15 Sep 2005

New Zealand boosts Pacific satellite television broadcasts

1:12 pm on 15 September 2005

The New Zealand government is to provide more than 360,000 US dollars for Television New Zealand to provide a satellite service to the South Pacific.

The service will include news broadcasts to the Cook Islands, Niue, Samoa and Tonga, as well a weekly half-hour programme of Tagata Pasifika.

The broadcasting minister, Steve Maharey, says the funding will help strengthen the important linkages between New Zealand and Pacific Island communities.

TVNZ has provided news to the Pacific for years, but recent technical failures and reception problems have meant they have had to consider other options for continuing the broadcasts.

Following a review, the government decided to fund an interim satellite service while a more permanent long-term solution is found for continuation of TVNZ broadcasting to the Pacific.