TVNZ seals deal with Bond Group

Press, 22 July 1988, Page 3

TVNZ seals deal with Bond Group

PA Wellington Television New Zealand yesterday announced a cooperative aggreement with Australia’s leading commercial television network, Channel 9, and the Bond Media Group, owner of the Nine Network.

The agreement gives TVNZ a 24-hour satellite link with Europe, provides overseas correspondent bases and gives TVNZ first call on all Bond Media programmes. The deal, which has taken 18 months to negotiate, was signed in Sydney last week by TVNZ’s director-general, Mr Julian Mounter, and Bond Media’s managing director, Mr Sam Chisholm. It is seen as the first stage in co-operation on a number of fronts, but does not inhibit TVNZ from dealing with, other broadcasters in Australia. Under the agreement Bond and TVNZ will share an Atlantic transponder on an Intelsat satellite using a newly perfected technology known as vidiplexing, which allows two programmes to be sent on the same transponder at

the same time. TVNZ now has its own Pacific Transponder which gives it 24-hour access from the United States and other countries around the Pacific Rim, and has been using four hours a day on a leased Atlantic transponder to complete the link to London. The additional time will allow TVNZ to bring in more live programming, as well as speed up delivery of long-running series, such as “East Enders,” for screening in the same week as they are shown in Europe. It will also allow TVNZ’s London correspondent to feed material directly for use in news programmes. Television New Zealand intends placing correspondents in London, Sydney and the United States and the agreement with Chan-

nel 9 provides for a sharing of crews, equipment and the cost of offices with Nine Network in the three centres. Channel 9 News is consistently the highest-rating news service in Australia, outrating its opposition two to one. Under the agreement, TVNZ recieves rights to Channel 9 News coverage. Bond Media will receive TVNZ News on an exchange basis. Television New Zealand, as it goes into competition, also has first call on Bond Media programmes. The contract allows for co-operation between the two partners in their approach to external satellite services. Both partners have an interest in developing the potential Far East and Pacific television market.