   prime is the second privately owned national free-to-air television broadcaster currently available within in new zealand. the broadcaster airs a varied mix of programming, largely imported from australia, the uk and the united states, as well as free-to-air rugby union, cricket, netball and rugby league matches. it was originally owned by prime television limited in australia. prime later entered into a joint-venture agreement with nine entertainment co. (nine network australia). on 8 february 2006, the commerce commission gave sky television clearance to purchase the station for nz$31 million. prime's analogue terrestrial signals had covered 91% of the population via the state-owned kordia transmission network. it is currently available in digitally free-to-air form via sky network television on satellite and kordia on terrestrial. vodafone also carry the channel for their cable subscribers in wellington and christchurch. ==history== during early 1998, the united christian broadcasters purchased 34 tv licenses of uhf spectrum from tvnz that had been used for the defunct horizon pacific and mtv. then during june 1998, prime television limited in australia purchased the unused 34 tv licenses from united christian broadcasters for approximately a$3.6 million. the licenses covered all major cities and towns, mainly on uhf, except for the gisborne area, which is served via a vhf signal. on 30 august 1998, prime television new zealand began broadcasting at 6.30&nbsp;pm with two fat ladies. originally the station broadcast classic british programming, documentaries, sports and dramas aimed at the 30 years and above age bracket. in waikato and christchurch, prime produced a half-hour nightly news programme. although these programmes rated well, they were unprofitable. in february 2002, prime new zealand entered into an agreement with australian media mogul kerry packer's pbl (parent of the nine network). under this five-year agreement, nine agreed to provide the station with content it owned the rights to, expertise and an amount of c
English-language_television_stations_in_New_Zealand New_Zealand_television_channels Television_channels_and_stations_established_in_1998