Television in New Zealand

[1] The broadcasting sector was deregulated in 1989, when the Government allowed competition to the state-owned Television New Zealand (TVNZ).

[2][3] Up until 2023, Vodafone (now One NZ) operated an IPTV television service, with free-to-air channels and wholesale content from Sky.

The digital changeover in New Zealand began on 30 September 2012, when Hawke's Bay and the West Coast (including parts of Tasman) switched off analogue television transmission.

The upper North Island (including the Waikato, Auckland, Bay of Plenty and Northland) was the last region to cease analogue transmissions on 1 December 2013.

[5] Prime Minister Walter Nash had made a surprise announcement (a surprise both to the NZBS and to other members of the Labour government) in London in November 1959 that New Zealand would have television within twelve months; the system was to be state-owned but to carry commercials, and would be introduced in stages in the four main centres.

[6]: 53, 54 The first broadcast relay stations were commissioned in 1963, extending television coverage to Hamilton, Tauranga and Palmerston North.

[7] Advertising was introduced to Aucklanders on 4 April 1961, and facilitated increasing transmission hours to twenty-eight per week.

[10] The Warkworth satellite station opened in 1971, providing the first real-time television link between New Zealand and the rest of the world.

)[12] On Wednesday 31 October 1973, colour television using the Phase Alternating Line (PAL) system was introduced, in readiness for the 1974 British Commonwealth Games, which were to be held in Christchurch in January and February 1974.

TVNZ and Radio New Zealand (RNZ) became separate "State-Owned Enterprises" (SOEs) which would have to compete commercially and return dividends to the Crown.

[13] In November 1989, TV3, now known as Three became the first privately owned TV station in the country, finally ending the state monopoly.

Although TVNZ had to compete with its commercial rivals through the 1990s, it maintained a dominant market position and paid a significant amount of its profits to the Crown in dividends.

TVNZ Kidzone 24 was subsequently established, but was only available behind a Sky TV pay wall before it ceased broadcasting in 2016.

[16][17] After Faafoi announced his retirement from politics, Willie Jackson was appointed as his successor to continue the merger process.

[18] In February 2023, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins scrapped plans to merge the two public broadcasters as part of a reorientation of government priorities towards living costs.

A major benefit of digital television is the ability to overcome the poor reception caused by New Zealand's rugged topography.

Digital TV offers more channels, better pictures and sound quality and new services such as on-screen programme guides.

It was estimated that on 31 December 2008, 198,938 Freeview certified set-top boxes and IDTVs had been sold since the platform's launch (146,416 Satellite, 52,522 UHF).

These stations mainly broadcast free to air on UHF frequencies, although some are carried on subscription TV.