Mainland TV installs dish to cater for digital era

From www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/news/5188920...ater-for-digital-era

Mainland Television has installed a new satellite dish at its Waimea Rd headquarters as it prepares for free-to-air digital broadcasting.

Mainland managing director Gary Watson said it removed an older five-metre dish three weeks ago and this week installed a four-metre dish, which was more efficient and hi-tech, costing $20,000.

The move to terrestrial digital television was costing many thousands of dollars, he said.

The company was eligible for help from the Government with Freeview's move to bring digital free-to-air television to the whole country, but did not know how much it would receive. "We're going to box ahead," he said.

Digital television can be delivered by satellite and through a ground transmission network, digital terrestrial television.

Nelson viewers would receive Freeview terrestrial TV in the coming weeks, said Mr Watson.

Mainland has six satellite dishes bringing in 1500 channels, and has rights to broadcast programming from about 30. It receives $100,000 a year to enable it to broadcast local news daily. Its news service, which is having a three-week break, would resume next month with a new round of funding, he said.

[The team at JSAT.tv wish Gary and the Mainland team great success]