TV2 struggling for full competition

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33933, 28 August 1975, Page 4

TV2 struggling for full competition

By

Ken Coates

Television Two’s development is not quite procedding as fast as planned, i It is still very much the second channel and is still some distance from being a network able to ofefr full competition to TVI. Although about 300.000 .jviewers will be added to, . TV2’s viewing audience with J the addition of the Waikato J area on September 1. there ’[is doubt over when Welling’•ton will be linked with the network. I It was reported recently that Wellington would be i lucky to see TV2 pro- ■ grammes before February.; This pessimistic forecast I . was based on the capital’s! . notorious winds continuing! ' to interfere with work on the Mt Kau Kau aerial. It was originally hoped: I that Wellington would be in- 1

■eluded in TV2's coverage-by mid-November. With Sugarloaf aerial (Problems still cutting out : afternoon TV2 trnasmission, I ;he channel has its problems : in attempting to compete 'with TVI and its huge Avalion complex conveniently situated in Wellington. The gap between the two [channels will be particularly noticeable on election night. I “We will do whatever we [can but quite obviously we [cannot match TVl’s Cecil B. De Mille's special because [we do not have the lac- [ iiities,” said TV2’s head of : news (Bruce Crossan). He added that the cannel [would certainly cover the [hustings, but no firm decision had yet been made as I to precisely what form elec- ■ tion night coverage would ■tale. i Television Two operates in la curious vacuum in Wei-

ilington. In rhe multi-stor ' eyed television complex Avalon in the Hutt Vai e> TV? occupies a >pacioii.‘ [suite where a new- --aft [practices competing w-’h TXT using its facilities Television One pretend! TV2 is not there \ew« [items produced from Avalon [and gathered by David Beat i son. TV2’s highly paid man in Parliament, cannot be [viewed in Wellingti Bit iT\'l staff keep an eye 'r [the opposition through [monitors at Avalon. It is largely due to the [time taken to develop TA 7 into a network that has re i suited in a change of plan [for Christchurch's star per [formers. Rodney Bryant and Bryan Allpress. Originally. when both 'went to the channel form the N.Z.B.C , it seemed as though they would soon graduate to a network programme — certainly this : was the ambition of Rodney : Bryant. But as time went on it became clear that a full network was at least six months away. Rodney Bryant- was cooling his heels waiiting for bigger things, while Bryan was becoming increasingly frustrated being restricted to fronting “Points South.”

In spite of the restructuring of television, here were two prominent performers who had enjoyed huge success, still in the same organisation in the same city but now waiting in the wings, as it were.

It is no secret that matters came to a head last week and producer for “Points South” Doc Williams made changes which will at least provide more opportunity for utilising the talents and abilities which made “The South Tonight” so successful.

He said yesterday he would like to see the humorous and satirical side of the show develop. Rodney will only sit in as front man for about a month with Alan Gaskell.

Television Two is looking [for a second-string front Iman to fill the gap left when Alan Gaskell becomes the full-time front man. Rodney is only a temporary frontman but has joined the “Points South” team fulltime.