Stratos Television to Broadcast Live Cricket Test

Stratos Television to Broadcast Live Cricket Test Action

Stratos Television will broadcast full free-to-air coverage of the SECOND AND THIRD CRICKET TESTS between the New Zealand BlackCaps and England next month, courtesy of Sky Television.

The second test, played at the Basin Reserve in Wellington, will be broadcast on Thursday March 13 to Sunday March 17, and the third test, from McLean Park, Napier, will be screened between Saturday March 22 and Wednesday March 26.

Stratos Television, available on Freeview Channel 21 and Sky Channel 89, will begin coverage from start of play on each day of the tests.

The regional television stations throughout New Zealand also have the opportunity to simulcast the two tests from the Stratos signal.

Triangle Television Auckland and Triangle Television Wellington have already announced their intention to cover the tests (see broadcast times below) and other regional stations are likely to follow suit.

Stratos Television and Triangle Television Chief Executive Officer Jim Blackman says he is pleased to be able to bring such an exciting and high-profile sports event to Stratos and Triangle Television viewers, and says this co-operation has scotched speculation that top international sporting events such as international cricket would not be available to nationwide free-to-air viewers.

"Both sides have a lot to prove in the upcoming test series so we know that viewer interest will be extremely high. This is a great opportunity for cricket fans throughout the country to enjoy high-profile international sport on Stratos Television," Jim Blackman says.

In addition to the satellite-delivered Stratos Television cricket coverage, Triangle Television Wellington has confirmed it will broadcast the cricket test action every day except for Saturdays between 11.30am and 12.30pm, and Sundays between 11.30a.m and noon. Triangle Television Auckland will broadcast the tests on weekdays only. Other regional channels will confirm their carriage on a local basis.

ABOUT STRATOS TELEVISION …

STRATOS TELEVISION OFFERS A WIDE VARIETY OF PROGRAMMES FROM A NUMBER OF SOURCES: PROGRAMMES PROVIDED BY OTHER REGIONAL STATIONS AROUND NEW ZEALAND; PROGRAMMES PROVIDED BY ETHNIC AND MINORITY GROUPS AROUND THE COUNTRY; AND INTERNATIONAL NEWS SERVICES AND CURRENT AFFAIRS SHOWS FROM PRESTIGIOUS GLOBAL BROADCASTERS INCLUDING AUSTRALIA NETWORK NEWS, GERMANY'S DW-TV, VOICE OF AMERICA AND AL JAZEERA. STRATOS IS AVAILABLE NATIONWIDE ON FREEVIEW CHANNEL 21 AND SKY CHANNEL 89, AND IS ALSO ON CABLE CHANNEL 34 IN DOUBTLESS BAY.

ENDS

8 February 2008

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