Ads by Google Ads by Google

“APPEAL TO FIJI TV”

Dear Editor,

20 rugby tests between the Northern and Southern hemispheres were scheduled to be played from November 9th till December 1st, and people are wondering why  they are not being aired locally. The biggest reason is that the rights and delivery are quite expensive and with low advertising support there are insufficient funds. The economy is bad and even the big boys are hurting.

Samoa is scheduled to play 3 of those tests. So far Channel 11 has shown one, over the air and on Moana cable, Samoa v Canada which Samoa won 42-12. The showing did not cover PCS-TV’s expenses, but it was close. We hope to find enough support to air Samoa’s next game live this  Friday at 8:30 am, against Wales.

Very often we purchase rights for international tests from Fiji Television but on enquiring this time we were told they did not have the rights to resell to the islands and that we would have to contact the four rights holders responsible for the tests. They were all contacted and all but one negotiated re-transmission rights. While negotiation was in process via internet with IMG the rights holder for  the Samoa/France game on November 24th, Fiji managed to pull the rug and purchase the rights. Now the rights have to be procured from Fiji Television.

The problem is that they not only want twice the amount accepted by the other rights holders, but refuse to allow Moana Cable to carry PCSTV’s signal of the game.  Normally Moana Cable carries our signal 24/7. This means that we will not be able to bring it down because most of PCS-TV’s advertisers watch Channel 11 on cable and they will not want to support it if they cannot watch it.

We would like to make an appeal to the Fijian community living in American Samoa, and anyone else with strong influence, to contact Fiji Television if they are discontented with FijiTV's attitude to their smaller Pacific neighbours.

If  we do manage to downlink Samoa/France we will allow KVZK-TV to retransmit  our signal, but only if they do not cut our ads, which they did last time. For the clearest reception watch our signal on Channel 11 over the air.

Bill Hyman
Station Manager K11UU-D, PCS-TV