{{Short description|Local TV station in Wellington, New Zealand}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=January 2026}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2026}} {{Infobox television channel | name = WNTV1 | logo = | logo_size = | logo_caption = | logo_alt = | image = | established = | airdate = | launch_date = {{Start date|1961|07|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 = Wellington and southern North Island | affiliates = | headquarters = | former_names = | replaced = | replaced_by = TV One | sister_channels = AKTV2, CHTV3, DNTV2 | timeshift_service = | website = <!---{{url|}}---> | terr_serv_1 = Analogue | terr_chan_1 = Channel 1 (Wellington) }}
'''WNTV1''' was a television station in Wellington, the capital of New Zealand, established by the then New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation in 1961. After its local broadcasts ended in 1975, it served as the national operating base of TV One, which is now based in Auckland.
==History== WNTV1 was the third television station to start, after Christchurch's CHTV3 and Auckland's AKTV2, commencing broadcasts on 1 July 1961. WNTV1 served as the flagship of the NZBS/NZBC Television network, as programmes were sent to the station first, and later sent to AKTV1, CHTV3 and DNTV2.<ref>{{cite web |author1=Zokoroa |title=Television in NZ during 1960s |url=https://digitalnz.org/stories/6654188436486a002592693e |website=DigitalNZ |publisher=Government of New Zealand}}</ref> Peter Cape worked there as a producer in its early years.<ref>{{cite news |title=From the 1962 diary of Peter Cape |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/whanganui-chronicle/news/from-the-1962-diary-of-peter-cape/CNGIRHASH6YQ6DT2KID2OYJENE/ |work=Whanganui Chronicle |date=7 December 2020}}</ref>
From 1965 to 1966, WNTV1 produced the newsmagazine programme ''Town and Around''. The 16 May 1966 issue of ''NZ TV Weekly'' had touted it as "one of the liveliest pieces of television". When Bute Hewes took over as producer in 1966, the programme's popularity among locals increased.<ref>{{cite web |title=NZBC presents Town and Around - WNTV1 |url=https://www.kiwitv.org.nz/tv-shows-mainmenu-42/52-news/4878-town-and-around-1965-69 |website=Kiwi TV}}</ref> Locally originated music show ''C'mon'' made its first airing on 26 November 1966 as a pilot programme.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Gillanders |first1=Grant |title=C'mon - part 1 |url=https://www.audioculture.co.nz/articles/c-mon-part-1 |website=AudioCulture |date=23 March 2018}}</ref> The station started broadcasting from a new transmitter at Mount Kaukau in 1967.<ref>{{cite web |title=Channel Check |url=https://www.kiwitv.org.nz/index.php/history-mainmenu-50/channel-check/2919-1967-03-20-channel-check |website=Kiwi TV}}</ref>
==Aftermath== In 1975, the NZBC was dissolved and the Broadcasting Corporation of New Zealand began overseeing television broadcasts. TV One inherited the Wellington and Dunedin studios, but the call signs were abolished.
Local news was restored after the two television channels were put up under the same owner (Television New Zealand) in 1980, lasting until the end of the decade. The local programme was ''Today Tonight''.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |date=16 February 1980 |title=From today, it's Television New Zealand. |pages=12 |work=The Press |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/press/1980/02/16/12}}</ref> Wellington had a Horizon Pacific Television station between 1995 and 1997, Capital Television, which also produced local news.<ref>{{cite web |title=Lots of growth in Kiwi land |url=https://variety.com/1995/scene/markets-festivals/lots-of-growth-in-kiwi-land-99127899/ |access-date=7 June 2024 |website=Variety |date=3 April 1995 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240607102409/https://variety.com/1995/scene/markets-festivals/lots-of-growth-in-kiwi-land-99127899/ |archive-date=7 June 2024 |url-status=live }}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
Category:Television stations in New Zealand Category:Mass media in Wellington Category:Television channels and stations established in 1961