New Channels and Content Ensure Sales Still Strong for Freeview
 
Nearly three years after launching, Freeview continues to connect with Kiwis thanks to increases in the number of channels, the imminent prospect of the FIFA Football World Cup being available free-to-air in HD® and continued free-to-air digital technology innovation.
 
“We’ve moved fairly quickly from five channels to 16 and with the arrival of the MediaWorks alternative music channel, C42 on May the 1st, that number will increase yet again. As well as the new channel, the Football World Cup is now less than 50 days away and some of the games are scheduled to screen live on TV One in HD® while TVNZ 7 will broadcast selected alternative live games plus replays.  So clearly the content that’s not available on analogue TV is proving to be a big part of a really attractive proposition for TV viewers,” says Sam Irvine, Freeview General Manager.
 
“We are also continuing to work with manufacturers and broadcasters  to enable  them to develop applications and products that will allow viewers to copy and distribute  High Definition content and access video content, direct to their TV’s,  over the internet”, he adds.
 
Sales figures for the first quarter of 2010 show that nearly a  quarter (23.5%) of New Zealand homes can now access free-to-air, digital TV and radio through  Freeview.
 
The total number of households able to receive Freeview is now 376,389 (up from 346,116 in December 2009), which consists of both Freeview satellite® homes and Freeview|HD® homes. The number of Freeview enabled satellite® households has grown to 12% whilst the number of Freeview|HD® enabled homes also grew to 11.5%.

“Freeview is committed to offering the best digital free-to-air viewing experience possible and new channels, popular content and world-class technology are compelling evidence of that,” concludes Sam Irvine.