Lights to be turned off for Channel 39
As the year winds up for the production team this year is something quite different indeed for Channel 39. It looks like the lights will be turned...
www.odt.co.nzDirect answer: Channel 39, the Dunedin-based regional station in New Zealand, effectively ceased broadcasting in December 2023, with its daily The South Today news bulletin ending and the channel closed by Christmas 2023; some related content and branding continued online via the Otago Daily Times and the South Today brand.
Context and details:
- Channel 39, also known as Southern Television and Dunedin Television, was operated by Allied Press. In late 2023, funding cuts and shifting viewing habits led Allied Press to review the station and move content online.[2][3]
- By December 2023, reports indicated lights turning off and a planned closure, with the daily 20-minute South Island news bulletin ceasing on Freeview, though branding like The South Today would persist on ODT websites and social channels.[3]
- Historical notes: the channel launched in 1995 as Channel 9 and had a longstanding local focus; it faced sustained challenges from funding reductions, audience declines, and higher production costs before final closure in 2023.[4][5]
If you’d like, I can pull the latest online coverage from local outlets (ODT, Stuff) and summarize any post-closure developments or any revival/online rebranding attempts.