TV2 plans major sports competition

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33938, 3 September 1975, Page 4

TV2 plans major sports competition

When TV2’s newly appointed community programme manager, Mr Don Hutchings, leaves for. Britain this month on personal business, he will also discuss the-organisation of an inter-city sports corppetition to be held in New Zealand next year. Known as “Top Town,” the games will begin as a competition at community level. They will then develop as a competition between towns, and eventually provinces. Television Two recently linked up with the New Zealand Council for Recreation and Sport to hold the games as part, of the Government’s “Come Alive” programme. The joint venture has been welcomed by the Minister of. Recreation and Sport (Mr' Walding), v.’ho said the essence of the activities was “good fun and community involvement.” While in Britain, Mr Hutchings will study the! methods used by British television to produce the games known there as “It’s A Knockout.”

When he returns, he will try to evolve a style which is distinctively New Zealand. “We don’t just want our games to be an imitation of

i,what they’ve done in the ■ United Kingdom,” he said. J Television Two hopes to [ make 13 30-minute pro- , grammes of the games in line . with its policy of community , involvement.