FMG Supports ‘Down To Earth’ Kiwi Ingenuity

News Release 27 October 2000

Farmers’ Mutual Group Supports ‘Down To Earth’ Kiwi Ingenuity of No 8 Wired Series

Farmers’ Mutual Group has taken up a 40-week sponsorship on the hot new rural TV show No 8 Wired, produced by the Gibson Group.

No 8 Wired is now more popular than Heartland Rugby. The new series, with a cumulative audience of 440,000 viewers after only nine weeks, screens on TV3 and Sky Digital every Sunday lunchtime at 12.30 and has gained rave reviews from both rural and urban viewers with around one third of audience viewers coming from cities.

“Farmers’ Mutual Group has worked with rural communities for nearly 100 years, since 1905. Our clients tell us that No 8 Wired is a quality programme that addresses important issues for farming communities and many are already tuning into the series on a weekly basis,” said Farmers’ Mutual Group General Manager Marketing Grant Uridge.

“We see our partnership with No 8 Wired as excellent opportunity to show our support for rural communities through a programme that is providing useful information to our client base and to urban New Zealanders wanting to learn more about their rural roots.

“Farmers’ Mutual Group has made a long-term commitment to No 8 Wired and I anticipate that our association with the programme will continue to develop over time. The programme’s Presenter, Don Carson is a respected rural commentator with long-term experience as a Rural News Reporter for Radio New Zealand while co-presenter and deer farmer Rachel Donald owns a deer farm in the Manawatu, right where our company’s head office is located”.

Farmers’ Mutual Group will sponsor the No 8 Wired Rural Diary and will join Woolpro, Meat NZ, and NZ Farmer, as a sponsor of the series.

The success of the programme is perhaps due in part to a balanced mix of technical farming information and rural current affairs. And while many of the show’s segments are sponsored by leaders from the rural community, the programme is strongly independent, and often challenges industry decision-makers, according to the show’s Producer Brett Tompkins.

“Our association with No 8 Wired is a practical way of promoting Farmers’ Mutual Group while at the same time helping to secure the future of a programme that is much appreciated and required by rural communities,” Mr Uridge said.

Weekly programme details for No 8 Wired are available on www.no8wired.co.nz
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For further information please contact:

Grant Uridge
General Manager Marketing
Farmers’ Mutual Group
PO Box 1943, Palmerston North
Phone: 06 351 8882
Fax: 06 355 0217
Email: grant.uridge@fmg.co.nz

Farmers’ Mutual Group

Farmers’ Mutual Group is New Zealand’s leading rural financial services organisation. Established in 1905 as a rural insurer, it has grown into a financial services group adding finance and investment to its portfolio of services, but has remained focused on serving the needs of rural communities.

Issued by Shandwick New Zealand, 04 472 4190, on behalf of Farmers’ Mutual Group

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