Media Maze

The successful regional broadcaster Triangle TV is to pulling out of Wgtn. (see article below).

There is no denying that UHF broadcasts in Wgtns geography is tough for UHF signal spread, this along with income concerns brought about their demise. It is a shame, no doubt the longer established Auckland based broadcast will continue, what with a greater audience, easier broadcast distribution and a presence for quite a period will continue to ensure its Auckland success.

Stratos the SKY broadcast based composite programme of their UHF channels continues across NZ.

I think the inability to get to a wider Wgtn audience was probably their biggest problem, and hence the decision to pull the plug.

Wonder if they thought about an amped Internet model, with more of a hyperlocal content for Wgtn / Auckland audiences? It would seem to me that all the old programme material they have should be available on demand via the internet... pretty simple in todays world, but these guys run on very tight budgets, perhaps its coming..

I admire these guys especially Jim Black as they tried an succeeded, one failure in one region does not mean that their business model is doomed.

I wonder how some of the other regional UHF stations are fairing at present, what with advertising revenues way down and their broadcasting infrastructure costs going up year on year.

Triangle pulls plug on Wellington
Last updated 17:30 27/03/2009

Triangle Television is ending transmission in Wellington at the end of this month.
There had been disappointing programming support, funding, sponsorship and commercial interest in Wellington, Auckland-based Triangle said.
"In fact we have less padding to survive the downturn because unlike other TV services, like the state-owned broadcaster, we have to rely on funding from the communities and we receive little from New Zealand on Air," Triangle chief executive Jim Blackman said.
Ongoing transmission problems had also hurt the Wellington service.
Triangle would continue to broadcast on TriangleStratos, available on Sky and Freeview satellite services, and TelstraClear cable.

Triangle launched in Auckland in 1998, and in Wellington in 2006

(Via .http://www.stuff.co.nz/)

And direct from Triangle TV website http://www.tritv.co.nz/

Triangle Television is pulling the plug on its Wellington transmission from March 31. Jim Blackman, founder and chief executive of the free-to-air Triangle Television and nationwide channel TriangleStratos Television, says Triangle is not immune to the same economic realities that other TV stations and media are experiencing.

“In fact we have less padding to survive the downturn because unlike other TV services, like the state owned broadcaster, we have to rely on funding from the communities and we receive little from New Zealand on Air,” he says.
Local programming support, funding levels, sponsorship and commercial uptake of the Wellington service has been far lower than hoped for. The Wellington service has also had ongoing transmission problems, which has affected signal strength and viewership in some areas.
“As we do not see this situation improving in the short to medium term our must focus on those areas of our activity which are more viable,” Mr Blackman says. “The good news is that Wellington viewers and producers will still have the option to see the majority of Triangle programming via TriangleStratos, which is available on Sky and Freeview satellite services and Telstra Clear cable. We will also still accept locally made programming from Wellington to broadcast on those platforms.”
Triangle Stratos is available on Freeview Channel 21 and Sky Channel 89. It is also on TelstraClear cable on Channel 89.

Mr Blackman says although the Wellington decision was necessary, overall Triangle and TriangleStratos have been gaining market share as their reputation for offering an alternate voice to New Zealanders on news from around the world spreads. The channels screen news and current affairs services in English from Al Jazeera, Euro News, Deutsche Welle (DW), Voice of America, PBS, McLaughlin Group (US politics), Frost over the World (David Frost) and Tongan, Fijian, Italian, Dutch, Spanish, French, Swiss, Flemish, Greek, Russian, Chinese, Thai and Japanese language news.

For more information contact:Jim BlackmanCEOTriangle Television Ltd and Stratos Television LimitedPh +64 9 360 4610Email:
jim@tritv.co.nz