MTV’s final week
In June 1997 the late Neil Roberts, who held the position of general manager of television at TVNZ back then, announced that Horizon Pacific Television (a group of regional television stations which encompassed ATV, Coast to Coast, Capital City, CTV and Southern) would be replaced with the MTV UK service, featuring the inclusion of local commercial advertising and some New Zealand content. As a result of this decision, MTV was officially launched in New Zealand on the evening of Wednesday 2 July 1997 at 5pm.
“MTV is coming and it’s about to change the face of television for the youth of New Zealand. MTV is dedicated to the youth market, talking in their language about issues that interest them. It laser targets young people - 15-29s and those with a young attitude - an audience which according to our research, seriously needs attention. MTV will give this audience what it wants. MTV is cutting edge television which will expose young Kiwis to a new global experience.” - Neil Roberts
At its peak MTV was the biggest TV network globally, reaching approximately 281 million households spread over 79 territories on every continent (except Antarctica).
“One in every four households in the world receives MTV, and I’m proud to announce that New Zealand is about to join this global audience. It’s also worth noting that we are the only country in the world who is providing this 24-hour service free-to-air.” - Neil Roberts
Nevertheless, Roberts perceived MTV not just as a platform for music videos but rather as a comprehensive youth entertainment channel.
“We will be bringing Kiwis the hottest, newest MTV service available - MTV UK - coming right from the heart of the latest and greatest music and entertainment scene.” - Neil Roberts
“Within weeks you’ll be seeing local shows on MTV in New Zealand. These shows will provide the most powerful platform for launching local music and youth culture ever seen in this country. New Zealand music won’t be marginalised. It will be heard and seen in prime-time from one end of the country to the other.” - Neil Roberts
The programming approach of MTV was most accurately encapsulated by Brent Hansen, a New Zealander who served as both president and creative director of MTV Networks Europe. Prior to this role Hansen had gained experience working on various music shows for TVNZ, including That’s Country and Radio with Pictures.
“MTV produces programming for a vast, diverse and discerning audience of young, style-conscious music lovers. This has to be done in response to the ever-advancing flux of popular tastes and popular music culture. We have to stay constantly aware of what our viewers are into - always out there, always on the edge.” - Brent Hansen
“The UK is certainly a very hip place to be at the moment with the most creative and widespread styles of music. I think the choice of TVNZ to pick the UK service is perfect for this moment. There’s a lot of great creativity happening here in the UK and I think it will be very enjoyable and interesting for people in New Zealand to get a sense of this.” - Brent Hansen
Less than a year after launch, TVNZ made the decision in May 1998 to terminate its licensing agreement to broadcast MTV. The service came to an end at midnight on the evening of Sunday 7 June 1998.
Rick Ellis, who was the CEO of TVNZ at the time, expressed that MTV was a daring venture for TVNZ that did not achieve the expected viewership numbers upon launch.
“When we launched MTV here in New Zealand, the initial research suggested that music television, as a solely free-to-air service, could satisfy the needs of a growing youth segment in the New Zealand viewer marketplace.” - Rick Ellis
Ellis further added that while MTV’s ratings in New Zealand were in line with those from other countries, the pivotal factor was the scale of the New Zealand market.
“There were simply too few viewers combined with too little advertiser and sponsor support. It meant that we were losing too much money to justify continuing with it. And all our forward projections do not show the situation improving significantly in either the short or long term.” - Rick Ellis
“MTV Networks, at all times, met its obligations and contractual commitments, providing us with an exciting quality music television product. It is unfortunate that the economics of the situation here in the New Zealand television market have led to the decision to close.” - Rick Ellis
“The management and staff of MTV did all that was asked of them to try and make the channel work, unveiling some exciting new cutting-edge shows.” - Rick Ellis
MTV showcased various homegrown programmes which included Havoc (featuring hosts Mikey Havoc and Jeremy Wells [previously known as Newsboy]), a magazine-style entertainment show, along with Squeeze, a weekly series focusing entirely on New Zealand music with Francesca Rudkin as host. Toast and Wrekognize, a hip hop show helmed by DLT and DJ Sir-Vere, were also part of the line-up. MTV Star Trax, a show where celebrities picked their favourite music videos, was also adapted for local audiences. MTV also re-screened TVNZ’s youth magazine programme, Mai Time, typically shown on TV2 (now TVNZ 2) at 11am on a Saturday morning.
With the closure of MTV, some programmes like Havoc and Squeeze were moved to TV2 and potentially reached significantly larger audiences as stated by Rick Ellis.
Below are the listings for MTV’s final week on air (1-7 June 1998), courtesy of the NZ Listener.
Monday 1 June 1998
6.00am Night Videos (Continued)
7.00 Kickstart
9.00 The Grind
9.30 The Grind with the Backstreet Boys
10.00 Hitlist UK
Noon MTV News Weekend Edition
12.30 Daria (Rpt)
1.00 Select MTV
3.00 Stylissimo
3.30 The Grind with the Backstreet Boys
4.00 MTV’s Top 10
5.00 Video Hits
7.00 MTV News Weekend Edition
7.30 Daria
8.00 Now That’s What I Call Up for It
9.00 Wrekognize
DLT and DJ Sir-Vere may spell things differently to the rest of us, but they sure know their rap music.
