Second Annual Freeview Awards Launch To Find The Best Of Free Digital TV And Radio
After a successful first awards season in 2010, the second annual Freeview awards have now been launched to find and champion the best elements of Freeview.
The awards celebrate all aspects of Freeview, from the channels and programmes provided by Freeview broadcasters, to the first-rate work of retailers and installers and the top-quality Freeview-approved products around New Zealand.
The awards recognise Freeview’s growing popularity and acknowledge their broadcast, retail and technology partners and suppliers who collectively underpin the success of the enterprise.
Freeview General Manager Sam Irvine says, “After the success of last year’s awards and the boost that the wins gave to many broadcast partners and suppliers, we are looking forward to what emerges from this year s voting. We expect a high level of engagement, judging by the growth in sales of Freeview receivers. The past 12 months have seen record numbers of Freeview-approved products sold by retailers and a significant rise in popularity of shows on digital-only channels.
In February 2011, retailers experienced their biggest February of Freeview sales since the company’s inception in 2007, and as the September 2012 Digital Switch Over (DSO) deadline approaches, the rate of Kiwis making the change from analogue to digital television is expected to increase.
The Freeview awards voting button can be found at www.freeviewnz.tv and those who vote will go into the draw to win a MyFreeview|HD® Digital Television Recorder. Entries close on Tuesday 5 April and the winners will be announced on Tuesday 12 April.
Categories for the Freeview awards:
1. Best in-store retail experience
2. Best online retail experience
3. Best installer experience
4. Best Freeview-approved HD digital receiver
5. Best Freeview-approved satellite digital receiver
6. Best Freeview-approved Digital Television Recorder (MyFreeview|HD®)
7. Best Freeview-approved TV with Freeview I HD® built in
8. Best digital-only TV channel available on Freeview
9. Best digital-only TV show available on Freeview
10. Best TV show available on Freeview
11. Best High Definition TV show available on Freeview
12. Best radio station available on Freeview
For more information on Freeviews services visit www.freeviewnz.tv. For more information about Digital Switch Over (DSO) visit www.goingdigital.co.nz.
ENDS
About Freeview
Freeview was established by New Zealand’s leading broadcasters, including TVNZ (owners of TV ONE, TV 2, TVNZ 7 and Channel U), TVWorks (owners of TV3, TV3 plus 1, C4 and FOUR), Maori Television Service (owners of Maori Television and Te Reo) and Radio New Zealand (owners of Radio New Zealand National and Radio New Zealand Concert), to offer a range of digital TV and radio channels to all New Zealanders, with no subscription.
There are currently 14-15 TV and 3-4 radio channels available free-to-air on Freeview (depending on where you live) including channels that are not available on analogue TV.
The Government will begin DSO in September 2012 in a regionalised roll-out. Freeview is the free-to-air digital replacement for free-to-air analogue TV and provides better quality pictures and sound, more channels, and an on-screen programme guide all without a monthly subscription.