Public Address | Cafe | Hard News: U: It's about the combos

Tim Michie

Sat, 13 Dec 2014 20:33:42 +1300

Woah. Did not know.
PRESS RELEASE 12 December 2014

As at 12.00pm today free-to-air sports channel Sommet Sports will cease transmission.
Launched 18th July 2013, Sommet Sports has delivered both live and pre-recorded sports on Freeview Channel 14, and Sky Channel 69. Funding initially understood to be available for the…

simon g

Fri, 12 Dec 2014 12:15:16 +1300

Sommet Sports, on Freeview Channel 14, has just closed down. No cash, no ad revenue, it seems.

So, one more alternative to the Sky-Monster has gone. Shame.

Sacha

Thu, 15 Aug 2013 17:55:33 +1200

an ideological argument from the current govt's POV about "competing" with private companies

they call it "crowding out" – our companies just aren't up to it, so they need a hand

Heather Gaye

Wed, 14 Aug 2013 12:42:45 +1200

Is it possible that somewhere there's an ideological argument from the current govt's POV about "competing" with private companies (ie Sky)? While not necessarily the intention, it'd seem like a nice little bonus of the progressive asphyxiation of Freeview.

Kyle Matthews

Wed, 14 Aug 2013 11:37:00 +1200

No, just simply that I’ll see something on TV I wouldn’t mind watching, from the start, but since I didn’t record it already, and will probably forget to watch again in 50 minutes on +1, I’ll just record the +1.

The feature on mysky where you can hit record halfway…

Rob Stowell

Wed, 31 Jul 2013 21:54:07 +1200

Ad sales in TVland are slowly declining. I think that's the bottom-line: free-to-air ad-supported TV is in contraction rather than expansion mode, despite some costs coming down in the digital age. (Others have gone up)
Public broadcasting is the best option. Most countries do it. Subscription may have a little…

Gaz Tayler

Wed, 31 Jul 2013 19:30:22 +1200

Okay, so as an ex-TVNZ friend explained it to me, U was always on a limited time as it was the remains of the old charter, so there was a clock ticking somewhere, but as Russell points out, viewer figures were pretty good.

Kevin Kenrick stated that it was not…

Tim Michie

Wed, 31 Jul 2013 16:08:18 +1200

Regardles of what I think about Jono and Ben I've very glad Rose quickly got a gig. If she wasn't the best hing about U then I'm forgetting something.

Aidan

Wed, 31 Jul 2013 14:25:51 +1200

Oh right. I'm possibly over-thinking this a little.

Richard Grevers

Wed, 31 Jul 2013 14:10:23 +1200

The Civilian: Stuff.co.nz to Introduce stuff1 with hour delay – kinda says it all.

Damian Christie

Wed, 31 Jul 2013 00:42:12 +1200

Don't quite understand

No, just simply that I'll see something on TV I wouldn't mind watching, from the start, but since I didn't record it already, and will probably forget to watch again in 50 minutes on +1, I'll just record the +1.

Aidan

Tue, 30 Jul 2013 14:51:40 +1200

I have MySky, have had since it first launched. But I make a reasonable amount of use of the +1 channels. Quite often, it’s the Sky +1 channels for 1 or 3 (501, 503), which I then use to MySky record something that I missed the start of, so that…

Craig Young

Tue, 30 Jul 2013 14:03:25 +1200

I'm debating whether or not to switch to digital at all. The only things I'd miss might be either Doctor Who, Walking Dead or American Horror Story: Asylum, The Nation and Q&A.

Myles Thomas

Tue, 30 Jul 2013 13:53:18 +1200

Closing U is a direct result of government policy to require a significant dividend of TVNZ. While channels around the world are expanding their digital presence ensuring their future survival, TVNZ is going through a type of asset-stripping process, except they're not even selling things off, just closing them down.…

B Jones

Tue, 30 Jul 2013 11:23:12 +1200

I discovered last night that my Samsung tv now has an app that connects straight to TVNZ On Demand. I'd managed to jury-rig tv3's on demand service through the TV's browser but it was very cumbersome, and TVNZ was the same except it failed to actually work. So I got…

Luke Williamson

Tue, 30 Jul 2013 10:28:20 +1200

I have almost given up on TV completely. I find it virtually impossible to find anything I want to watch on the standard channels and am now a dedicated Fatso user along with getting my son to download whatever series I feel like watching , e.g. Archer, Game of Thrones,…

Graeme Edgeler

Tue, 30 Jul 2013 09:52:14 +1200

At least in Australian Freeview, the infomercials have dedicated channels, like TVSN, and electronic guides that include specified quality programming like “The Roomba Hour”.

