ONE Sport will have exclusively LIVE coverage of the Silver Ferns playing arch-rivals Australia, in the second game of The 2008 New World International Netball Series, from the Vector Arena in Auckland. Host Toni Street will be joined by commentators Julie Coney, Jenny-May Coffin and Kiri Wills.
broadcast Saturday 20 September, starting 7:30 on TV One
TVNZ apologises to viewers who missed the end of the Men’s 200metre Butterfly final in which Kiwi swimmer Moss Burmester was placed fourth.
A switching failure at the TVNZ headquarters in Auckland meant that viewers receiving the broadcast via satellite – either through SKY or on Freeview – missed the race
Viewers with analogue transmission in the South Island were also affected.
Live streaming on tvnz.co.nz – which uses a satellite feed – was disrupted.
The satellite outage lasted for about 6 minutes, and the South Island analogue viewers lost reception for about 8 minutes.
The race was replayed on TV ONE shortly after 3pm, and is now available for viewing on tvnz.co.nz.
TVNZ says it greatly regrets that a technical failure has interfered with New Zealanders’ appreciation of Moss Burmester’s tremendous effort.
All broadcasters undertaking technically complex transmissions run the risk of occasional switching failures, but the company says everyone involved is distressed at the timing of the glitch.
The Beijing Olympics has attracted spectacular television audiences with over 2.6 million New Zealanders tuning in to TV ONE’s coverage over the weekend.
Since its opening in the early hours of Saturday morning, Beijing 2008 has delivered 29% higher ratings than Athens 2004.
“This is an outstanding result,” says TVNZ’s Head of Television Jeff Latch.
“New Zealanders love the Olympics – they love getting involved in worldwide sporting events, and supporting our Kiwi athletes. And there is no better way to share in those great Olympic moments from here than to watch them on television.”
ONE News also gained stellar ratings over the weekend with its Olympic highlights, achieving a 52% share in the 25-54 demographic last night and a rating of 21.
TVNZ’s dedicated Olympics site on tvnz.co.nz is also proving hugely popular.
Over the weekend TVNZ’s Olympics site yielded more than half a million page impressions and over 80,000 unique browsers each day – four times the anticipated traffic for the opening weekend.
TVNZ is New Zealand’s official broadcaster of and online partner for Beijing 2008. New Zealanders can choose to watch the Olympics coverage on TV ONE, TVNZ Sport Extra on Freeview Channel 20, and on any of four live streaming channels on tvnz.co.nz.
For schedule information go to tvnz.co.nz/Olympics.
Geoff Bryan and Peter Williams will be presenting the 2008 Summer Olympics LIVE from Beijing.
Highlights from the second week will include:
Saturday 16 August – Day 8: Women’s Hockey (NZ v USA); Track & Field; Swimming Finals; Rowing; Track Cycling; and Sailing Finals.
Sunday 17 August – Day 9: Women’s Marathon; Swimming Finals; Track Cycling; Rowing; Track & Field; and Equestrian.
Monday 18 August – Day 10: Women’s Triathlon; Men’s Beach Volleyball; Canoe/Kayak; Track Cycling; Equestrian; Synchronised Swimming (Duet Technical Routine, NZers Nina and Lisa Daniels); Sailing (Men’s and Women’s Windsurfing, NZers Barbara Kendall, Tom Ashley; and Men’s Two-Person Dinghy, NZers Peter Burling, Karl Evans); and Track & Field (Women’s Discus Final; Men’s 200m Round 2; Women’s Pole Vault Final; and Women’s 800m Final).
Tuesday 19 August – Day 11: Men’s Triathlon; Men’s Hockey (NZ v Germany); Beach Volleyball (Women’s Semi-finals); Canoe/Kayak; Synchronised Swimming (Duet Free Routine, NZers Nina and Lisa Daniels); Diving (Men’s 3m Springboard Final); Trampoline (Men’s Final); Football (Men’s Semi-final); Sailing (Men’s and Women’s Single-handed Dinghy, NZers Andrew Murdoch, Jo Aleh); Track & Field (Women’s 5000m Round 1; Men’s 200m Semi-finals; and Men’s 1500m Final).
Wednesday 20 August – Day 12: Cycling (BMX); Beach Volleyball (Men’s Semi-finals); Waterpolo (Men’s Quarter-finals); Canoe/Kayak; Sailing (Men’s and Women’s Windsurfing Finals); Women’s Hockey Semi-finals; and Track & Field (Men’s 5000m Round 1, NZer Adrian Blencoe; and Men’s 200m Final).
