TVNZ7 shut up, shop.

Drinnan in the NZ Herald says the rumours are that TVNZ7 - the subsidised, cosetted, digital geek channel - will be handed over to an infomercial outfit when the funding runs out in the middle of next year. That's the first effective privatisation of National's glorious second term.

Guess Russell Brown and the gang better get used to expounding the wonders of discounted cosmetics and magnetised mattresses. And all anchored, perhaps, by the Briscoes lady - really:

Meanwhile, TVNZ is closing public service channel TVNZ7 next June and looking at proposals from ad agency Ogilvy to lease the frequency for a shopping channel.

TVNZ7 has government funding until June next year, but Ogilvy has talked to TVNZ about taking it over.

Ogilvy has a base of retailer clients and its own professional TV studios where it films the Briscoes TV commercials.

Classy.