TV Transmitter Opened

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30884, 18 October 1965, Page 16

TV Transmitter Opened

No discovery in this century had had such a rapid impact on New Zealand people as had television, said the Minister of Agriculture and Science (Mr Talboys) when he officially opened the £400,000 Sugarloaf Hill transmitter on Saturday.

Mr Taiboys said television had already achieved the common-place status of the car, the radio, and air travel “In just over five years, the New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation has expanded its service from two hours a week from Auckland to 50 hours a week from four stations, together with repeater units,” he said. The number of licences had reached 376.552 by last August and was still increasing bv about 12.000 a month “The ranidity of this growth has astounded everyone. It has certainly thrown a heavv responsibility on the N Z.B.C. to provide coverage for the whole of New Zealand as soon as possible. And the corporation is to be congratulated on what has already been achieved.” said Mr Taiboys.

The Minister said that although he had not seen much television overseas he had gained the impression thal the technical standard in New Zealand was as high as anywhere. The chairman of the N.Z.B.C. (Mr C. A. McFarlane) said the official opening of the transmitter marked the completion of a further step towards a Dominionwide television service.

On September 20. the Sugarloaf station had been the first in the country to transmit on full power of 100 watts. Since then the new facilities had achieved the N.Z.B.C.’s main aim of providing much improved reception for thousands of viewers

who were previously in “fringe areas.” Further improvements would follow when the N.Z.B.C.’s low-powered repeater came into operation on Mount Studholme to relay CHTV3 on Channel 4. Mr McFarlane said he hoped this would be in November or December. Initial reception of the Sugarloaf signal on the West Coast had been disappointing. Engineers were now investigating alternative methods to

provide better reception for the area. The Mayor of Christchurch (Mr Manning) said the opening of the transmitter was a unique occasion. With the development of the transmitting station Channel Three could serve to unify the province. ' He was glad Christchurch had been chosen for such development. About 200 guests were welcomed by the Director-Gen-eral of Broadcasting (Mr G H. Stringer).