Thursday 21 August – Day 13: Taekwondo Finals; Cycling (BMX Semi-finals); Swimming (Men’s 10k; and Marathon); Beach Volleyball (Women’s Medal Matches); Sailing (Men’s Keelboat Star Race, NZers Hamish Pepper, Carl Williams); Equestrian (Individual Jumping Final Round); Diving (Women’s 10m Platform Final); Track & Field (Women’s 1500m Semi-finals; Men’s 800m Final; Men’s 400m Final; Women’s 200m Final; and Women’s 4 x 400m Relay Round 1).
Friday 22 August – Day 14: Track & Field (Men’s 50km Walk); Beach Volleyball (Men’s Medal Matches); Cycling (Mountain Bike – Women’s Cross-country); Canoe/Kayak; Hockey (Women’s Medal Matches); Table Tennis (Women’s Singles Gold); Track & Field (Women’s 5000m Final; Women’s Long Jump Final; Men’s Pole Vault Final; Men’s 4 x 1400m Relay Round 2; Women’s 4 x 100m Relay Final).
Times are subject to change. Visit tvnz.co.nz/Olympics for up-to-date information.
Freeview will be giving Kiwis access to the Olympics in high definition and 5.1 surround sound* on TV ONE, coupled with unprecedented 24/7 coverage on Freeview channel 20 – TVNZ Sport Extra.
Steve Browning, GM of Freeview, comments: “More than 4 billion people are expected to watch the Olympic Games in Beijing, which will comprise 302 events in 28 sports. So with the depth and breadth of competitions available to enjoy, there’s never been a better time to get Freeview|HDTM, particularly with the hardware options growing by the week”.
The recent launch of Sony’s BRAVIA V and W series televisions were the first of the new line-up of integrated digital TVs with Freeview|HDTM built-in. This was swiftly followed by the introduction of the premium Sharp AQUOS D84X series integrated digital TVs. And more integrated televisions are expected shortly from other leading consumer electronics manufacturers. These compelling new products eliminate multiple remotes, extra cables and simplify installation because there is no requirement for a separate digital receiver to receive the Freeview|HDTM service.
For viewers who already have an HD capable television, Freeview is pleased to announce the launch of the second Freeview|HDTM digital receiver, the HT3000 from Homecast. This is yet another great option to get the best Olympic TV seat in the house, access to at least 9 TV and 2 radio services, and the full digital experience with no monthly fees and no contract.
And for those people not sure whether they can receive Freeview|HDTM, an innovative and easy to use Google maps tool has been added to the Freeview website www.freeviewnz.tv to help viewers check whether they are within coverage by simply entering their street address.
The Freeview|HDTM service is currently available to around 75 per cent of New Zealand homes via UHF transmission. Homes outside these areas can still enjoy the benefits of digital TV, including two channels of Olympics coverage, with the purchase of a Freeview satellite receiver, and satellite dish if required.
Let the Games begin! Geoff Bryan and Peter Williams will be presenting the 2008 Summer Olympics LIVE from Beijing.
Events to watch on TV ONE during the first week will include:
Saturday 9 August – Day One: highlights from the Opening Ceremony; Beach Volleyball; Women’s Basketball (NZ v Malawi); Cycling; Rowing heats (Men’s and Women’s Single Sculls, NZers Emma Twigg, Mahe Drysdale; Men’s and Women’s Pairs, NZers Juliette Haigh and Nicky Coles, George Bridgewater and Nathan Twaddle; Double Sculls, NZers Georgina and Caroline Evers-Swindell, Nathan Cohen and Rob Waddell; and the Men’s Fours); Swimming heats (Women’s 400m Individual Medley, NZer Helen Norfolk; and Men’s 100m Breaststroke, NZer Glenn Snyders); Women’s Football (NZ v Norway); and Sailing highlights from Day One.
Sunday 10 August – Day Two: Women’s Hockey (NZ v Japan); Swimming Finals; Beach Volleyball Prelims; Rowing heats; Cycling; Diving; Women’s Synchronised Swimming Final; Men’s Football (NZ v Brazil); and Swimming heats (Women’s 100m Backstroke, NZers Liz Coster, Melissa Ingram; and Men’s 4 x 100m Relay).