We have that on NZ Freeview too.

Damian Christie

Tue, 30 Jul 2013 08:54:20 +1200

I've already expressed my disappointment at this decision above, but on the time-shifting vs +1 thing...

I have MySky, have had since it first launched. But I make a reasonable amount of use of the +1 channels. Quite often, it's the Sky +1 channels for 1 or 3 (501, 503),…

Sacha

Mon, 29 Jul 2013 21:56:31 +1200

Whatever Telecom is planning on offering in digital youth content won't be hurt by TVNZ gutting themselves in that space. Jason Paris must be delighted.

James Littlewood*

Mon, 29 Jul 2013 21:23:19 +1200

I agree. I’m personally ambivalent about the content of U. But I disagree it’s the end of Freeview. When my JCmatthews 380 (thanks Public Address) clapped out last year, I lasted less than 24 hours before rushing out to replace it. U had precisely nothing to do with that.

I…

izogi

Mon, 29 Jul 2013 21:22:21 +1200

Go here to get a feel for the content:

Wow. I'm in Melbourne about to return to NZ, so I checked out the NZ freeview guide. At least in Australian Freeview, the infomercials have dedicated channels, like TVSN, and electronic guides that include specified quality programming like "The Roomba Hour".…

Matthew Littlewood

Mon, 29 Jul 2013 21:22:11 +1200

This seems short-sighted for a number of reasons. More than anything else, "U" could have served as an incubator of future talent for TVNZ's "grown-up" chanels (for want of a better term- and I concede 'grown-up' television on TV1 and TV2 is pretty thin on the ground), while also being…

Gareth Ward

Mon, 29 Jul 2013 21:10:36 +1200

Out of interest, what are the advertising rate card implications? I'm presuming you don't pay any extra as an advertiser because there's a +1 showing, so are they just looking for higher eyeball numbers to then push rates up over time?

So is there an immediate complete loss of whatever…

Richard Anderson

Mon, 29 Jul 2013 18:31:14 +1200

Very sad news. It probably means that "The Shire" will never be seen in NZ again. One of the best comedy programmes to ever come out of Australia – The Castle meets reality TV, had been on U on Wednesday nights.

Aidan

Mon, 29 Jul 2013 17:50:31 +1200

Cripes. Makes Aus Freeview look pretty good

ABC1, ABC2, ABC3, ABC News 24, SBS One (& HD version), SBS2, NITV, Seven, 7two, 7mate (HD), Nine, GEM (HD), GO!, Ten, One, 11.

Go here to get a feel for the content:

http://www.yourtv.com.au/guide/tonight/

The rationale for a +1 channel is dead in the…

Jacob Billings

Mon, 29 Jul 2013 17:13:51 +1200

If Sommet Sports and Choice TV can get off the ground and find an audience then why do TVNZ and to a lesser extent the cash strapped TV3 struggle so much. Especially when you consider the enormous mountain of content and public opinion they have had to overcome from SKY's…

Allan Moyle

Mon, 29 Jul 2013 17:07:19 +1200

mathematically the Freeview TV changes can now be expressed as:
(1+1)+(2+1)+(3+1) -U -7 = shit²

andin

Mon, 29 Jul 2013 16:53:03 +1200

edgier talent
And while we're on the subject. Could someone please tell whoever witless banter, feigned shock, tut tutting and those godawful knowing looks to camera are NOT edgey. And I/V's could do with some teeth.
Can't say I get much out of blunt objects gumming and slobbering someone to…

B Jones

Mon, 29 Jul 2013 16:23:06 +1200

I’d imagine the core audience for timeshifted Freeview is in fact people who don’t own a PVR or a VCR or use TV on demand,

Or have them, can't be bothered setting them up for regular viewing, but would rather watch early evening programmes when the kids have gone to…

Shaun Lott

Mon, 29 Jul 2013 15:59:31 +1200

I’d imagine the core audience for timeshifted Freeview is in fact people who don’t own a PVR or a VCR or use TV on demand, because many people don’t live in affluent households with large amounts of disposable income.

