{{Short description|Local TV station in Christchurch, New Zealand}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=January 2026}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2026}} {{lead too short|date=January 2026}} {{Infobox television channel | name = CHTV3 | logo = | logo_size = | logo_caption = | logo_alt = | image = | established = | airdate = | launch_date = {{Start date|1961|06|01|df=y}} | closed_date = {{End date|1975|03|31|df=y}} | picture_format = 576i black & white (1961–73)<br />576i PAL colour (1973–75) | network = NZBC TV (1969–75) | owner = New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation | parent = | motto = | country = New Zealand | language = English | area = South Island north of the Waitaki River | affiliates = | headquarters = | former_names = | replaced = | replaced_by = TV One | sister_channels = AKTV2, WNTV1, DNTV2 | timeshift_service = | website = <!---{{url|}}---> | terr_serv_1 = Analogue | terr_chan_1 = Channel 3 (Christchurch) }}
'''CHTV3''' was a television station in Christchurch, New Zealand, established by the then New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation (at the time New Zealand Broadcasting Service) in 1961.
==History== Test signals began on 5 May 1961, largely aimed at shops selling television sets.<ref>{{cite news |title=... and then there were these ones ... |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19710601.2.45.3?items_per_page=100&page=25&query=CHTV3&snippet=true&sort_by=byDA |work=The Press |issue=1 June 1971}}</ref> The station started broadcasting on 1 June 1961 as the second NZBS/NZBC television station. At launch, it carried two hours of programming per evening. Alan Dunfold was its announcer on opening night.<ref>{{cite news |title=CHTV opening broadcast-original |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/afternoons/audio/2533981/chtv3-opening-broadcast-original |work=Radio New Zealand |date=28 September 2012}}</ref> In October-November of that year, it aired the talent show ''Time Out for Talent''.<ref>[https://www.kiwitv.org.nz/tv-shows-mainmenu-42/53-musical-variety/2453-time-out-for-talent Time Out for Talent (1961)]</ref> Bill Taylor was at AKTV1 when it started in 1960 and moved to CHTV3 upon its beginning.<ref>{{cite news |title=People behind your screen (6) |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19701128.2.40?items_per_page=100&page=22&query=CHTV3&snippet=true&sort_by=byDA |work=The Press |date=28 November 1970}}</ref> Transmission was reported to be "faulty" during its first year in operation.<ref>{{cite news |title=Television |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19620501.2.50.6?items_per_page=100&query=CHTV3&snippet=true&sort_by=byDA |work=The Press |date=1 May 1962}}</ref> By June 1962, there were no less than 3,000 television sets.<ref name="6000sets">{{cite news |title=6000 sets in 1962 |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19710601.2.84.3?items_per_page=100&page=25&query=CHTV3&snippet=true&sort_by=byDA |work=The Press |date=1 June 1971}}</ref> A mobile transmitter was due early January 1963, installed by Beaths.<ref>{{cite news |title=Page 5 Advertisements Column 2 |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19621121.2.39.2?items_per_page=100&query=CHTV3&snippet=true&sort_by=byDA |work=The Press |date=21 November 1962}}</ref>
A relay transmitter for Timaru was approved in July 1963, broadcasting on channel 6, a VHF channel not yet used by NZBC.<ref>{{cite news |title=TV Translator For Timaru Approved |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19630724.2.116?items_per_page=100&query=CHTV3&snippet=true&sort_by=byDA |work=The Press |date=24 July 1963}}</ref>
In December 1964, it was announced that from March 1965, CHTV3 would increase its facilities and capabilities of producing local programming. Since launch, it resorted to a single studio whose news set was constantly being dismantled. A second continuity suite would be established at the building's second floor.<ref>{{cite news |title=More Room Being Made For Television Staff |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19641203.2.275?items_per_page=100&query=CHTV3&snippet=true&sort_by=byDA |work=The Press |date=3 December 1964}}</ref>
On 28 August 1965, CHTV3 moved to broadcasting from the new 100 kW transmitter atop Sugarloaf in the Port Hills, replacing the 10 kW transmitter in Gloucester Street used since the channel's launch. The transmitter, costing NZ£400,000, was officially opened in October 1965.<ref>{{Cite news |date=27 August 1965|title=Sugarloaf To Open Tomorrow|pages=1|work=The Press|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/press/1965/08/27/1|access-date=19 August 2022|archive-date=19 August 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220819075805/https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/press/1965/08/27/1|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=TV Transmitter Opened |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19651018.2.166?items_per_page=100&page=4&query=CHTV3&snippet=true&sort_by=byDA |work=The Press |date=18 October 1965}}</ref> There was still no reception in Nelson, as engineers by February 1966 were struggling to increase coverage there.<ref>{{cite news |title=Bringing TV to coast |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19660222.2.132?items_per_page=100&page=5&query=CHTV3&snippet=true&sort_by=byDA |work=The Press |date=22 February 1966}}</ref> By August, a translator was installed in Kaikoura, broadcasting on channel 7. At the time, the city had 400 television sets.<ref>{{cite news |title=Television translator for Kaikoura (photo) |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19660806.2.23?items_per_page=100&page=6&query=CHTV3&snippet=true&sort_by=byDA |work=The Press |date=6 August 1966}}</ref>
