List of free-to-air channels in New Zealand

This article is a list of free-to-air channels in New Zealand.

New Zealand broadcast channels

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Notes
  • The PAL-B&G (analogue) television switch off was completed on 1 December 2013.[1] AM and FM radio is unaffected.
  • DVB 64-QAM terrestrial channels use ITU system G channel allocations within UHF television band IV and band V. On 1 December 2013, Band V above 698 MHz was reallocated to LTE mobile telephony, hence some channels that were broadcasting on Band V above 698 MHz on 30 November 2013 have been forced off air until a new frequency is allocated.
  • All digital terrestrial television channels are encoded in H.264 and subject to a MPEG-LA controlled transmission patent licensing tax which is in included in the Freeview broadcaster cost and varies on viewership figures.
  • High-definition 1080i DVB 64-QAM are only available on TVNZ 1, TVNZ 2, Three, Whakaata Māori, TVNZ Duke, Sky Open and The Edge TV. All other TV channels are standard-definition 576i anamorphic widescreen.
  • Metro means Kordia owned sites only in Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, Napier/Hastings, Palmerston North, the Wellington metropolitan area (including Kapiti), Christchurch and Dunedin.
  • A grey box in the 64-QAM column means the channel(s) is temporarily off-air.
  • All New Zealand operated direct-broadcast satellite channels are from Optus D1 at 160.0°E, and can be received via a standard 60 cm parabolic antenna. There are two main up-links - the original one from Sky in Auckland, on transports 3 @ 12519 MHz, 5 @ 12644 MHz or 6 @ 12671 MHz and the one from TVNZ's Avalon comm hub in Lower Hutt, with channels broadcast on either Freeview transport 21 @ 12456 MHz or 22 @ 12483 MHz.
  • IPTV resolution is generally better than 576i due to not being scaled to an anamorphic widescreen width of 720, but may be lower depending on the bandwidth selected or calculated at the time of connection. Playback performance may vary with network traffic conditions. Most metropolitan New Zealanders have access to fibre broadband.
Freeview high viewership nationwide channels
Channel number DVB name(s) Owner/parent company Launch H.222