I imagine you are right. I wonder if anyone has any…

Kumara Republic

Mon, 29 Jul 2013 15:48:10 +1200

Wasn't 'U' originally TVNZ6? Wasn't that a dedicated Kids' TV channel? Hasn't all that Kiszone stuff been given to Sky?

Yes to all the above. And if the BBC or ABC allowed this to happen, they'd be strapped into chairs and be forced to watch the Ballad of Bilbo Baggins.…

Keir Leslie

Mon, 29 Jul 2013 15:35:39 +1200

I'd imagine the core audience for timeshifted Freeview is in fact people who don't own a PVR or a VCR or use TV on demand, because many people don't live in affluent households with large amounts of disposable income.

Graeme Edgeler

Mon, 29 Jul 2013 15:31:25 +1200

I know a certain youth-oriented website that could do with 60,000 automatic likes… and that never backfires…

And it even starts with a 'U'. It's practically the same thing.

Shaun Lott

Mon, 29 Jul 2013 15:30:06 +1200

Wasn't 'U' originally TVNZ6? Wasn't that a dedicated Kids' TV channel? Hasn't all that Kiszone stuff been given to Sky?

I agree that Freeview's promise seems to have been totally squandered. A channel of decent adult programming (7) and some ads-free children's TV (6) have now become 'timeshifted' versions of…

Damian Christie

Mon, 29 Jul 2013 15:15:43 +1200

I'm disappointed. While I'd normally be a bit careful about shitting where I eat, I think this is pretty short-sighted. TVNZ U was more than a youth channel; it had done a pretty good job of cracking that rather difficult (for the MSM at least) nut – meaningful engagement via…

Russell Brown

Mon, 29 Jul 2013 14:11:57 +1200

Surely one of either Four or C4 counts. C4 2, as originally named, was only Freeview based, and it still exists as C4.

Good point; I’ve amended the post. Although even there, there are some fairly unusual royalty agreements keeping the thing on air. It's basically a placeholder.

Morgan Nichol

Mon, 29 Jul 2013 14:10:34 +1200

At some point TVNZ will just have one channel, called TVNZ+∞, looping the same 42 minutes of pap (and 18 minutes of ads) for eternity.

I'm heartbroken for all the hard working, creative, and skilled people still at TVNZ. How disillusioned must they be?

Gabor Toth

Mon, 29 Jul 2013 13:54:34 +1200

Surely one of either Four or C4 counts. C4 2, as originally named, was only Freeview based, and it still exists as C4.

C4 was "temporarily" pulled from Freeview satellite about a year ago or so but (surprise surprise) its removal was quietly made permanent and it can now only…

Alan Macdougall

Mon, 29 Jul 2013 13:52:34 +1200

I'm pretty excited about Sommet Sports on Channel 14, which I ran across by accident the other day. Quite a nice array of sports on there!

bob daktari

Mon, 29 Jul 2013 13:34:25 +1200

I feel you've missed the importance of soon being able to watch Home and Away one hour later than others

Graeme Edgeler

Mon, 29 Jul 2013 13:33:07 +1200

Finally, this is a disaster for Freeview. TVNZ has now shuttered three digital channels and TV3 hasn’t even got a new channel to the start line.

Surely one of either Four or C4 counts. C4 2, as originally named, was only Freeview based, and it still exists as C4.

StepDoh

Mon, 29 Jul 2013 13:31:43 +1200

Always sad to see a viewing option gone, particularly as I'm not signed up to post-ish-murdoch-vision. But as good as the local content was, outside of that I'm not so sure the loss of the likes of Made in Chelsea, Real Housewives or Ms Price's ITV output is any great…

Public Address

Mon, 29 Jul 2013 13:31:43 +1200

Discussion from blog post.