On 3 April 1967, CHTV moved its start-up time earlier from 5pm to 2pm.<ref>{{cite news |title=Television |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19670403.2.32?items_per_page=100&page=8&query=CHTV3&snippet=true&sort_by=byDA |work=The Press |date=3 April 1967}}</ref> Director N. Johnson assisted the first afternoon broadcasts.<ref>{{cite news |title=Behind the scenes in television (photo) |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19670404.2.145.1?items_per_page=100&page=8&query=CHTV3&snippet=true&sort_by=byDA |work=The Press |date=4 April 1967}}</ref>
An experimental microwave link between CHTV3 and WNTV1 was made on 15 November 1967, lasting for seventeen minutes, using microwave stations from the post office.<ref>{{cite news |title=Towns And Around |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19671116.2.13?items_per_page=100&page=10&query=CHTV3&snippet=true&sort_by=byDA |work=The Press |date=16 November 1967}}</ref> At 11:18am on 4 January 1968, a television set at the station's control panel burned.<ref>{{cite news |title=Calls To Five Fires |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19680105.2.15?items_per_page=100&page=10&query=CHTV3&snippet=true&sort_by=byDA |work=The Press |date=5 January 1968}}</ref> On 5 February, three tape recorders, all worth NZ$135, were stolen by a crippled elderly woman. This came after the display case at Manchester Street was broken in the previous weekend.<ref>{{cite news |title=Wheel-Chair Theft |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19680206.2.117?items_per_page=100&page=11&query=CHTV3&snippet=true&sort_by=byDA |work=The Press |date=6 February 1968}}</ref>
The Canterbury Rugby Union opposed the ban of a rugby telecast on 15 June 1970 because this would put the station in a conflict with DNTV2, especially when the two station's coverage areas overlapped.<ref>{{cite news |title=TV Ban "Nonsensical" |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19700715.2.17?items_per_page=100&page=20&query=CHTV3&snippet=true&sort_by=byDA |work=The Press |date=15 July 1970}}</ref>
A power cut at the Buller district caused by a near gale caused CHTV3's transmissions to be interrupted locally for five hours on 4 January 1971.<ref>{{cite news |title=Power cut from Buller gale |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19710105.2.8?items_per_page=100&page=22&query=CHTV3&snippet=true&sort_by=byDA |work=The Press |date=5 January 1971}}</ref> By March 1971, the region had over 85,000 television sets.<ref name="6000sets"/> At the time of its tenth anniversary, it had a staff of 67.<ref name="increase">{{cite news |title=Dramatic increase in staff and buildings |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19710601.2.84.10?items_per_page=100&page=25&query=CHTV3&snippet=true&sort_by=byDA |work=The Press |date=1 June 1971}}</ref>
By 1972, the station had increased its dependence on the networked microwave link to deliver sporting events, such as the New Zealand test match with Wales on 3 December that year.<ref>{{cite news |title=Long night for football fans |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19721117.2.38?items_per_page=100&page=37&query=CHTV3&snippet=true&sort_by=byDA |work=The Press |date=17 November 1972}}</ref>
On 9 August 1973, the station announced the trimming of its evening schedule, ending at 10pm, due to the electricity shortage.<ref>{{cite news |title=Screening trimmed |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19730809.2.35.4?items_per_page=100&page=42&query=CHTV3&snippet=true&sort_by=byDA |work=The Press |date=9 August 1973}}</ref> In December, the translator used in Hokitika had to be replaced, in line with the station's conversion to colour. It was expected that the West Coast could receive full-on colour telecasts from 1975.<ref>{{cite news |title=Hokitika translator replaced |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19731211.2.194?items_per_page=100&page=43&query=CHTV3&snippet=true&sort_by=byDA |work=The Press |date=11 December 1973}}</ref>
By the time the name CHTV3 was discontinued in 1975 in favour of TV One; most of the output, with the exception of ''Network News'', ''The South Tonight'' and ''The Right to Know'' was still in black and white.<ref>{{cite news |title=CHTV3 |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19750331.2.31.4?items_per_page=100&page=47&query=CHTV3&snippet=true&sort_by=byDA |work=The Press |date=31 March 1975}}</ref> The changes later in 1975 implied that Canterbury and Kaikoura now received TV One from Wellington. TV2 (also known as South Pacific Television until the 1980 merger) took over CHTV3's infrastructure after that, but was not available in Kaikoura.<ref>{{cite news |title=Kaikoura viewers do not like changes |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19750904.2.46?items_per_page=100&page=47&query=CHTV3&snippet=true&sort_by=byDA |work=The Press |date=4 September 1975}}</ref>
==Criticism== On 13 September 1971, the station received criticism from the NZBC regarding the films ''End of a Dialogue'' and ''Who is Vasco Mutwa?'', which had controversial views regarding apartheid in South Africa.<ref>{{cite news |title=Criticism over TV film |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19710914.2.129?items_per_page=100&page=28&query=CHTV3&snippet=true&sort_by=byDA |work=The Press |date=14 September 1971}}</ref> One writer asked ''The Press'' on the lack of weather data for Invercargill (which was in DNTV2's coverage area in 1973.<ref>{{cite news |title=Invercargill temperatures |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19730619.2.97.3?items_per_page=100&page=41&query=CHTV3&snippet=true&sort_by=byDA |work=The Press |date=19 June 1973}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
Category:Television stations in New Zealand Category:Mass media in Christchurch Category:Television channels and stations established in 1961