What anniversary? New Zealand “Celebrates” fifty years of television

Abstract

The first official transmission beyond experimentation began on 1 June 1960. As a consequence, this became a very significant date in New Zealand television history, marking the fiftieth anniversary of its introduction, the celebration of which is primary focus of this chapter. However, it is important to put this history in context, given that the late arrival of television had a persistent influence on the structure and purpose of the medium in New Zealand.