Since TV One and TV2 became available to all of New Zealand via transmission on the Sky Digital satellite platform, NZ On Air's responsibility in the area of funding for non-commercial television transmission has become defunct.
TVNZ now manages the maintenance of the remaining analogue transmitters that service remote areas, and the funding that NZ On Air used to reserve for this purpose has been allocated to TVNZ.
A 30 percent increase in Teletext subtitling funding has been welcomed by the Deaf Association of New Zealand.
NZ On Air funding for Teletext subtitles will increase to $1,335,478 over the next year, and will allow a total of 59 hours of pro-gramming, including 42 hours in prime time, to be subtitled each week.
The increase means that Deaf and hearing impaired television viewers will have con-tinuous access to prime time programmes. The funding comes from the Public Broad-casting Fee.
The subtitles can be viewed by anyone who has a Teletext-capable TV set.
The Deaf Association of New Zealand estimates that 25,000 New Zealanders are not able to amplify television enough to hear it, and rely solely on subtitling. Many thousands more use the subtitles to supplement their hearing.
"Subtitling provides access to current affairs, information and entertainment. Teletext bulletins such as the news broadcasts keep us up to date with what's happening around us nationally and internationally," says Jennifer Brain, Deaf Association of New Zealand spokesperson
