TVNZ axes social media-driven youth channel

TVNZ says it will close youth channel TVNZ U on August 31 and replace it with a time-shifted version of TV2.

Social media smarts have not been enough to make up for a threadbare programming budget.

“Despite our best efforts, we’ve not been able to make it work financially," CEO Kevin Kenrick says.

The channel has been making a loss since its March 2011 launch, the state broadcaster says.

“As it is, the channel is a very lean operation and no significant savings can be made to address the shortfall,” Mr Kenrick says.

TVNZ plans to launch TV2+1 on the vacated frequency on 1 September. The new channel will be an exact duplicate of TV2, broadcast an hour later.

"I started appearing on U live more than two years ago and was blown away by the incredible amount of work the team does," says ex-NZ PC World editor Siobhan Keogh, who fronted the Tech Shavvy gadget and games review slot.

"When you watched U live you were literally watching people make, manage and present telly. The team is crazy talented and I'm sure they'll be onto new things in no time. But it's still a loss for Kiwi-made TV, especially youth TV."

When it was launched, TVNZ said U was targetted at 15 to 24 year olds - an audience seen drifting to MediaWorks' C4 (also said to be under threat as MediaWorks' receivers review options).

TVNZ billed U, which was closely tied to a Facebook app, as "The first true technology-driven integration of online social media with television in New Zealand.” As of early this afternoon, the TVNZ U Facebook page was led by a post from a fan with some choice, un-reprintable words about Mr Kenrick.

The broadcaster is now in consultation with TVNZ U staff.

Asked what would become of Rose Matafeo - the only U presenter with a degree of mainstream profile by dint of her appearances on TV1's primetime Best Bits - TVNZ spokeswoman Georgie Hills replied:

"Actually, this is her last week. She made the decision some weeks ago."

TVNZ 6 and TVNZ 7 were funded by the last Labour government as public service channels - but only until July 2012. National did not renew the funding. The former TVNZ 7 is now a TV One +1 repeats channel.