Cook Islands transmission begins today

Press, 16 July 1986, Page 15

Cook Islands transmission begins today

By

MARGARET BAKER

TV reporter

TVNZ transmission to the Cook Islands begins today as part of a drive to secure a satellite television service to the Pacific.

Four days of four-hour broadcasts will go from Christchurch, via satellite station at Rangiora, to a satellite receiver set up in Rarotonga by TVNZ. The trial period coincides with a four-day conference of broadcasters in Rarotonga.

“We want to show the broadcasters that we can provide a large amount of educational programming that would counter the growing spread of B grade movies and pornography already much in evidence through video tapes, and which does much to destroy national culture and character," says the manager of TVNZ in Christchurch, Mr Colin Harrison.

The programmes will include world-wide, Pacific and New Zealand news summaries, sports, weather, children’s programmes, Information programmes such as “Country Calendar," natural history and entertainmentprogrammes, in-

eluding “Billy T. James” and “Patsy Rigger,” and documentaries with Pacific interest Teletext will also be transmitted internationally by satellite for the first time. The Cook Islands will receive the normal pages of information, as well as some special pages of information for the broadcasting conference.

“The programme will be televised at the same time as the conference is discussing TVNZ’s proposal to provide satellite television. It should basically back up our case,” says Mr Harrison. If the response is favourable, the proposal will go to the South Pacific Forum meeting in Suva in August Mr Harrison says TVNZ in Christchurch has extended itself to make it possible to send the signal from the city.

“We have access to the satellite earth station at Rangiora, and are also very keen to become the centre of transmission should the service go ahead.” A satellite transmission service would mean extending equipment and staffing levels at Christchurch, he says.