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Kia ora tatou

Much thinking is going on right now about the level of local content investment that can be sustained this year: thinking by us, the broadcasters and the Government. While it's clear the belt-tightening isn't over yet, we're still very positive that there will be many new and interesting projects supported in the coming months. The main blessing is the appetite of both audiences and broadcasters for things local - both programmes and music. Many of us recall when this was not so, and celebrate that debates are not now about cultural cringe, but about quality, diversity and affordability. These days local content is a clear asset to any programme schedule.

Whether the latest discussion is about platforms coming and going, new media vs old, mobile vs fixed, iTunes vs the rest, it's what's on the platform that counts. Whether a company thinks of itself as a broadcaster, a digital media company, a producer or a portal, the simple point remains - that creation of local content will always be the key fiscal challenge in the face of cheap, imported content, whose costs have already been met in its country of origin.

That's why NZ On Air was created and that's why we're still here (21 this year!). We are a single-minded, efficient investor in, and advocate for, good things local in a global world.

TV manager Glenn Usmar was up at the Documentary Edge festival last month and was energetically put through the hoops about why we only fund New Zealand documentaries - and why we only fund for broadcast. It's an old argument and the answer is really simple: because the Act tells us local is our focus, and because we are the Broadcasting Commission.

There's never been a shortage of content about other countries. In the early days of NZ On Air we might have been a bit stricter about what "New Zealand" meant, given the shockingly low number of NZ stories screening back then. We've got more flexible since: for instance we've been happy to look at strong overseas stories with a clear New Zealand POV, with direct relevance to our culture, our people or our place in the world. But we'll make no apologies for keeping a prime focus on New Zealandness: that's the job we undertake to serve NZ audiences. We're thinking about diversity in documentary programming at the moment and hope we'll be able to work on some new initiatives later this year.

Music manager Brendan Smyth has also been think-tanking. In his case it's been with the Music Commission, as part of the Commission's excellent initiative for the music sector to collectively assess challenges and opportunities facing them. Brendan is also implementing changes to the Phase Five international scheme as a result of Chris Caddick's excellent review - more details below.

Our Chair Neil Walter, CFO Wayne Verhoeven and I appeared before the Commerce Committee in February as part of Parliament's review of our financial reporting for 2008/09. It was encouraging to see the MPs knowledge of, and engagement with, so many of the broadcast activities we support - from access and student radio, regional television, public radio, mainstream television programming and NZ music. Parliamentarians are busy people and rarely get to access much broadcast content outside news and current affairs. So their awareness and appreciation of the work you all do was heartening. That's not to say members didn't ask us some hard questions though!

It's been busy start to the year for us and the investment decisions outlined later in this newsletter will of course keep many of you busy as well. Congratulations to the creators and broadcast partners of some excellent new local content coming your way soon.

Cheers, 
Jane

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In December the Minister appointed Stephen McElrea to the Board, replacing Paul Smith who retired after two terms.
Stephen McElrea Stephen is an Auckland businessman who, as many of you will remember, occupied a range of production and executive positions at TVNZ for over 20 years. We're delighted to welcome Stephen to the team.

 

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Changes are coming for NZ On Air's international New Zealand music work.

Last year we commissioned consultant Chris Caddick to do an independent review of our Phase Five International New Zealand music promotion programme. Part of his brief was to consult widely within the music industry. In the course of the review he interviewed 50+ industry players - major and indie labels, artists, music lawyers, touring agents, publishers and agencies.

The review will result in some refocussing and re-prioritising of our work. To start with, the 'Phase Five' generic New Zealand music promotion will disappear. We will tighten our focus on airplay outcomes overseas, and we will prioritise Australia in collaboration with local labels and their Australian partners, while maintaining our US college radio campaign.

There are a bunch of downstream changes, some of which will impact immediately, like dropping the Phase Five brand and cutting back on our sampler programme. Other changes will be phased in over the new financial year beginning 01 July 2010, like withdrawing from MIDEM and SXSW and leaving those promotions to our NZ Music Commission friends.

For more information check out the News Story, or read the Caddick Report.

 

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Over $7.8m was committed to projects across the Contestable and Platinum Funds at the March meeting.

Along with new series of TV One Documentaries and Beyond the Darklands, the Comedy Gala, 48 Hour Film Competition, Smokefree Rockquest and Waiata Maori Music Awards are all lively events that will also be able to be experienced by television audiences over the next few months. Also supported was a feature documentary, Beautiful Machine, which will tell the story of iconic kiwi band Shihad.

Bliss is the latest project to be confirmed for the Platinum Fund. This drama is destined for TV One's Sunday Theatre slot and is to be made by Michele Fantl and Fiona Samuel who made last year's award winning Piece of My Heart.

