Assurance on Fox Glacier TV reception

Press, 14 June 1984, Page 19

Assurance on Fox Glacier TV reception

A group of Fox Glacier residents who say they were “misled” about the date of extension of TV2 television coverage to their area are annoyed at having paid more than $3OOO for secondchannel coverage they say they would have received anyway.

However, a spokesman for the Broadcasting Corporation said the residents’ impression that TV2 was four to seven years away was a “garbled version” of the truth, and the fact that they contributed towards the cost of bringing the second channel to their area had meant a pilot station could be installed in the area in April this year, a year sooner than originally expected. The Fox Glacier Progress League complained to the B.C.N.Z. on June 5 after it was announced that TV2 was to be extended to cover several remote areas in North Canterbury and Westland.

The league said that it had been told by the

B.C.N.Z.’s Westland superintendent, Mr K. James, that TV2 coverage was several years away unless the residents contributed financially towards installation. This they did by raising $5O per household over an 18month period, a total of $3lOO. A spokesman for the residents, Mr B. Postill, said Mr James had acted in good faith and had done a “terrific" job, but the problem was due to a change in B.C.N.Z. policy.

“A lot of residents are fairly upset about this, and feel they have been ripped off,” he said. A spokesman for the 8.C.N.Z., Mr P. Mainwaring, said there was never any indication of a four to seven-year wait given to the residents. They were told in February, 1982, that TV2 would come to their area at the end of 1985, he said.

“Their contribution is getting them a pilot station at least one year in advance, in April this year instead of April next year,” he said.