KEY POINTS:
Alt TV says it has been flooded with emails and phone calls from people offering to pay the $5000 fine the Broadcasting Standards Authority imposed on it for screening explicit text messages.
The authority also ordered Alt TV to display a statement for five hours on Monday (Labour
Day) instead of its normal programming.
The station ran the statement all day and made its own comment, which it screened before noon and after 5pm, to "broadcast our side of the story".
The statement urged viewers to make a $20 donation by calling an 0900 number because "a fine like this is crippling for a little station".
Alt TV president David Kennedy said he had yet to speak to Telecom about how many calls had been made to the 0900 line by people wanting to make contribute.
But people had called and emailed the station itself offering donations or to pay the entire fine.
"We're absolutely thrilled that viewers have come to the party to support us. It shows they think the BSA's decision was a bit unfair for a little TV station."
The calls and emails were from a mixture of individuals and other small businesses.
"We've had tonnes of messages of support from people who realised it wasn't entirely our fault and we shouldn't have ended up carrying the can. The BSA have contacted us and said we've met all of our obligations. We've apologised. We're pleased it's all over. It's been dragging on since February. We've moved on."
The music channel was ordered to pay court costs after the messages were mistakenly screened because a moderator hired to check them got drunk and let them go to air.
The BSA ruled that the live broadcast of the Groove in the Park music event at Western Springs Stadium on Waitangi Day breached the standards of good taste and decency and children's interests, and encouraged denigration and discrimination on the basis of race.
The text messaging system was set up specially to enable viewers to send messages to the station that would appear on screen.
Mr Kennedy said the station would not be re-engaging the contractor hired to vet the messages. "Definitely not. We'll get a new contract or we'd do it ourselves in the future."
It is the first time the BSA has ordered a station to stop broadcasting. However, on two occasions it has ordered broadcasters not to show advertisements for a specified time.