broadcast relay stations served areas off the microwave network.[73]
TVNZ also used to runtelethons up until 1990 at locations around the country, viewers would be shown full coverage of the Telethon nearest their location. Originally when TVNZ began broadcasting TV One and TV2 on Sky Digital at the end of 2001 viewers would see only nationwide or Auckland advertisements when watching these channels through the Sky Digital service. In 2004 this was expanded to show one of three feeds for regional advertising spots targeting Auckland, Wellington or Christchurch with viewers outside of these regions seeing advertisements from the closest region. This was again dropped in March 2007 with a return to only nationwide advertising on TVNZ channels on Sky Digital before being reintroduced through the Freeview SD service. Regional advertising spots are only shown on TV One on both Digital and Analogue platforms however those that receive the HD version of TV One through their HD receiver will only see Auckland advertisements. Standard DVB satellite receivers will scan in all versions to be selected by the viewer.
Wellington-basedAvalon Studios, long a nucleus of TV production in New Zealand, was finally put up for sale by TVNZ in 2011, with most of its remaining shows relocating to Auckland, completing a trend of northward drift by the broadcaster.[74][75] TV production was spread evenly around the country in the 1970s, but according to Wellington-based TV personalities, the drift to Auckland began in 1980 with the formation of TVNZ, and the subsequent relocation of the TV One newsroom and headquarters to Auckland under then Prime MinisterRob Muldoon.[76]
In Christchurch, the original TVNZ studios were located at Gloucester Street in the NZBC owned building used to broadcast3YA and3ZB. A 14-storey building was also built on Worcester Street as studios for various TVNZ shows, notable shows to be filmed here includedWhat Now andThe Son of a Gunn Show. In 1998 TVNZ closed its Christchurch studios. What Now was moved to the Wellington-based Avalon Studios for a few years but moved back to Christchurch to be filmed at the privately owned Whitebait studios. Prior to the2011 Christchurch earthquake on 22 February, the Worcester Street building continued to house Christchurch radio stations previously owned byRNZ and now owned byNZME (formerly The Radio Network); stations included Newstalk ZB, Classic Hits 97.7 and 91ZM. The Gloucester Street building remained as Christchurch based newsroom for TVNZ until the building was badly damaged in the quake, and has since been demolished. The Worcester Street building wasdemolished on 5 August 2012 by implosion.[77]
The Dunedin studios were used to film many iconic shows, such asPlay School,University Challenge,Beauty and the Beast, andSpot On. When TVNZ scaled back its Dunedin studios in 1989, they were purchased byIan Taylor, the founder ofAnimation Research and Taylormade Media.[78]
TV One, TV2 and the hour delayed versions are available "in the clear" overDVB-S onOptus D1 as standard definition only. A Sky set-top box is not required, any satellite set-top box or tuner will work. However the high definition versions on DVB-S2 are scrambled and require a Sky Television H.264 set-top box such as MySky, which costs the price of a basic subscription plus addition MySky rental fee.
TVNZ's functions are subject tolifeline utility requirements under NZcivil defence legislation.[79] In practice, this status as a lifeline utility requires TVNZ to be able to function at least to a reduced level after an emergency, and to provide advice to civil defence authorities when requested.
New Zealand usesPAL B (7 MHz channel spacing) onVHF, andPAL G (8 MHz channel spacing) onUHF.
New Zealand has a near nationwide implementation ofNICAM stereo sound for TV One and TV2. NICAM stereo was first made available on TV2 in theAuckland region in 1989, also during the early 1990sSimulated Stereo was available inWellington on TV2. NICAM stereo was not rolled out to the rest of the country or onto TV One until 1996 and for some regions (such as Southland) NICAM was not available until 2001. Rival network Three has offered NICAM stereo in all available regions since its launch in 1989; this is also the case with Prime TV. Stereo sound is available on all TVNZ channels if accessed through Sky Digital or Freeview.
In 1980, TVNZ was launched as Television New Zealand, the logo consisted of four red stars overlapping together with the name below. Later in 1982, the logo changed to four four-pointed stars, forming the negative space of a red and blue octagon shape. 5 years later, the octagon was changed to blue and the stars are changed to red. In 1994, it changed the name to TVNZ, the logo consists of the letters TVNZ coloured in purple, red, green, and light blue. 10 years later, it consists of the name in a futuristic font with letters TV in black and letters NZ in light teal. Since 2016, TVNZ's logo consists of a blue spiral with the letters TVNZ in a lowercase ligature wordmark.
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TVNZ's major competitors in the television market are
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