January 5, 2012

Sad about Stratos

It's too bad that Stratos, a public broadcasting channel on Freeview, has closed. Stratos carried the excellent Australian 4WD TV series, which included a lot of New Zealand coverage. Stratos was for some – including myself – the only way to watch episodes on the big flat screen. (An alternative is to stream them from the 4WD TV website and watch on the computer.) According to the show's website, it's also shown on Auckland's Triangle TV, CTV in Canterbury, Channel 9 in Dunedin, Mainland TV in Nelson, Sawyer TV in Napier and Family TV in Rodney. But for those of us unable to access any of these regional UHF channels it's Goodnight 4WD TV. I'm hoping 4WD TV might be able to get it on one of the other Freeview national channels. Simon Christie, who runs 4WD TV with his wife, Miranda, told 4wdNewz, "we are still in total shock … we know we have a great following in New Zealand."
What you can do
4WD enthusiasts need 4WD TV available nationally on Freeview, particularly in light of the show's substantial and ongoing commitment to New Zealand coverage. Basically, this means being on TV One, TV Two, TV3, Prime or the Southland station, Cue. Please take a minute to email, write or phone the channel(s) of your choice and tell them that you'd love to see the show on their channel now that Stratos has folded. TV stations do listen to public opinion, so please do it now. Information on how to provide feedback is published on each channel's website.

4 comments:

  1. Everyone should support Simon and Miranda on this, I am.

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  2. A better effort would be to lobby your local MP and get Stratos back. That 4WD TV made it onto our screens was not because of the choices of tweenagers who choose what we will watch. It was because some community minded individuals established Triangle, et al so that 4WD TV and many others could be screened.
    The reality is, 4WD TV does not have the production values wanted by mainstream stations. It carries its own advertising, and those advertisers will not be able to afford the rates charged my mainstream stations.
    You will not see 4WD TV on any digital channel unless you get Stratos back.

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  3. A good point, disco2hse. The return of Stratos would, of course, be an ideal outcome. Its programming mix will be missed, not just 4WD TV.

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  4. Cue's there only hope, mate.

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