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Here are details of the 12 Platinum Fund projects supported to date.

We're delighted with the quality and range of these projects, few if any of which would have been able to be funded from our contestable pool. NZ On Air will be working with broadcasters over the next couple of months to prioritise appropriate projects for consideration for the remaining funds, some of which are likely to be already in development.

Bliss -  a long form prime time drama for TV One. The story of Katherine Mansfield's early years as she leaves New Zealand. Writer/director Fiona Samuel. Producer MF Films. $2,870,080

Tangiwai - a long-form prime time drama for TV One.  The story of the Tangiwai train disaster is told through a love story embodying the hope and courage of post-war New Zealand. From the makers of this year's award-winning Sunday Theatre Until Proven Innocent.  Producers Donna Malane,  Paula Boock. $2,736,740.

Stolen - a prime time telefeature for TV3 also based on a true story. Producers South Pacific Pictures from a script by Tim Balme. $1,678,000.

Q+A 2010 - a 36 x one hour current affairs series for TV One, currently on air. Producer TVNZ:  $728,817

The Nation - a 36 x one hour current affairs series for TV3, on air this week. Producer Front Page Productions $1,133,156

Rivers with Craig Potton - a 5 x one hour prime time documentary series for Prime TV in 2010. Stories of five New Zealand rivers through the eyes of one of New Zealand's most respected photographers.  Producers South Pacific Pictures. $762,000.

Facing Facts - Tamariki Ora: A New Beginning - a 3 hour prime time special for Māori Television in 2010. An examination of violence towards children in New Zealand, seeking positive strategies to help change. Producers Māori Television, EP Carol Hirschfeld. $328,247.

Canvassing The Treaty a 1½  hour arts documentary for Māori Television. Producer Tumanako Productions $152,489

Four historical docu-dramas for TV One (now in development, after a competitive tender).

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A decision on this series has been made with Vital Ingredients from Octopus Pictures being the successful project.

The selection process for this series was somewhat longer than anticipated because of the interruption of the holiday season but we were very heartened by the calibre and diversity of the 27 applications received. In line with the original intention of this strand to deliver a range of viewpoints and styles Vital Ingredients looks at New Zealand's ethnic diversity through food. The first series in this strand, Minority Voices, screened over the summer on TV One: congratulations to Julia Parnell from Butobase on delivering a unique insight into the lives of a variety of new New Zealanders.

 

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After a review of proposals by the Board's Maori Strategy Committee a research team has now been selected.

The RFP sought research providers for a piece of work looking at the impact of mainstream Māori programmes (those primarily in English aimed at a general audience). Nga Matakiirea, comprising Hinewehi Mohi, Stacey Morrison and adjunct professor Scott Morrison, working with Tim Thorpe Consulting, has been awarded the contract. They'll be evaluating progress to date and speaking with key production and broadcast personnel to assess future options for mainstream Māori programmes. We're looking forward to the fruits of their labour.

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Deadline for the request for proposals for this initiative closes at 5.00pm on 9th April.

Obviously Reservoir Hill has set a high benchmark for projects in this fund (see below) andwe look forward to receiving your applications.

Download the RFP (PDF36 KB)


Download the application form (PDF 145 KB)

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A bevy of accolades for New Zealand content creators.

A NZ On Air-funded digital television collaboration is the first-ever New Zealand nominee in the International Digital Emmy Awards. The interactive online drama Reservoir Hill was created, produced and directed by Thomas Robins and David Stubbs of KHF Media. It was one of the four projects supported by our 2009 Digital Content Partnership Fund allocations and was consistently one of the most viewed shows on TVNZ Ondemand during its eight-week run. Reservoir Hill is up against finalists from Hong Kong, Canada, Finland and the United Kingdom in the Children and Young People category of the awards. It's a fabulous achievement for the team.

Another drama project strutting its stuff on the world stage is Kaitangata Twitch which is a finalist in the prestigious children's television awards Prix Jeunesse, and also a finalist in the Houston Worldfest. Kaitangata Twitch is a family drama from producer Yvonne Mackay of Production Shed TV and is based on a story by Margaret Mahey. The 13 part series is due to screen on Māori Television later this year.

Radio New Zealand for scooping two awards for its website at the inaugural Onyas Awards in February - the NZ web industry's Oscars.

NZ On Screen was one of three Onya finalists in the Most Outstanding Website category. The top honours went to accounting software juggernaut Xero - but we were delighted that NZ On Screen was recognised alongside some world-leading web work. NZ On Screen's top ten viewed titles this month range from Nice One Stu to the Janet Frame collection. Range and diversity indeed!

