For immediate release 26 April 2012

Save TVNZ 7 Petition Hits 10,000

The Save TVNZ 7 online petition registered its 10,000th signature last night, campaign organisers announced today. By midnight it had reached 11,599.

“The Save TVNZ 7 campaign has been steadily building momentum since we started 12 months ago - but with the channel’s demise imminent, people are becoming more motivated to sign up to save the last public service TV channel in New Zealand,” said campaign organiser Myles Thomas.

“The support is flooding in, and the message we’re getting is loud and clear - Kiwis love TVNZ 7 and they want it to stay.” TVNZ figures show that TVNZ 7 averages 1.4 million individual viewers a month.

Mr Thomas said the campaign was apolitical, and attracted New Zealanders of all ages and political views. “Our Save TVNZ 7 supporters are young and old, urban and rural, across the whole political spectrum. What they have in common is a love of the quality programming that TVNZ 7 provides, and a belief that all New Zealanders deserve at least one non-commercial channel that truly reflects Kiwi values.”

When TVNZ 7 is switched off in June it will be the end of an era for television in this country, Mr Thomas said. “There’ll be no more science programmes to inspire our kids, arts programmes about local artists or weekly programmes about NZ media, law or books.”

“The channel could be kept alive for as little as $16m a year but Minister of Broadcasting Craig Foss chooses to throw away all the investment, programmes and audience that TVNZ 7 has built up. We respectfully ask Cabinet to reconsider the TVNZ 7 decision.”

ENDS

Background Information about Save TVNZ 7:
• Save TVNZ 7 is a politically neutral grassroots organisation.
• People from all walks of life, age, race and political persuasion watch TVNZ 7 and support Save TVNZ 7.
• The latest total for the Save TVNZ 7 online petition can be viewed at www.savetvnz7.co.nz

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