Channel 2 & Sky News Cross Promotion (1991)
Channel: Patrick Te Pou
Date: 2020-09-16

A cross promotion between TVNZ's Channel 2 (now TVNZ 2) and Sky News, screened during 1991. 

This is a modified version of the Channel 2/Sky News cross promotion with the late Ross Goodwin replacing Warren Thomas, who did both channels including TV One (now TVNZ 1). For the original version, click the link (courtesy of The Radio Vault): https://youtu.be/Z5hJLp1ZU8s

The TV One/Sky News cross promotion (https://youtu.be/d8gfX2yiL4Q) remained unchanged. 

Special thanks to YouTube channel DigitaliseMe for the use of this clip.

BRIEF CHANNEL HISTORY
Sky News was launched on 18 May 1990 when Sky Network Television came along. Broadcasting on a scrambled UHF frequency, the Sky News channel was basically a direct feed of CNN via satellite.

According to an article from the NZ Listener, CNN's own commercial breaks were covered locally with graphically presented local news, similar to Teletext, with a rolling update of local news every hour. As well as CNN, Sky News ran in full a couple of British news bulletins through the BBC each day and repeated TVNZ's 6pm bulletin in a mid-evening slot.

As TVNZ closed transmission for the night, viewers would have to tune in to Sky News. The cross promotions were broadcast shortly before a nightly closedown.

When Sky began Sky News was the only channel broadcasting 24 hours a day. Its sister channels Sky Sport and Sky Movies broadcast 12 hours a day, i.e. from noon to midnight, and Sky Sport occasionally screened live sporting events outside its normal hours.

By July 1991, Sky Sport began broadcasting non-stop, 24 hours a day, and by February 1992 Sky Movies commenced 24-hour transmissions - initially on weekends and public holidays.