Pasifika TV provides equipment and training to Tonga Broadcasting Commission Featured
28 March, 2017. Pasifika TV is providing new television production equipment and training to Tonga Broadcasting Commission to complement the 8 hours of FREE New Zealand programmes that it already provides to Tongan TV screens every day.
These free New Zealand programmes can be viewed through Tonga Broadcasting Commission’s TV Tonga and Digicel Play’s Free to Air Channel 2.
Pasifika TV is funded by the Government of New Zealand and Pacific Cooperation Broadcasting Limited. The Pasifika TV service provides New Zealand originated television content such as news and information, dramas and documentaries, sports, entertainment and children’s TV programmes to 23 free-to-air broadcast partners in 12 Pacific countries.
“However, there is much more to this initiative. As well as, supporting Pacific broadcasters through delivering up to 8 hours of television content each day, we are also helping them address technical, training and local content issues” says Pasifika TV General Manager, Natasha Meleisea.
In 2015, Pasifika TV commissioned a senior television engineer to visit most of the countries and meet with and report on ways that New Zealand may be able to help our Pacific broadcast partners.
The outcome of the survey contributed valuable insights to the design of the Pasifika TV service offering. Pasifika TV now runs a number of broadcaster support programmes including:
1. Providing field production kits for producing local content
2. Providing test equipment to get the most out of Pacific TV station's broadcast operation
3. On-site technical training
4. A New Zealand broadcaster exchange programme,where each year a minimum of 8 broadcast technicians or operations staff from Pacific free-to-air stations will be placed with TVNZ, TV3, SKY and Maori Television.
“The New Zealand Government is pleased to provide a field production kit, test equipment and technical training to Tonga Broadcasting Commission. We want to continue to foster the relationship we have with our Pacific neighbours.
We hope that the equipment and training will support TBC in producing local content and building technical capabilities of their station.” says Sarah Walsh, New Zealand High Commissioner.
