"Good news, bad news" is how 45South chairman Tony Reynolds has described news the television station will get a digital licence.
The goods news is the Ministry of Economic Development has granted a licence for the North Otago broadcaster, subject to administrative conditions.
The bad news is it will cost - about $2500 for the licence and set-up costs to 2013, then $12,777 plus GST for a 20-year licence from 2013.
The 20-year cost was totally unexpected and Mr Reynolds just learnt about it in an email from the Ministry yesterday, three days after receiving initial notification a digital licence was forthcoming.
Mr Reynolds said the station would be able to raise the money for the licence to 2013 and set-up cost.
It already had some equipment, which it had used for test broadcasts earlier this year.
It would take a major effort to raise funds for the 20-year licence, but Mr Reynolds is determined the station will stay on the air.
The confirmation yesterday said the licence fee would be $408 a year to 2013, plus what was described as a "resource value" of $1277.89 plus GST. The resource value, apparently based on the population in the transmission area, was not expected.
That was compounded by the confirmation saying the "resource value" for the station's 20-year licence from 2013 would be $12,777 plus GST.
The station had three months to take up the licence which, Mr Reynolds said, it would do.
Between now and then it would concentrate on raising the initial licence fee and set-up costs.
Once that was achieved, 45South would go all out over the next two years to raise funds for the 20-year licence.
Earlier this year, 45South was unsure it would get a digital licence.
Now it has, it will broadcast up to six channels from its Cape Wanbrow transmitter. It was also planning to introduce a North Otago "tourist channel", similar to those in Wanaka and Queenstown, which had the potential to earn more revenue.
