Welcome to the Southern Region's own, and only, television channel

Our vision is to bring the Southern Region to our viewers. Our point of difference is that we are local, local, local.

Channel 39 is the only channel on which you'll find fully local television news, local current affairs and specialty local shows produced on behalf of our local sponsors.

The role of local television has never been more important than today. “In an age of immense choice and proliferation of change, the only place we have any hope of seeing our own stories on air is local television,” Michael, the former managing director of Natural History New Zealand says.

The national free-to-air television stations have to appeal to a national audience.

“They have to attract a certain level of advertising, a level of financial returns. They cannot afford to be parochial. Whereas local television is proudly parochial. “We can offer a real choice – the other channels tend to look the same.”

“Local content is our point of difference. We will continue to reflect our community and there is a staggering amount to celebrate in this city.”

This local focus shows in the loyal following of our viewers with more than 40% of the City's population reporting watching the station over the week of the station's most recent independent viewer-ship survey.

The survey, taken last year, provided the station with the figures to back its feeling of support from local viewers, and proved it was on the right track.

Among other statistics gathered, the surveyed concluded about 18% of the Dunedin public able to receive the station watched the stations local news bulletin on one of its nightly time slots, and about the same tuned in to Dunedin Diary once a week.

Almost 10% turned on the local rugby coverage, and Primetime Nuggets Basketball games attracted more than 13% of viewers.
Channel advisory board chairman Michael Stedman said the figures were significantly better than he had hoped for, and showed the strong groundswell of support the channel received.

The local survey was matched by a New Zealand On Air research conducted last year which showed 34% of New Zealanders with coverage watched a local television station.

“That’s an incredible figure. That’s more than any radio station can boast.” Even the top network television programmes, when their figures are considered proportionally, only manage the low 20s in percentage terms. “So those are massive numbers”.

What the research showed was from their regional television network people want local news, community participation and showcasing of their region.

Public community events, local sports coverage and local news are among the ways Dunedin and Invercargill people can get in touch with their community through the channel.