To the Weta teams for more brilliant work and Oscar recognition for Avatar and District 9

And to local gal made good, expat producer Finola Dwyer for her Oscar nomination for An Education.

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NZ On Air is 21 this year and, serendipitously, local music content on the radio at the moment is over 21%.

The New Zealand music year is off to a great start. Last week, local content on commercial radio was 21.06% and the 2010 calendar year-to-date figure now stands at 21.18%, thanks primarily to Stan Walker, Gin Wigmore and Dane Rumble. NZ On Air might not be able to claim a share of Stan, but Gin and Dane have both come through NZ On Air's new artist discovery programme and both have gone on to secure NZ On Air album funding. Gin Wigmore's three-times Platinum album has delivered three huge radio hits to date and Dane Rumble's album, to be released at the end of the month, has also delivered three. Expect more from these two radio hit-making machines!

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RadioScope has done the calculations and the results are in for the amount of local music played on NZ radio in 2009.

New Zealand music content on commercial radio for the December quarter came in at 19.39% (up from 17.76% in the September quarter) and the year-end result for the 2009 calendar year was 19.86%, just under the 20% target. Over 3,500 New Zealand songs registered some airplay in 2009 but the ten most-played NZ songs on NZ radio in 2009 were:

01           All On Our Own - Midnight Youth

02           The Letter - Midnight Youth

03           Always Be Here - Dane Rumble

04           Brother - Smashproof featuring Gin

05           Oh My - Gin

06           Always On My Mind - Tiki Taane

07           Hey Boys & Girls - Evermore

08           My Delirium - Ladyhawke

09           Don't Know What To Do - Dane Rumble

10           My House - Kids of 88

[Source: Radioscope]

Eight of the ten are from NZ On Air-funded albums. The other two - Evermore and Ladyhawke - were funded out of Australia.

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We've reviewed the mix of programmes we currently support for broadcast on commercial radio.

We will release a discussion paper shortly on the review findings and invite comments from interested parties before finalising our priorities for the new financial year. Contact Keith Collins or David Ridler if you have any questions.

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A new collection on NZ On Screen celebrates the music videos of record label Flying Nun.

Flying Nun is synonymous with Kiwi indie music, and with autonomous DIY, bottom-of-the-world creativity. Selected by label founder Roger Shepherd: "A general style may have loosely evolved ... but it was simply due to limited budgets and correspondingly unlimited imaginations." It's a great selection including commentary from industry luminaries, links to documentaries and of course the fabulous videos themselves. Heavenly pop hits indeed. Take a look for yourself.

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Access Radio applications are due by Friday 23 April for the June Board meeting.

By now all Access Radio stations should have the new funding template. Please get in touch with Keith Collins if you do not.

Regional television contestable programme funding applications are also due on 23 April.

The criteria for the 2010/11 funding round have been emailed to stations within the last week.
Download the new funding criteria

Download the application form.

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Please use the latest version of the contracting form from the website.

If you have been granted funding, you will need to start the contracting process by filling out a contract initiation form and forwarding it to our Assistant Television Manager. The website has up-to-date contract initiation forms.

There are different forms for Development and Production and if you are an Independent Producer or a Producer/Broadcaster. Please let us know your feedback on the forms if you have any problems, so that we can make the process easier for you.

Please note that the default Drawdown Schedule mentioned on the contract initiation form is an example and only suitable for one-off and short-term productions. Even in these cases we reserve the right to negotiate the drawdown schedule based on your actual cashflow needs. Please submit cashflow forecasts with your contract initiation form so that we can tailor your drawdowns accordingly. NZ On Air needs to ensure that large sums are not paid out unnecessarily in order to manage risk.

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Radio stalwart Irene Strong is retiring from her position at Sound Archives Nga Taonga Korero in July.

Irene started with Radio New Zealand in June 1975. Over the next twenty seven years she worked in a wide range of roles within news, including some reporting and parliamentary gallery experience, then time as an audio sub-editor before becoming Chief Rural Reporter then Rurals Editor, and finishing her time in news as a Bulletin Editor.

In 2002 Irene took up the key role of Accessions Archivist in Christchurch, overseeing the growth of the radio collection. Her knowledge of radio and current events is phenomenal, making her a huge asset to the archive, and to the radio industry. For the past two years she has also been a finalist in the New Zealand Radio Awards.

We wish Irene well for her retirement - she's done a terrific job at Sound Archives and has been a real asset to the radio industry.

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The latest report will be released in April and available on our website.

