Country TV is a New Zealand television channel broadcast on channel 081 on SKY Network Television. Country TV aims to provide information and entertainment specifically for

New Zealand farmers In New Zealand, agriculture is the largest sector of the tradable economy. The country exported NZ$46.4 billion worth of agricultural products (raw and manufactured) in the 12 months to June 2019, 79.6% of the country's total exported goods. T ...

and the rural community. The channel was launched on 1 October 2008 on SKY Digital TV channel 099 as ''The Country Channel''. On 1 November 2009 the channel changed its name to Country99TV to more closely align with its target demographic, as viewers and clients were simply calling the channel "Channel 99". On 1 May 2013, the Sky channel number was changed to 081 so the name became ''Country TV'' Country TV offers a variety of programming and its flagship shows are locally produced news, weather and current affairs shows. The news team includes journalists David Beatson, Genevieve Westcott and broadcaster

Mark Leishman Gerard Mark Leishman (born 25 May 1956) is a New Zealand radio and television broadcaster. He was the breakfast host on the Magic radio network. from 15 April 2015 to 9 December 2022 and is also news editor and presenter of ''The Daily Report'' ...

. The channel also offers short range and long range weather forecasts for New Zealand farmers. Country TV is privately backed by rural investors and is based in

Auckland Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The most populous urban area in the country and the fifth largest city in Oceania, Auckland has an urban population of about I ...

, New Zealand. It is available by subscription only.

Programming

The Channel focuses entirely on programming relating to

farming Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled peopl ...

, including farming programs, news, weather, financial information, and reviews of products and services.

References

{{Subscription television channels in New Zealand Television channels in New Zealand Television stations in New Zealand Television channels and stations established in 2008