South Pacific Television

South Pacific Television (SPTV) was a television channel in New Zealand, which operated between 1976 and 1980.

History

The channel, then known as TV2, first went to air on 30 June 1975. It was the second national government television channel to be established in the country that year, after Television One went to air on 1 April, replacing the former New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation's TV service.

In its first week, the network held New Zealand's first Telethon in aid of the St John Ambulance. It raised $593,878.

The channel could only be picked up in Auckland and Christchurch when it first went to air, but it was limited in Christchurch due to a faulty transmitter. It was another three months before the Waikato and Bay of Plenty got coverage and by late November, the channel was available in Wellington before spreading throughout the rest of the country.

The channel covered the South Pacific Festival of the Arts held in Rotorua in March 1976 with several half-hour pre-recorded programmes featuring several traditional dances from the broader region. SPTV also co-operated with the BBC for the footage.

In December 1976, TV2 was rebranded as South Pacific Television (SPTV) to distinguish itself from the former NZBC channel. It also reduced confusion in Auckland and Dunedin where Television One broadcast on channel 2 (TV2 broadcast on channel 4 in both centres).

In 1977, broadcasting hours were cut on both channels and as a result SPTV lost 16 hours of broadcast time a week, forcing the channel to begin its daily broadcasts at 3pm (except weekends, where SPTV opened transmission at midday).

Channel funding was cut for Television One and handed over to SPTV in a move that bewildered some over at Television One. The effects of the cuts saw programme output on SPTV increase.

Fate

It was decided in 1979 by the National Government that the channels would be amalgamated under an administration which would end the competition that reared its head in 1975.

SPTV's final day of transmissions was 15 February 1980. The final programme was a two-hour farewell special, and the channel closed down at 12:15am on the morning of 16 February.

The next day, 16 February 1980, Television One and SPTV were dissolved and became Television One and Television Two, under the newly formed Television New Zealand (TVNZ). A number of SPTV's programmes moved across to the new networks.

List of programmes

Domestic

Children's

* ''Chic Chat''
* ''Chicaboom''
* ''Child's Play''
* '' Children of Fire Mountain''
* ''Good Time Show with Tracy''
* ''Hey, Hey It's Andy''
* ''Hunter's Gold''
* '' Romper Room'' (New Zealand version)

Comedy

* '' A Week of It''
* '' Hudson and Halls''
* ''Something to Look Forward to''

Drama

* ''Castaways''
* '' Colour Scheme''
* '' Died in the Wool''
* ''Hunter's Gold''
* '' Ngaio Marsh Theatre''
* ''Opening Night''
* ''Radio Waves''
* ''The Mackenzie Affair''
* '' Vintage Murder''

Entertainment

* ''The Club Show''
* ''Opportunity Knocks''
* ''Top of the World''
* ''Telethon''

Factual & Lifestyle

* ''Access''
* ''Book Review''
* ''Butcher's Hook''
* ''Child Health''
* ''Church in Action''
* ''Farming Today''
* ''Kaleidoscope''
* ''Looking Your Best''
* ''Pacific Viewpoint''
* ''Pet Life''
* ''Police Five''
* ''Sew Easy''
* ''Stars on Sunday''
* ''Sunday's Child''
* ''Talk Cars''
* ''A Taste of the Orient''
* ''That's Entertainment''
* ''You and the Law''
* ''Yours for the Asking''

News and Current Affairs

* ''Eye Witness''
* ''Forum''
* ''News at Six''
* ''News at Ten''
* ''News Stand''
* ''Weekend Edition News''
* ''World Watch''

Sport

* '' On the Mat''
* ''Saturday Night Rugby''
* ''Sportsworld''

Overseas

Children's

* ''Batman''
* '' Captain Caveman''
* ''Clutch Cargo''
* ''Dominic''
* ''Doctor Who''
* ''The Flintstones''
* '' Michael Bentine's Potty Time''
* '' The New Fred and Barney Show''
* '' The Quick Draw McGraw Show''
* ''Rainbow''
* '' Rogue's Rock''
* '' The Undersea Adventures of Captain Nemo''

Comedy

* ''Alice''
* ''The Bob Newhart Show''
* ''The Brady Bunch''
* '' Dave Allen at Large''
* '' Doctor at Large''
* '' Get Some In!''
* ''Eight Is Enough''
* '' Fantasy Island''
* '' Gidget''
* ''The Goodies''
* '' The Liver Birds''
* ''The Love Boat''
* ''The Mike and Bernie Show''
* '' Mixed Blessings''
* ''My Three Sons''
* '' Odd Man Out''
* '' Oh No It's Selwyn Froggitt''
* '' Please Sir!''
* ''Porridge''
* ''Soap''
* ''The Stanley Baxter Moving Picture Show''
* '' Sykes''
* ''Taxi''
* '' The Tony Randall Show''
* '' Welcome Back, Kotter''

Drama

* '' Against the Wind''
* '' All Creatures Great and Small''
* '' The Brothers''
* '' Clayhanger''
* '' Dan August''
* '' Danger UXB''
* '' The Duchess of Duke Street''
* '' Emergency One''
* '' Family (1976 TV series)''
* '' Fantasy Island''
* '' Hawaii Five-O''
* '' The High Chaparral''
* ''Kojak''
* ''The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams''
* ''Little House on the Prairie''
* ''Man from Atlantis''
* ''New Scotland Yard''
* ''The Persuaders!''
* '' The Professionals''
* ''The Rookies''
* ''Search for Tomorrow''
* '' Softly, Softly: Taskforce''
* '' Spearhead''
* ''Spencer's Pilots''
* '' The Sullivans''
* '' Spearhead''
* '' Within These Walls''
* ''The Wild Wild West''
* ''Wonder Woman''

Entertainment

* '' Dinah!''
* ''The Tom O'Connor Show''

Factual

* ''The Incredible World of Adventure''
* '' Wild Kingdom''

References

{{Reflist

External links

TVNZClip of the network ident

Television stations in New Zealand
Television channels and stations established in 1976
Television channels and stations disestablished in 1980
1976 establishments in New Zealand
1980 disestablishments in New Zealand
Defunct television channels in New Zealand
TVNZ