Monday 11 August – Day Three: Swimming Finals; Women’s Basketball (NZ v Spain); Equestrian (Cross-country, Team and Individual); Men’s Hockey (NZ v Korea); Rowing (Single Sculls Quarter-finals, NZers Emma Twigg, Mahe Drysdale); Swimming heats (Men’s 200m Butterfly, NZer Moss Burmester; and Women’s 200m Individual Medley, NZer Helen Norfolk).
Tuesday 12 August – Day Four: Swimming Finals; Gymnastics (Men’s Team Final); Weightlifting (Men’s 69kg, NZer Mark Spooner); Diving (Women’s 10m Plat); Synchronised Swimming Final; Rowing; Canoe/Kayak; Sailing highlights; Football; Equestrian (Team Eventing Jump Final); Women’s Hockey (NZ v Germany); Swimming heats (Men’s 200m Breaststroke, NZer Glenn Synders); and Women’s Football (NZ v USA).
Wednesday 13 August – Day Five: Swimming Final; Gymnastics (Women’s Team Final); Weightlifting (Men’s 77kg, NZer Richard Patterson); Cycling; Women’s Basketball (NZ v China); Men’s Hockey (NZ v Spain); Road Cycling; Rowing Semi-finals (Women’s Single Scull, Men’s Pairs, Men’s Fours, Men’s Double Sculls); Swimming heats (Men’s 200m Individual Medley, NZer Dean Kent); and Men’s Football (NZ v Belgium).
Thursday 14 August – Day Six: Swimming Finals; Gymnastics (Men’s Individual); Men’s Hockey (NZ v Spain); Rowing Finals; Canoe/Kayak (Women’s K1 Slalom, NZer Luuka Jones); Swimming heats (Men’s 100m Butterfly, NZer Moss Burmester; Women’s 200m Backstroke, NZer Melissa Ingram); and Hockey (NZ v Great Britain).
Friday 15 August – Day Seven: Track & Field (including Men’s 100m heats and Women’s 800m heats); Swimming; Women’s Basketball (NZ v Czech Republic); Gymnastics (Women’s Individual All-round Final); Track Cycling (Men’s Individual Pursuit, NZer Hayden Roulston; and Women’s Individual Pursuit, NZer Alison Shanks); and Track & Field (including Men’s 1500m heats, NZer Nick Willis; Women’s Discus, NZer Beatrice Faumuina; and Women’s 10,000m, NZer Kimberley Smith).
TVNZ has launched New Zealand’s online home of the Olympic Games at TVNZ’s dedicated Olympic website which is now LIVE. The site can be found at tvnz.co.nz/Olympics
Nothing compares with the power and excitement of the Olympic Games, the greatest global sporting event. When the world’s elite athletes gather in Beijing this August, TVNZ will bring Kiwi viewers closer to the drama and excitement than ever before, with spectacular images, expanded coverage, and new technologies.
The Olympic website is a one-stop shop for information, analysis and breaking Olympic news in the build-up to Beijing.
The site features include a dedicated section for every Olympic sport and profiles of every New Zealand competitor in the Games – including a range of interviews with the Kiwi medal hopefuls. Those wanting to enjoy past glories can watch the range of archive video footage. Google Maps technology has been utilised to produce a stunning bird’s-eye of the Beijing venues and there are blogs from sports broadcasting legends Keith Quinn and John McBeth, as well as diaries from several competing athletes. Further features include a full event schedule, photo galleries and all the news from the tvnz.co.nz journalists who will be will be part of the TVNZ production teams in Beijing and Auckland.
During the Games, in a first for New Zealand, tvnz.co.nz will offer the chance to choose from up to four channels of simultaneous video streaming online from TV ONE, TVNZ Sport Extra and two additional channels programmed by ONE Sport, which are only available online. There will be regularly updated information on the broadcast schedules for the television and online channels, and a daily package of Olympics video highlights that will be updated overnight, allowing Kiwis to catch up on, or re-live, the previous day’s big Olympic moments.
“This depth of online coverage of a major sporting event is something New Zealanders have never experienced,” says Jason Paris, Head of Emerging Business. “As well as broadcasting over 800 hours of Olympics action online, we’re offering up our richest content experience yet, with a wealth of video resources, coverage of every sport, high-quality images and all of the big stories about the Games.”