Transport

Availability
Terrestrial Satellite DVB IPTV
Freeview[2] Sky[3] DVB 64-QAM Freeview Sky
1 1 TVNZ 1 TVNZ (govt.) 1 June 1960 TVNZ 1080i 576i 1080i Live stream and on-demand HD
New Zealand's first television channel. Started as four stations (AKTV2, WNTV1, CHTV3, DNTV2); amalgamated into one channel (NZBC TV) in October 1973. Renamed TV One on 1 April 1975.
2 2 TVNZ 2 TVNZ (govt.) 1 June 1975 TVNZ 1080i 576i 1080i Live stream and on-demand HD
Youth focused channel, named South Pacific Television from 1976 to 1980.
3 3 Three Warner Bros. Discovery 26 November 1989 Warner Bros. Discovery 1080i 576i 1080i Live stream and on-demand
Started off as NZ's first private TV network, sold off to Canadian and, later, Australian interests. Currently owned by Discovery, Inc.
4 12 Bravo Warner Bros. Discovery, NBCUniversal International Networks 3 July 2016 Warner Bros. Discovery 576i 576i 576i Live stream and on-demand
Lifestyle and reality television channel. Originally launched as a youth entertainment channel TV4 in 1997, became music video C4 in October 2003, reverted in 2008, renamed to FOUR in February 2011, then rebranded to its current form, Bravo in July 2016.
5 19 Whakaata Māori Māori Television Service (govt.) 28 March 2004 Maori Television, Warner Bros. Discovery 1080i 576i 576i primetime
on-demand
Tax-payer funded content in Māori and English. Known as Maori Television from 2004-2022.
6 23 TVNZ Duke TVNZ (govt.) 20 March 2016 TVNZ 1080i 576i 1080i Live stream and on-demand HD
operates between the hours of 12pm and 3am. Screens sport and general entertainment.
7 502 TVNZ 2+1 TVNZ (govt.) 1 September 2013 TVNZ 576i 576i 576i on-demand
Timeshifted TVNZ 2, delayed by one hour (replaced TVNZ U)[4]
8 13 Eden Warner Bros. Discovery 28 April 2012 Warner Bros. Discovery 1080i[5] 576i 576i Live stream and on-demand
Formerly known as Choice TV, rebranded eden on 21 March 2022.
9 512 Bravo Plus 1 Warner Bros. Discovery, NBCUniversal International Networks 26 June 2014 Warner Bros. Discovery
Sky
576i 576i[6] 576i on-demand
Timeshifted Bravo, delayed by one hour
10 82 Te Reo Māori Television Service (govt.) 2008 Maori Television
Discovery New Zealand
1080i 576i 576i primetime on-demand
Tax-payer funded content in 100% Māori.
11 501 TVNZ 1+1 TVNZ (govt.) 1 July 2012 TVNZ 576i 576i 576i on-demand
Timeshifted TVNZ 1, delayed by one hour (replaced TVNZ 7)
12 504 TVNZ Duke+1 TVNZ (govt.) 17 November 2020 TVNZ
Sky
576i 576i 576i on-demand
Timeshifted TVNZ Duke, delayed by one hour. [7]
13 503 ThreePlus1 Warner Bros. Discovery 30 March 2009 Warner Bros. Discovery 576i 576i 576i on-demand
timeshifted Three, delayed by one hour
14 24 Rush Warner Bros. Discovery 21 March 2022 Warner Bros. Discovery 1080i[8] 576i 576i Live stream
15 4 Sky Open Sky 30 August 1998 Kordia 1080i 576i 1080i Live stream and on-demand HD
Started off as a Subsidiary of Australia's Prime TV of three localised feeds before being sold to Sky TV in 2006
18 505 Eden+1 Warner Bros. Discovery 21 March 2022 Kordia
Sky
576i 576i 576i on-demand
Timeshifted Eden, delayed by one hour
19 21 HGTV Warner Bros. Discovery 27 June 2016 Kordia
Warner Bros. Discovery
576i 576i 576i on-demand
Shows with a focus on home improvement, gardening, crafts, and remodeling.
20 90 Al Jazeera Al Jazeera Media Network 25 October 2013 Kordia 576i 576i 576i live unicast
Foreign news service
21 514 Sky Open +1 Sky 1 January 2017 Sky No 576i 576i Live stream and on-demand
Timeshifted Sky Open, delayed by one hour
Freeview lower viewership nationwide channels
Channel number DVB name(s) Owner/parent company Launch H.222

Transport

Availability
Terrestrial Satellite DVB IPTV
Freeview Sky DVB 64-QAM Freeview Sky
25 201 Shine TV Rhema Media (corp.) 1 December 2002 Kordia
Discovery New Zealand
576i
Whangarei, Rotorua, Taupo, Gisborne, Whanganui, Masterton, Nelson, South Canterbury, Invercargill[9]
576i 576i live unicast
Christian programming
26 206 Firstlight Firstlight Charitable Trust 17 September 2012 Kordia
Discovery New Zealand
576i 576i 576i live unicast
Family safe Christian programming
27 204 Hope Channel Seventh-day Adventist Church 12 September 2015 Kordia
Discovery New Zealand
576i 576i 576i live unicast
Christian Programming
31 86 Parliament TV Kordia (distributor, govt.) 9 October 2007 Kordia
Discovery New Zealand
576i
Kordia Metro
only
576i 576i live unicast
Live and replayed coverage of the New Zealand parliamentary sessions
32 N/A TV32 Best News Entertainment (corp.) 13 August 2007 Kordia 576i
Kordia Metro
only
No No No
Local and international Chinese programming
200 N/A CH200 Kordia 1 December 2020 Kordia 1080i No No live unicast
Formerly known as Kordia TV.
Freeview Kordia limited viewership local channels
NorDig

LCN

DVB name Owner/parent company Launch H.222

Transport

Availability
DVB 64-QAM IPTV
33 Channel 33 New Zealand Culture and Media Group 16 November 2020 Kordia Kordia Metro
only
No
Local and international Chinese programming
36 Apna Television Golam Moinuddin (private) 25 March 2014 Kordia Auckland selected on-demand
International Hindu programming in Hindi
39 Channel 39 Allied Press 1995 Kordia Dunedin No
Regional programming as well as Al Jazeera, DW TV, etc.
48 Television Hawke's Bay Sawyer Television Limited 1994 local Napier
Hastings
only
No
Programming from local, national and international sources.
Freeview JDA limited viewership local channels
NorDig

