Bravo (New Zealand TV channel)

Bravo

Country	New Zealand
Programming
Picture format	576i SDTV
Timeshift service	Bravo Plus 1
Ownership
Owner	Warner Bros. Discovery, NBCUniversal International Networks[1]
Sister channels	Animal Planet Cartoon Network CNBC CNN Discovery Discovery Turbo Eden HGTV ID Living Rush Three TLC Universal TV
History
Launched	3 July 2016
Replaced	Four
Availability
Terrestrial
Freeview	4 (HD)

Bravo is a New Zealand television channel owned and operated by Warner Bros. Discovery and NBCUniversal International Networks, broadcast via the state-owned Kordia transmission network, Sky and on the website ThreeNow. The channel launched on 3 July 2016. Much like its American cable network counterpart, Bravo focuses on design, food, glamour and pop culture.^[1]

History

The channel was announced by Mediaworks on 2 May 2016. The goal of the channel was to increase the amount of reality shows available on free-to-air television in New Zealand, as well as boosting production of such formats in the country, as New Zealand had "very low" airtime for reality formats, as well as filling in a gap for female audiences, in a market where subscription television was decreasing, favouring Freeview. The channel scheduled its first original production, The Real Housewives of Auckland, for August 2016.^[2]

Bravo launched on 3 July 2016. Following the closure of Four, a one and a half minute promotion aired, previewing the content to be expected on Bravo. The first show to be broadcast on Bravo was Top Chef, at 5:10 am.

On 1 May 2017, Bravo adopted a new black logo to match its U.S counterpart, which had rebranded to that same logo three months earlier.

In early September 2020, MediaWorks confirmed that it would be selling its television media assets, which include Bravo, to the US mass media multinational company Discovery, Inc.^[3][4][5]

On 1 December 2020, Discovery, Inc completed the acquisition of MediaWorks TV Limited. This acquisition also includes sister channels The Edge TV, The Breeze TV and Three, as well as news service Newshub.

Bravo Plus 1

Bravo Plus 1 logo

On 3 July 2016, coinciding with the launch of Bravo, MediaWorks launched a standard hour delayed timeshift channel of the broadcast to replace Four Plus 1.^[6]

References

1. "MEDIAWORKS AND NBCUNIVERSAL ANNOUNCE JOINT VENTURE". mediaworks.co.nz. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
2. "Mediaworks dumps FOUR for new reality channel Bravo". Stuff.
3. "MediaWorks TV arm sold to Discovery channel owner". Stuff. 7 September 2020. Archived from the original on 7 September 2020. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
4. "MediaWorks confirms sale of TV operations to Discovery Inc". Newshub. 7 September 2020. Archived from the original on 7 September 2020. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
5. Peacock, Colin (7 September 2020). "Global media giant set to be NZ's biggest private TV broadcaster". Radio New Zealand. Archived from the original on 7 September 2020. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
6. "Bravo to launch on July 3". Newshub. 22 June 2016. Retrieved 1 May 2020.