Head of Sport Murray Needham agrees: “The Olympic channels at tvnz.co.nz add another dimension to our coverage of Beijing, and give New Zealanders unprecedented opportunities to be part of the thrills and emotion of the Games.”
Beijing 2008 will be screened from August 8-24 across TV ONE, TVNZ Sport Extra and tvnz.co.nz.
Statement today from Rick Ellis of TVNZ:
Earlier today I accepted the resignation of ONE News sports presenter Tony Veitch.
His departure takes effect immediately.
Tony has given TVNZ the contracted three month notice period.
I have said that it is not necessary for him to work out his notice period.
I have to say that I take no pleasure in announcing this news.
Tony has been a long and loyal TVNZ staff member, having worked for the company for around 13 years.
Tony is a talented radio and television broadcaster – creative and hard working.
But he has accepted that the recent controversy makes it unrealistic for him to remain with TVNZ.
I trust that in time Tony will continue with a successful career.
I wish Tony and his wife well.
TVNZ is conscious that the recent controversy has also caused enormous stress to Tony’s former partner who, as some of you will be aware, worked some years ago in the company and is well-remembered by many of our staff.
Our hope is that Kristin Dunne-Powell will be able to move on with her life and career. I know that Kristin was a very talented and hard working marketer, and I am deeply saddened that two people who have added much to this company should now find themselves in such a devastatingly painful situation.
Irrespective of what actually happened more than two years ago, two talented young people have paid a heavy price.
Unfortunately, TVNZ’s reputation has suffered in this matter too.
I am deeply disappointed for all our staff and supporters who have put so much hard work into this company in the past 18 months to two years.
We have been going well, so this is a blow to us.
We acknowledge and respect the public response to the allegations.
New Zealanders have the right to question whether or not we have done the right thing here. As New Zealand’s public broadcaster that should be so. Our standards on all matters should be high.
New Zealanders have had enough of violence. As a company, TVNZ does not condone violence – it is not OK.
With that in mind, let me now make some important points.
Tony met with a group of managers in December 2007 to discuss what was for him a serious personal issue.
While he did outline a situation that included a minor fracas two years earlier, this was not the focus of the meeting. The nature of the discussion left those in that meeting, who are all senior and very experienced managers, with the clear view that it was a private matter of a civil nature that was being worked out between the parties concerned. That’s why they didn’t elevate it to me as CEO.
Now, for Privacy Act reasons I cannot discuss further details of that meeting but the severity of the incident as outlined to TVNZ bore little relation to that described in some media allegations -which I must point out, remain allegations.
I have had separate legal advice to say that the actions of my managers, given the information they were told at the time, was correct and I stand by them.
If the allegations that have subsequently been made in some media had been communicated to my managers at the time I am confident that they would have raised the matter with me.
They are competent and trusted colleagues, and one of the reasons we have employed them is that they are people of integrity.
But as with everything in life it’s important that the company learns from this.
With Tony’s resignation we will shortly conclude our review. We will learn from it and make appropriate changes to our management and employment practices.
This has been an unhappy time for everyone involved, but it’s important now for us to refocus.
In the end, I and TVNZ’s management and staff of more than 1000 want to move on now and focus on doing the terrific job New Zealanders have come to expect of us, as their public broadcaster.
We sincerely hope we can deliver for New Zealanders and earn and retain their faith and confidence in us.
Television New Zealand has a review process underway regarding disclosures by sports presenter Tony Veitch.
TVNZ Chief Executive Rick Ellis said the review began on Monday but there were significant and complex matters around the issue that restricted what could be said publicly.
“We are giving the situation our most serious consideration, and Tony’s personal statement today will be taken into account by the review process,” he said.
“Violence is a major issue in New Zealand and the profile of our on air presenters is important to the public and to our organisation.”
Mr Ellis said TVNZ had had a number of conversations with Mr Veitch and his legal representatives since Monday.
The review process is being run by the Head of Television, the Head of Human Resources and the Head of News and Current Affairs.
Sports Presenter Tony Veitch has agreed to step down from his role with TVNZ while media allegations are considered by the broadcaster.
Head of News & Current Affairs Anthony Flannery said that Mr Veitch would step down while a review was conducted into the allegations made against him by some media organisations.
Mr Flannery said there were complex issues, particularly the privacy of others, to consider.
He said because of the nature of the matter it was inappropriate to make further comment.
