Station walking on air after birthday bash

By Lindy Laird courtesy of The Northern Advocate

The face and voice of the community has been beamed into 47,000 homes between Waipu and Hikurangi for two years - a milestone which has seen Whangarei TV station Channel North given a sizeable birthday present.

The icing on the birthday cake has been confirmation from the Ministry of Culture and Heritage that Channel North now qualifies for a Freeview channel of its own, general manager Juanita Cleaver announced this week.

That means the small, gutsy, local-flavoured station's audience will expand from 47,000 in a small area in Northland to potentially hundreds of thousands throughout New Zealand.

Ms Cleaver said the Northland Television Trust board expected Channel North to be screening on a Freeview frequency within six months.

The station now also qualifies for its first round of Government funding. Word that the community station would receive an $85,000 grant for its news service this year added to the celebratory air this week. The grant will free up funds elsewhere and enable the station to keep its 10 full-time paid staff, Ms Cleaver said.

Also on the radar - as soon as the network fibre technology arrives in the region - is the station's internet launch.

"We've got to step up to the digital platform.

We know that and when we're able to make that move it will be a priority," Ms Cleaver said.

So what is the recipe for success that not only got the station up and running two years ago after three years' planning, and has kept it on track since?

"We are driven by a passion for what we do," Ms Cleaver said. "And what we do is let anyone and any group in the community be represented through us."

As well as several in-house programmes, apart from the groundbreaking equal airtime for te reo and English news, the station airs programmes other people make.

Outside of its 10 hours a day on air, Channel North hooks into satellite channel Stratos. But from 1pm until 11pm, it's pure Northland - the region's character shared through interviews, reviews, views, news, music, local events, Pukeko Echo - a programme made by and for school children.

"People have to know this is their station, it's their tool to be utilised. We are showcasing Northland to Northlanders," Ms Cleaver said.

"We cover all genres of shows,  but we do not cover violence, gambling, alcohol or drugs. If anyone wants to submit any local content we will encourage them, look at what they're doing and help them if we can or find help."

The station's partners are Manaia View School where the station operates out of two old classrooms, NorthTec, which runs a filmmaking course from its Whangarei and Rawene campuses, and 155 Community House.

Highlights from the past two years of Channel North's programming will be broadcast over a week, starting on Tuesday, August 3.

The Northern Advocate 30th July 2010