Television Tonga
Tongan television channel
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Television Tonga is a Tongan television channel operated by the Tonga Broadcasting Commission. It was founded on 4 July 2000 by King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV.
(privately operated by Tonga Broadcasting Commission)
| Country | Tonga |
|---|---|
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Government of Tonga (privately operated by Tonga Broadcasting Commission) |
| Sister channels | Television Tonga 2 |
| History | |
| Founded | 4 July 2000 |
| Launched | 4 July 2000 |
| Founder | Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV |
The TV Tonga studios and broadcast facilities are located in Fasi-moe-afi, near the Tongan capital Nukuʻalofa. They currently broadcast across Tongatapu, 'Eua and other closely surrounding islands, such as Pangaimotu and 'Atata.
TV Tonga produces a weeknightly national TV news program from Monday to Friday in two versions, English and Tongan; and a week-in-review program on Saturday. They also cover local sports and events of national interest.
TV Tonga maintains a website, with an online news service. It launched alongside the channel.[1]
History
The station was built in 1999 by RFO Polynésie, which held a two-week training session in August accompanied by journalists from RFO's Pacific branches in New Caledonia, Wallis and Futuna and French Polynesia.[2]
While TV Tonga is working in affiliation with overseas broadcasters and becoming more of a relaying station, in 2008 it launched a second channel, Television Tonga 2, for its domestic service. General Manager 'Elenoa 'Amanaki has stated that the second English program channel would leave the original channel, formerly broadcasting 60% in English, 40% in Tongan, for Tongan language programs only.[3]
There was a special service in Vavaʻu, which as of 2011 received files from Tongatapu via an undersea cable.[4]
