CTV to return to air tonight

The CTV building in central Christchurch. Photo / Sarah Ivey

Christchurch's Canterbury Television (CTV) will be back on air tonight for the first time since February's devastating earthquake claimed the lives of 16 staff.

The collapse of the CTV building during the quake also killed more than 60 students and staff from English language school King's Education.

CTV chairman Nick Smith told the Otago Daily Times the station would begin with a two-hour broadcast from 5.30pm.

He expected the programme would offer an hour of news and another hour of interview with people involved in the earthquake recovery.

Shows would have to be recorded and sent on disk to Auckland by courier for now, but that was expected to change on May 2.

The show would screen on Maori TV the morning after each CTV broadcast.

Mr Smith paid tribute to the work staff had done to get the station operating again.

"It's just incredible. Everyone is pretty chuffed."

He told NZPA earlier this month that getting back on air was not only important for the memory of staff who died in the quake, but also for Christchurch's recovery.

The station is now based in the Mainland Press building in the Christchurch suburb of Harewood.

Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee and Broadcasting Minister Jonathan Coleman paid tribute to CTV, saying its return marked a significant point in the recovery process.

"CTV is an important information tool for the province," Mr Brownlee said.

"It will enable the community to know more about how the recovery is progressing and the work the new Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority is doing to move the recovery along in conjunction with the local councils."

Dr Coleman said it was a great feat for CTV to be back on air.

"It will also be a poignant and sad occasion after 16 staff, including managing director Murray Wood, lost their lives when the CTV building collapsed," he said.

"To rebound so quickly and provide Cantabrians with their television station again shows great spirit and real grit."

- NZPA