The amount of local content hours transmitted last year was fairly stable, a small drop in overall hours being mainly caused by fewer repeats on the smaller channels. Pleasingly most genres had relatively stable output and the level of first-run programmes (a key measure of investment) was also mostly maintained.

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We commissioned mPICS to evaluate our organisational performance measures against relevant international and New Zealand entities.

mPICS concluded our measures overall were robust and compared well to other broadcast funding agencies. Some modifications were suggested which we are considering.

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Television Funding

Genre

Programme

Total Amount Approved

No. Of Episodes

Length of Episodes (minutes)

Production Company

Channel

Arts/Culture

48 HOURS TV 2010

155,422

15

30

Two Heads

C4

Arts/Culture

WAIATA MAORI MUSIC AWARDS 2010

65,000

1

90

Arts & Entertainment Productions Ltd

MTS

Children

SMOKEFREE ROCKQUEST 2010

300,351

6

30

Visionary Film & TV

C4

Comedy

THE 2010 COMEDY GALA

132,412

1

120

Satellite Media Group

TV3

Documentary

BEAUTIFUL MACHINE

160,068

1

120

ION Films

C4

Documentary

BEYOND THE DARKLANDS 4

583,929

6

60

Screentime

TV One

Documentary

TVONE DOCS 2010

1,100,000

10

60

Various

TV One

Drama

*BLISS

2,870,080

1

120

MF Films

TV One

Drama

Sunday Drama: BLOOD LINES

1,376,923

1

120

Screentime

TV One

*This programme was supported by the NZ On Air Platinum Fund

The Pakipumeka Working Group has made the following funding decisions for MTS documentaries:

Genre

Programme

Total Amount Approved

No. Of Episodes

Length of Episodes (minutes)

Production Company

Channel

Documentary

BRING BACK BUCK

156,734

1

60

AKA Productions

MTS

Documentary

CHRIS BAILEY

65,740

1

60

Rongo Productions

MTS

Documentary

LINES IN THE SAND

124,988

1

60

Raukatauri Productions

MTS

Documentary

POLYNESIAN PANTHERS

124,497

1

60

Tumanako Productions

MTS

Documentary

POWHIRI: WELCOME OR NOT?

126,343

1

60

Tumanako Productions

MTS

Documentary

SHEAR BLACKS

126,309

1

60

Mauri Ora Productions

MTS

Documentary

THE SCOTSMAN AND THE MAORI

124,674

1

60

Blue Bach Productions

MTS

Documentary

WEEKEND WARRIORS

134,803

1

60

Kahawai Productions

MTS

Documentary

MAORI BOY GENIUS

TBC

1

60

Freckle Films

MTS

 

The TV One Docs Working Group has made the following funding decisions for TV One Documentaries:

Genre

Programme

Total Amount Approved

No. Of Episodes

Length of Episodes (minutes)

Production Company

Channel

Documentary

FINDING MERCY

110,000

1

60

Spacific Films

TV One

Documentary

THE DETECTIVES

315,000

3

60

The Gibson Group

TV One

Documentary

THE LADY KILLERS

118,151

1

60

Project Melting Pot

TV One

Documentary

LOOKING FOR ED'S PLACE

TBC

4

60

Top Shelf Productions

TV One

 

The Inside New Zealand 2010 Working Group has made the following funding decisions for TV3 documentaries:

Genre

Programme

Total Amount Approved

No. Of Episodes

Length of Episodes (minutes)

Production Company

Channel

Documentary

Why Not?

119,628

1

60

Slavko Martinov

TV3

Documentary

My Friend The Bottle

132,280

1

60

Top Shelf

TV3

Documentary

Clinical Years

125,070

1

60

PRN Films

TV3

Documentary

Invisible Forces

TBC

1

60

Sauce Television

TV3

 

Radio Funding

Funding Type

Genre

Description

Total Amount Approved

No. Of Episodes

Length of Episodes (minutes)

Channel

NZ Music Programmes Radio

Music

THE WORD 2010

49,400

104

5

ZM

Radio Programme Production

Special Interest

Easter 2010

15,000

1

720

NewstalkZB

 

