Axe hangs over regional TV

Half of New Zealand's 20 regional television broadcasters could be forced off air as a result of the switch to digital television, according to a Government discussion document.

Analogue television broadcasts are likely to be switched off between 2013 and 2015.

Regional stations in the eight largest cities should be able to continue to broadcast using Freeview's digital terrestrial television service, FreeviewHD.

But broadcasters that are outside the coverage of FreeviewHD will need to switch to expensive national satellite transmissions or "cease broadcasting", according to the Economic Development and Culture and Heritage ministries' Digital Futures discussion paper.

An option was for them to make programmes for other broadcasters, or for the internet.

Television Media Group's TV Rotorua is one of the stations under threat. Chief executive Daryl Anderson says the people of Rotorua have the right to be able to provide a local service. "Through no fault of our own, the ability to continue to do what we are doing is not going to be there."

The company has joined Freeview in lobbying for the Government to help extend the coverage of FreeviewHD from 75 per cent to 87 per cent of the population, which would save TV Rotorua and most other regional broadcasters.

But Mr Anderson says the Government has made it clear that there will be no funding for that this year.

The longer the expansion of FreeviewHD is left, the harder it will become for regional broadcasters, he says. Prospective audiences are already shrinking as more households in provincial centres buy Freeview satellite decoders or switch to Sky TV.

Communities that can't get FreeviewHD are likely to be denied a range of innovative services provided by hybrid set-top boxes such as TiVo, he says.

These will pick up FreeviewHD broadcasts and access content and services delivered over broadband.

Extending FreeviewHD to 87 per cent of the population is tipped to cost $15 million to $20m. The Digital Futures discussion document says broadcasters are unlikely to foot the bill. "Any government support would need to be weighed against other government priorities, and the availability of funding cannot be assumed."

Broadcasting Minister Jonathan Coleman is due to report to the Cabinet by December on the options for transitioning regional broadcasters to digital.

- © Fairfax NZ News