As other community-run television stations around the country close, the future of Oamaru's volunteer-run broadcaster, 45 South Television, is looking bright.
Yesterday, the station officially opened its new studio in the St Kevin's College's auditorium.
In a formal partnership with the school, a broadcasting academy will also be launched next year to extend the St Kevin's College media studies NCEA courses and offer a gateway broadcasting course through 45 South Television.
St Kevin's principal Paul Olsen said it would be a Friday course where pupils worked in the industry and gained credits.
''Pupils who experience this course will have a real insight into the practicalities of this industry and can make informed decisions about career planning.''
Collaboration with St Kevin's College would ensure the technology being used by the station was ''cutting edge and state-of-the-art''.
''We're just on the cusp of having all of our [school] technology upgraded and this is an opportunity for us to now share that with the community.''
He hoped pupils from all schools across North Otago would take up the opportunity to learn from the station.
It started as a dream shortly after 2000 but 45 South Television
has been on air since late 2007.
The community station has been run by a dedicated group of volunteers for the past six years from Itchen St, broadcasting from its Cape Wanbrow transmitter.
Last year, the station won the supreme award at the TrustPower Waitaki District Community Awards.
Chairman of 45 South Television Terry Kent said the collaboration with St Kevin's gave it ''great heart for the future''.
Many other community stations around the country folded when television went digital, he said.
''We got through that but we couldn't continue to generate all the money to pay the bills. The time came when we realised we needed to make an association either with business or organisation.''
The station needed to connect with Waitaki youth and being based at St Kevin's
was the ''perfect opportunity''.
