TV2 (New Zealand)

TV2 is a national television network in New Zealand, which is owned and operated by the state-owned broadcaster TVNZ. It targets a younger audience than its sister network, TV One. TV2's line up consists of dramas, sitcoms, and reality shows, most of which are produced in New Zealand or imported from the United States.

History

TV2 was formed following the dissolution of the New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation in 1975, and is a sister station to TV1 which took over the AKTV2 and CHTV3 stations in Auckland and Christchurch. It began broadcasting in those cities on 30 June of that year, but did not begin broadcasting in Wellington until that November.

TV2 opened with a Telethon for the St John Ambulance Service. As there was only one national link, and TV One had priority, TV2 used the link overnight to feed the next day's programmes between Auckland and Christchurch so they could be broadcast simultaneously.In 1976 TV2 was renamed South Pacific Television, and along with TV One and Radio New Zealand it became part of the Broadcasting Corporation of New Zealand (BCNZ) in 1977.

In 1980, South Pacific Television (which reverted to its original name of TV2) and TV One merged to form Television New Zealand, with the promise of 'complementary programming'.In 1981, tenders were called for the supply of programmes for TV2's morning slot. The following year Northern Television began producing programmes as the first private enterprise TV broadcaster in the country. In 1983 Northern TV...
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