LCN

DVB name Owner/parent company Launch H.222

Transport

Availability
DVB 64-QAM IPTV
41 Wairarapa TV noise productions ltd 2016 local Wairarapa
Yes
Locally generated television content via its partner More FM.
Independent digital local channels
NorDig

LCN

DVB name Owner/parent company Launch H.222

Transport

Availability
DVB 64-QAM IPTV
Mainland Television Media-7 1992 local Nelson
only
No
Rebroadcasts BBC World, Al Jazeera, DW TV, CCTV, VOA and locally produced news
45 South TV local Oamaru
only
No
Broadcasts 98% local content. Community station run by volunteers. Rebroadcasts TV3, Sommet Sports & Cue Television.
Freeview high priority nationwide audio only channels
Channel number DVB name(s) Owner/parent company Launch H.222

Transport

Availability
Terrestrial Satellite DVB IPTV
Freeview Sky FM/AM DVB 64-QAM Freeview Sky
50 421 RNZ National Radio New Zealand (govt.) 1925 Kordia
Discovery New Zealand
Sky
Yes Kordia metro
only
Yes Yes live unicast
News/talk-back
51 422 RNZ Concert Radio New Zealand (govt.) 24 February 1933; 91 years ago (1933-02-24) (as 2YC) Kordia
Discovery New Zealand
Sky
Yes Kordia metro
only
Yes Yes live unicast
New Zealand's only commercial free classical music channel.
Freeview/Sky low priority nationwide audio only channels
NorDig

LCN

DVB name Owner/parent company Launch H.222

Transport

Availability
Terrestrial Satellite DVB IPTV
FM DVB 64-QAM Freeview Sky
70 George FM MediaWorks NZ (corp.) 1998 Discovery New Zealand Yes No Yes No live unicast
Dance music station started off in Auckland only, sold off to Canadian and, later, Australian interests.
71 Radio Aotearoa 2023 Kordia
Discovery New Zealand
Auckland, Tauranga, Bay of Plenty Yes Yes No live unicast
hip hop music station that split from George FM.
The Edge MediaWorks NZ (corp.) 1994 Yes No No No live unicast
Urban and contemporary music station started off in Hamilton only, sold off to Canadian and, later, Australian interests.
Niu FM National Pacific Radio Trust 31 August 2002 Discovery New Zealand Yes No Available on non-certified FTA receivers No live unicast
Pacific Island immigrate targeted music and news.
Tahu FM Independent iwi trusts 6 February 1991 Sky Timaru, Christchurch, Kaikoura, Dunedin, Invercargill No Available on non-certified FTA receivers No live unicast

Television stations in NZ-associated states

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Cook Islands

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Niue

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Foreign satellite channels

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The following is a list of free-to-air DVB satellite services[10] available in New Zealand. Most New Zealand homes already have a standard 60 cm satellite dish fitted which can pick up most of these channels, as these are also used (or have been used in the past) to pick up free-to-air and pay New Zealand television channels from Optus D1 (and historically, Optus B1). A frequency scanning (aka blind-scan) capable set-top box can be used to locate other services.

