Local viewers are 'gutted” and 'annoyed” at the demise of TVNZ7 saying free to air channel is one of the few that do not offer 'mindless rubbish” and 'old watched to death programmes”.

The commercial-free, public-service station is being replaced at the end of next month by a 'plus one” channel that will be a duplicate TV One's schedule one hour later on July 1.

Tauranga artist Finela Moore says TVNZ 7 is usually the only channel that guarantees a 'worthwhile watch”.

'There are so many times that one sags into a chair for a few minutes of relaxation, switch on and flick through channel after channel, only to find nothing of any interest to watch.”

Finela says she loves so many of the channel's shows, which often offer education as well as entertainment.

'Please, please don't get rid of the only really good channel on New Zealand TV today.

'Without it we are condemned to mindless rubbish.”

Papamoa Progressive Association chairman Steve Morris says he is 'pretty gutted” the channel has been cancelled.

'There is so much mindless rubbish on TV now, it is hardly worth watching.

'We're resorting more to getting DVDs out and connecting the laptop up to the TV and watching quality stuff and documentaries on demand.”

TVNZ confirmed TVNZ 7 would be cancelled in April, 2011 after the Government announced it would not extend its funding beyond June 2012.

TVNZ says its decision not to retain the country's last public service station, or replace it with a new channel, was driven by economics and the Government's expectation of a nine per cent return on investment.

An estimated 600,000 to 800,000 people view TVNZ 7 each week.

An online petition to 'Save TVNZ 7” is currently running at www.savetvnz7.co.nz