Music Funding

Funding Type

Artist - Project

Total Amount Approved

Production Company

NZ Music Albums

Aaradhna - Album 3

50,000

Dawn Raid Music

NZ Music Albums

Black River Drive - Album 1

50,000

Page One Management

NZ Music Albums

Erakah - Album 1

50,000

Illegal Musik

NZ Music Albums

Frisko - Album 2

50,000

Dawn Raid Music

NZ Music Albums

Fur Patrol - Album 4

50,000

Tardus Music

NZ Music Albums

Motocade - Album 2

50,000

Isaac Promotions

NZ Music Albums

Nathan King - Album 2

50,000

Hum Records

NZ Music Albums

Nesian Mystik - Album 4

50,000

Arch Dynasty

NZ Music Albums

Solstate - Album 2

50,000

Isaac Promotions

NZ Music Albums

Sweet & Irie - Album 2

50,000

Dawn Raid Music

NZ Music Albums

The Naked & Famous - Album 1

50,000

Round Trip Mars

NZ Music New Recordings

Jayson Norris - Love Someone

10,000

Loop Media

NZ Music New Recordings

Over The Atlantic - Living In My House

10,000

Page One Management

NZ Music New Recordings

Ruby Frost - Goodnight

10,000

Universal Music NZ

NZ Music New Recordings

Shotgun Alley - Give It All Up For Rock

10,000

The Brat Agency

NZ Music New Recordings

The Jury & The Saints - Help Me Out

10,000

The Jury & The Saints

NZ Music Videos

Anika Moa - Running Through The Fire

5,000

EMI Music NZ

NZ Music Videos

Annabel Fay - River

5,000

Siren Records

NZ Music Videos

Autozamm - Want It, Need It

5,000

Let The People Speak Entertainment

NZ Music Videos

Black River Drive - 15 Minutes

5,000

Black River Records

NZ Music Videos

Boh Runga - Would You Give Your Heart

5,000

CRS Records

NZ Music Videos

Bulletproof feat. Tiki Taane - Soundtrack To...

5,000

Dirty Management

NZ Music Videos

Computers Want Me Dead - In Your Blood

5,000

Isaac Promotions

NZ Music Videos

Concord Dawn feat. Rikki Morris - Forever

5,000

Dirty Management

NZ Music Videos

Dane Rumble - Gonna Be Mine

5,000

Rumble Music

NZ Music Videos

Derty Sesh - Forever

5,000

Move The Crowd

NZ Music Videos

Erakah - Tell Me

5,000

Illegal Musik

NZ Music Videos

Gin Wigmore - Hey Ho

5,000

Universal Music NZ

NZ Music Videos

Hollie Smith - Mamma

5,000

EMI Music NZ

NZ Music Videos

Ivy Lies - Never Enough

5,000

Let The People Speak Entertainment

NZ Music Videos

Katchafire - J. Dubb Remix

5,000

EMI Music NZ

NZ Music Videos

Kids Of 88 - Downtown

5,000

Dryden Street

NZ Music Videos

Kidz In Space - FEAR

5,000

Move The Crowd

NZ Music Videos

King Kapisi feat. The Mint Chicks - Superhuman MC

5,000

Border Music

NZ Music Videos

Kirsten Morrell - Ghosts

5,000

Warner Music NZ

NZ Music Videos

Maitreya feat. Awa - Sin City

5,000

Control Freak Music

NZ Music Videos

Nameless Sons - Forgive/Forget

5,000

Liberation Music (NZ)

NZ Music Videos

Nathan Haines feat. Kevin Mark Trail - Pathway

5,000

Warner Music NZ

NZ Music Videos

Nesian Mystik - No. 1

5,000

Arch Dynasty

NZ Music Videos

Opensouls - Blind To See

5,000

Dirty Management

NZ Music Videos

Pieter T feat. Vince Harder - As The World

5,000

Handmade Records

NZ Music Videos

Salmonella Dub - Walk Into Your Mind

5,000

EMI Music NZ

NZ Music Videos

Shapeshifter - Lifetime

5,000

Truetone Records

NZ Music Videos

Steriogram - 6464

5,000

Let The People Speak Entertainment

NZ Music Videos

The Jury & The Saints - Brand New

5,000

The Jury & The Saints

NZ Music Videos

The Naked & Famous - Young Blood

5,000

The Naked & Famous

NZ Music Videos

The Phoenix Foundation - Buffalo

5,000

The Phoenix Foundation (WGTN)

NZ Music Videos

The Pink Pound Experience - Easy Come, Easy Go

5,000

PinkPoundExperience

NZ Music Videos

These Four Walls - Love Song

5,000

Isaac Promotions

NZ Music Videos

Three Houses Down - Oh It's Good

5,000

EMI Music NZ

NZ Music Videos

TK feat. Deach - Mr Liar

5,000

TK

NZ Music Videos

TokyoStreetGang - She Said

5,000

Dirty Management

NZ Music Videos

Trei with State Of Mind - Thunderbiscuit

5,000

Samurai Distribution

NZ Music Videos

Young Sid - You

5,000

Move The Crowd

Phase 5 Campaign

Family Cactus

2,500

Arch Hill Recordings

Phase 5 Campaign

Rapture Ruckus

10,000

Parachute Music

 

 

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