Tuning every home in to history

FIJI had its first taste of television last month after Television New Zealand was granted temporary rights to operate and broadcast the second rugby World Cup tournament live from the United Kingdom and France.

Residents of the Suva area scrambled out to buy aerials, or materials to create their own from denuded umbrella frames to frayed computer cables. By

6pm Thursday, October 3, the skyline

was dotted with contraptions bolted at odd angles to every second rooftop, and families and friends crowded around screens for the historic moment.

Many persevered until Sam to watch a line-up of international news, com edies and documentaries which fol lowed. Some local schools reported record absenteeism among students and teachers on the Friday, and again on the Monday. Ratu Sukuna Memorial School vice-principal Josaia Benaca said “TV hangovers” had created drowsiness, headaches and body aches among those who did make it to school.

However, the big lure for the Rugby mad nation was Fiji’s scheduled match

against Canada on Sunday evening,

October 6. Unfortunately, Fiji’s lack lustre performance then and in the days ahead failed to gain them television

immortality.

A satellite broadcast in Samoa sounded a sweeter tune.

Samoa’s performances (see page 49) were viewed by cheering crowds after Television New Zealand helped the Broadcasting Department of Samoa set up a satellite dish in Apia for a closed circuit viewing of the Cup, and the Government announced within days it had approved TVNZ’s bid to establish a television service there.

The Western Samoa government had called for expressions of interest in setting up a service and received a number of proposals from foreign pri vate organisations. But the World Cup exercise made the Government’s ap proval, in principle, of TVNZ’s pro posal timely, appreciated, and perhaps

no big surprise. Meanwhile, despite a

crushing Cup defeat, many Fijians who

have tasted television are hoping for a similar announcement. □

Tuning In: aerials on most homes in the Suva area showed the significance given to television’s debut last month