Stratos Highlights for March 1 - March 14 2011

Switch on to Stratos and its exciting new free-to-air, nationwide programme line up

Stratos is going free-to-air on the Freeview platform from March 1. NZ's only truly independent, nationwide broadcaster is throwing down the gauntlet to challenge for the country's main 6pm news hour. In fact it is serving up 90 minutes of purely international news. No ads. Just news.

With viewer numbers rapidly heading to one million, the Stratos team decided it was time to share with all New Zealanders a range of programming that more and more Kiwis relate to in a new world where Asia, the Middle East and Africa have growing significance globally and to NZ's future.

Highlights of the start of programming changes follow:

AL JAZEERA NEWS

Daily from 6pm on Stratos from March 1

Stratos will screen Al Jazeera News in English at 6pm, seven days a week from March 1. Al Jazeera broadcasts to more than 220 million households in more than 100 countries. Credible and hard hitting, it tells the international stories of the day from its own perspective. Al Jazeera has included New Zealanders in its production and news teams since its English channel was launched in 2006.

PBS NEWS HOUR

Weeknights at 6.30pm-7.30pm on Stratos from March 1

Following Al Jazeera , Stratos changes the mirror and reflects international stories from another angle courtesy of PBS news from the United States. PBS reaches more than 115 million people on-air and online. Jim Lehrer, who has anchored the PBS news hour for more than 30 years, has now been joined by co-anchors. The news hour has been ranked (Erdos and Morgan Opinion Leader Survey) first among all TV news as the most credible, objective, influential and most current news programme on TV.

KURASAWA SEASON

Wednesdays at 8:30pm on Stratos from March 2

Every Wednesday night in March, Stratos presents five Japanese films directed by one of the industry's most important and influential film makers - Akira Kurosawa. Kicking off the series is Kurosawa's directorial debut 'Sanshiro Sugata' or 'Judo Saga'. The popular action film follows the story of a stubborn boy forced to face himself in his struggle to learn Judo.

ROCK N ROLL COOKING SHOW

Fridays at 11pm on Stratos from March 4

Ever wondered what might happen if you were invited to dinner at your favourite band's house? That's exactly what Stratos' new show The Rock n Roll Cooking Show is all about. Things are a little bit Swedish Chef and a little bit Spinal Tap! Each new episode features a different group of original music-makers who play a set and cook a meal. Get a raw and comical insight into the lives of musicians and find out what they're really about. It doesn't get more honest and intimate than this!

ENDS

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