‘TV channel in mid-1975’

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33413, 20 December 1973, Page 2

‘TV channel in mid-1975’

(New Zealand Press Association

AUCKLAND, December 19.

The second television channel was not likely to begin service before June, 1975, said the chairman of TV2 (Mr K. G. Fraser) today.

In the meantime members of the Auckland and Christchurch-based TV2 corporation would “just be thinking,” Mr Fraser said.

Top priority would be for advertisements for directors

general of the two planned television corporations, plus one radio corporation, to spread the net as widely as possible for executive staff. Mr Fraser said that Television 2 members could meet in January. In the meantime the proposed corporation had no equipment, staff, finance, transmission, or programmes. The chairman said that he did not have a colour television set; these were' expensive, but he might feel obliged to get one. He did not know how much time his post as chairman would take, but there would be a lot of organisation involved in establishing the second channel. Someone had commented that the chairman’s position placed him on “the hottest seat in New Zealand,” said Mr Fraser. The N.Z.B.C. structure would continue to work “as is” in the meantime, he said. Corporation members would be paid “allowances,” Mr Fraser said, but he was not prepared to discuss details.