Oamaru television broadcaster 45 South fears it may cease broadcasting in April 2013 because it has no digital licence.
Last week, it launched a plea for support: if the community wanted a local television channel covering local events, it should make their views known to Waitaki MP Jacqui Dean, Minister for Broadcasting Jonathan Coleman and Minister of Communication and Information Technology Steven Joyce.
But Mrs Dean said last week she had been working with 45 South for some months to try to find a solution.
The channel had been offered two options. One was to transmit from its Oamaru studio to Timaru and broadcast back to Oamaru on the digital network from there. It would qualify to apply for assistance from a scheme for small broadcasters that only went as far south as Timaru.
The second was to broadcast by broadband, which could also qualify it for assistance.
The chairman of 45 South, Tony Reynolds, said it had no right to roll over its licence when it expired in April, 2013. He could not see any reason why it could not be issued with a digital licence.
The Government had adopted a "wait-and-see" policy on requests for information, which meant 45 South was unable to tell its viewing public what was likely to happen.
