Four | |
---|---|
Launched | 29 June 1997 |
Closed | 2 July 2016 |
Owned by | MediaWorks New Zealand |
Picture format | 16:9 (576i, SDTV) |
Slogan | "NZ's Most (Facebook) Liked TV channel" & "feels like Four" |
Country | New Zealand |
Broadcast area | national metropolitan |
Formerly called | TV4 |
Sister channel(s) | TV3, The Edge TV |
Timeshift service |
|
Website | www |
Availability
|
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Terrestrial | |
DVB 64-QAM on band IV | |
Satellite | |
DVB QPSK on 12456 MHz | |
Cable | |
DVB QAM |
Four (stylised as FOUR; formerly TV4) was the second New Zealand television channel owned and operated by MediaWorks New Zealand, broadcast via the state-owned Kordia transmission network. The channel launched on 29 June 1997 as TV4 and was replaced by C4 on 3 October 2003. It was relaunched on 6 February 2011 as a separate channel from C4.
On 2 July 2016, Mediaworks closed FOUR and replaced it with Bravo as part of a deal with NBC Universal.
In general, the channel's target audience was 18- to 49-year-olds and could be broader in its appeal, with programming which attracted a wider, and more mature audience. During early mornings and late afternoons the channel screened a range of children's programming such as Sesame Street and in the evenings screened shows aimed at the mainstream audience. Overnight and late mornings – early afternoons the channel screened Infomercials and Auto TV (Car Commercials). Four broadcast mostly American programming, with the exception of Sticky TV and Smash, which were in-house produced Auckland-hosted youth shows, and the Pukana youth show, which was produced from a Maori language government fund. Pukana also airs on one of the two government funded Maori language channels.
The history of Four dates back to 1997 when TV3 decided to launch a second channel, TV4. TV4 was an entertainment network and screened a wide range of imported shows such as South Park, Beverly Hills 90210, Beavis and Butthead. After 2000, new programming was scarce, with the infiltration of 1980's and 1990s repeats. In 2003, TV4 was replaced by music channel C4.
On 6 February 2011, TV4 returned as Four. MediaWorks announced this in October 2010, and said that the new network would focus on children's programming during the day and in the evenings will screen a range of shows aimed at the 18- to 49-year-old audience. The first programme to play on Four was The Simpsons episode "Elementary School Musical" (not coincidentally featuring New Zealand band Flight of the Conchords).