10.00 The Lick
11.00 MTV’s Top 10
12.00am MTV Live
12.30 The Best and Worse of House of Style
1.00 MTV Live
1.30 Night Videos (Continues to 6am)
Tuesday 2 June 1998
6.00am Kickstart
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day - and it’s the same with music videos.
9.00 MTV Mix
Noon Non-Stop Hits
2.00 US Top 10
3.00 Non-Stop Hits
4.00 Select
6.00 MTV Movie Awards Nomination Special
6.30 The Real World
Julie tries out some of the lame pick-up lines she has heard in Jamaica; Becky and one of the directors have some fun in the sun; and Reigndance performs at the Roxy.
7.00 Hitlist UK
Counting down the British charts.
8.00 MTV Hot
Richard Blackwood is your guide to the ever-changing state of what’s in and what’s out.
9.00 Toast
The greatest invention since sliced bread - Mikey Havoc sandwiches himself between a collection of the finest music video moments.
10.00 Five Night Stand - Smashing Pumpkins
11.30 Metallica Rockumentary
12.00am MTV Star Trax - Metallica
1.00 Night Videos (Continues to 6am)
Wednesday 3 June 1998
6.00am Kickstart
Music videos to begin the day as you mean to go on.
9.00 MTV Mix
Noon Non-Stop Hits
2.00 Hitlist UK
What’s top of the pops in Blighty.
3.00 Non-Stop Hits
4.00 Select
6.00 Stylissimo
6.30 Collexion - En Vogue: Funky Divas
7.00 US Top 10
8.00 MTV Hot with Ed and Brendan
9.00 Squeeze
Francesca Rudkin presents homegrown music videos - old and new.
10.00 Five Night Stand - Five, Will Mallor, Ultra, Encore
11.00 Alternative Nation
All the indie guitar music you could want in one convenient location.
1.00am Night Videos (Continues to 6am)
Thursday 4 June 1998
6.00am Kickstart
A little music video stimulus to open the eyes.
9.00 MTV Mix
Noon Non-Stop Hits
2.00 European Top 20
3.00 Non-Stop Hits
4.00 Select
6.00 MTV Live
6.30 So 90s
Music that is defining the decade - and it’s not even finished yet.
7.00 Video Hits
New Zealand’s top 10 singles.
8.00 MTV Hot
Ben Norris has got some stuff he’d like to share.
9.00 Havoc
Mikey Havoc circumvents the usual channels to bring you musings and music videos.
10.00 Five Night Stand - Damage, Hinda Hicks, N-Tyce
11.00 Yo!
A rap-up of the latest hip hop.
12.00am Beavis and Butt-Head (Rpt)
12.30 Banned at Bedtime
1.00 Night Videos (Continues to 6am)
Friday 5 June 1998
6.00am Kickstart
9.00 MTV Mix
Noon Non-Stop Hits
2.00 So 90s
3.00 Non-Stop Hits
4.00 Select
6.00 Week in Rock
A weekly rock ‘n’ roll wrap-up from across the ditch.
6.30 Daria (Rpt)
7.00 European Top 20
8.00 MTV Hot
Sara Cox walks the walk, talks the talk and plays the videos.
9.00 MTV Star Trax NZ
Kiwi personalities pick and play their video favourites.
10.00 Five Night Stand - Placebo, Gomez, Idlewild
11.00 The Lick
12.00am Toast (Rpt)
1.00 Night Videos (Continues to 6am)
Saturday 6 June 1998
6.00am Kickstart
A video mixed grill to start the day.
9.00 MTV Mix
Noon Non-Stop Hits
2.00 Wrekognize (Rpt)
DLT and DJ Sir-Vere showcase the latest hip hop from New Zealand and around the world.
3.00 Non-Stop Hits
4.00 Squeeze (Rpt)
Music video Kiwiana with Francesca Rudkin.
5.00 Oddville
5.30 MTV News Weekend Edition
6.00 Dancefloor Chart
7.00 Partyzone
Simone Angel is having a party at her place - and you can come along. Just don’t touch the stereo.
9.00 So 90s
The best and worst from the decade you’re living in.
10.00 Five Night Stand - Ash, Carrie, The Smiles
11.00 Amour
12.00am Loveline
12.30 The Real World
1.00 Club Mix
3.00 Partyzone
5.00 Night Videos (Continues to 7am)
Sunday 7 June 1998
6.00am Night Videos (Continued)
7.00 Kickstart
9.00 So 90s
9.30 MTV Awards Nomination Special
10.00 European Top 20
Noon Five Night Stand - Will Mellor, Ultra, Encore Five
1.00 Select
3.00 Hitlist UK
5.00 MTV News Weekend Edition
5.30 MTV Live
6.00 The Lick
7.00 Mai Time
Stacey Daniels tackles All Black Alama Ieremia; Teremoana Rapley goes backstage at the Smokefree Stage Challenge; Mai Town visit Ashburton; and Vianci perform in Mai Live.
8.00 MTV Movie Awards 1998
Samuel L Jackson hosts coverage of an offbeat awards show that salutes movies in unconventional categories. Nominations include: Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio for best kidss; Will Smith for best fight sequence; and the Full Monty cast for best dance sequence.
10.00 Havoc (Rpt)
11.00 Beavis and Butt-Head
11.30 Austin Stories
12.00am MTV ends transmission; scheduled programmes include:
12.00 Music Mix
3.00 Chill Out Zone
5.00 Night Videos (Continues to 7am)
