(4 April 2009 9:30 pm)

MUMBAI: Tivo is gearing up to launch its services in New Zealand later this year.

Through an agreement with Seven Media Group in Australia, Television New Zealand (TVNZ), New Zealand’s largest free-to-air and national broadcaster, has taken a 33 per cent ownership stake in Hybrid Television Services that has Tivo rights in Australia and New Zealand.

TVNZ’s investment will support the launch of the Tivo service to customers throughout New Zealand - the second DVB-T standard country to begin offering the TiVo service.

Similar to the Tivo service available in Australia, digital free-view channels in New Zealand will be available on broadband connected-TiVo DVRs. Viewers will have access to the Emmy award-winning TiVo user interface that includes internationally-recognised TiVo features like SeasonPass Recordings, WishList Searches and the ability to pause, rewind, fast forward, instant replay and slow-motion live and recorded TV shows.

In addition to being the largest broadcaster in New Zealand, TVNZ operates an online "catchup TV" service known as TVNZ on-demand by which viewers are able to access a host of popular programmes via the Internet.

Commenting on the development, Tivo president and CEO Tom Rogers says, "Tivo’s ongoing efforts to expand its global footprint through strategic alliances with international broadcasters and cable companies is taking another step forward."

“Our successful rollout in Australia has piqued the interest of others in the media industry across the globe and essentially provided a blueprint that outlines how the TiVo value proposition can help protect their competitive position in their own markets. We are extremely gratified to have TVNZ as a partner and are eager to have Hybrid TV begin making the TiVo service available to New Zealand’s millions of free-to-air TV customers,” Rogers adds.

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