Name Description Frequency @ Pulse rate
LNB IEEE band polarization
Optus D1 for 60 cm dish or greater
9 Network feed for STW backhaul 12383 MHz @ 3.75 MBd
Ku linear vertical
7 Network SNG 1 backhaul 12635 MHz @ 7.2 MBd
Ku linear vertical
7 Network SNG 2 backhaul 12644 MHz @ 7.2 MBd
Ku linear vertical
7 Network SNG 3 backhaul 12653 MHz @ 7.2 MBd
Ku linear vertical
9 Network SNG 1 backhaul 12407 MHz @ 6.111 MBd
Ku linear vertical
9 Network SNG 2 backhaul 12421 MHz @ 6.111 MBd
Ku linear vertical
9 Network SNG 3 backhaul 12431 MHz @ 6.111 MBd
Ku linear vertical
Optus C1 for 60 cm dish or greater
Australian wildfeed
links
backhaul 12407 MHz @ 24.45 MBd
Ku linear vertical
Intelsat 19 for 100  cm dish or greater
NHK World Japan TV 1080i state-owned English service
4060 MHz @ 26.59 MBd
C linear horizontal
576i state-owned English service
Optus D2 for 60 cm dish or greater
Tele Padre Pio Catholic Italian service 12396 MHz @ 22.5 MBd
Ku linear horizontal
Telepace Catholic Italian/English service 12425 MHz @ 22.5 MBd
Ku linear horizontal
Al Hayat Arabic service 12519 MHz @ 22.5 MBd
Ku linear vertical
AON Religious English service
Channel NewsAsia state-owned English service 12545 MHz @ 22.5 MBd
Ku linear vertical
Al Iraqiya Arabic service
Salaam Arabic service
3ABN Religious English service
TVRI state-owned Indonesian service 12.608 GHz @ 22.5 MBd
Ku linear horizontal
Kurdistan TV Kurdish service
BVN state-owned Dutch service 12644 MHz @ 22.5 MBd
Ku linear vertical
TRT 1 state-owned Turkish service
JUCETV Religious English service
TBN Religious English service
Church Channel Religious English service
Smile of a Child Religious English service
God TV Religious English service
Daystar Religious English service
Inspiration Religious English service
EWTN Religious English service
Al Forat Arabic service 12706 MHz @ 22.5 MBd
Ku linear vertical
Press TV English service
CGNTV Religious English service
Hope Channel Religious English service
Aghapy TV Religious English service
RT state-owned English service 12734 MHz @ 22.5 MBd
Ku linear vertical
TV3 state-owned Malaysian service
Suria Singaporean-Malay service
EPT World state-owned Greek service
Kurdsat Kurdish service
TVR International Romanian service
Duna Hungarian service
Abu Dhabi Al Oula Arabic service
Oman TV Arabic service
AsiaSat 4 for 90 cm dish or greater
DaAi World Taiwanese service 12430 MHz @ 20 MBd
Ku linear vertical
Intelsat 19 for 90 cm dish or greater
Arirang state-owned English/Korean service 13557 MHz @ 13.333 MBd
Ku linear horizontal
NSS-9
BYU TV Mormon Multilingual service 4185 MHz @ 6.527 MBd
2m dish or greater
C right hand circular
RFO Wallis & Futuna French service 3922 MHz @ 2.895 MBd
1m dish or greater
C right hand circular
Historical discontinued services
Name Description Frequency @ Pulse rate
LNB IEEE band polarization
Optus D1 for 60 cm dish or greater
Southern Cross 10 regional backup 12635 MHz @ 5.1 MBd
Ku linear vertical
Tasmanian SBS One state-owned English/Foreign service 12646 MHz @ 12.6 MBd
Ku linear vertical
Tasmanian SBS Two state-owned English/Foreign service
Tasmanian SBS HD simulcast service
Intelsat 5 for 90 cm dish or greater
BBC World News state-owned English service 4160 MHz @ 26.48 MBd
C linear horizontal
Iqraa Arabic 4.16 GHz @ 26.48 MBd
C linear horizontal
Intelsat 8
ABC Australia state-owned English service 4.1 GHz @ 26.48 MBd
180 cm dish or greater
C linear horizontal
MAC TV Taiwanese service 12504 MHz @ 3.073 MBd
90 cm dish or greater
Ku linear vertical

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Analogue TV switched off". Radio New Zealand. 1 December 2013. Retrieved 28 March 2014.
  2. ^ "TV Guide online – Freeview". Retrieved 4 March 2022.
  3. ^ "TV Guide". Retrieved 4 March 2022.
  4. ^ "TVNZ shuts down youth channel". The New Zealand Herald. 29 July 2013. Retrieved 29 July 2013.
  5. ^ "TV Guide online – Freeview". Freeview. Freeview NZ. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
  6. ^ "Freeview – Four Plus 1". Freeview. Freeview NZ. Retrieved 19 June 2016.
  7. ^ Sowman-Lund, Stewart (5 November 2020). "Live updates, November 5: US election – Biden closes gap in Georgia; Trump tries to stop vote count". The Spinoff. Retrieved 13 November 2020. TVNZ also announced a new channel: Duke+1
  8. ^ "TV Guide online – Freeview (Rush)". Freeview. Freeview NZ. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
  9. ^ "Shine TV – Freeview". Freeview. Freeview NZ. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  10. ^ Optus D1 at 160.0°E – LyngSat:
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