Annual Report 2025-26 published
Our Annual Report for the 2025-26 year has now been published. The official report for Government on our performance and achievements looks back at a year in which we were increasingly needing to balance increased funding demand, with innovation to grow audience reach and engagement.
Among the many achievements here are just some:
- 69% of New Zealanders (3.47 million) engaged with local content
- 27.5 million views of funded on demand content
- The launch of our children’s YouTube channels KIDOGO and KIDOGO Junior
- $19.8 million in additional third-party funds brought in by Screen Production Rebate qualifying funded projects
- Delivery against all eight of our Rautaki Māori goals
- $168.4 million of NZ On Air funds went directly into the local media and creative sector
- Support for 253 music artists
- The launch of a new Music initiative to support touring
- Content that won awards and reached global audiences
You can read the full Annual Report here, or check out our web feature Our Year in Review which has more data and stories to explore.
Current screen funding opportunities
We have two additional funding opportunities open or about to open, outside of the usual funding round process.
Trans-Tasman Kids IP Incubator
The Kids IP Incubator is a partnership between NZ On Air, Screen Australia and the Australian Children’s Television Foundation (ACTF). It gives established and emerging children’s content makers a structured pathway to explore, develop and, for selected projects, produce original digital-first IP for direct-to-audience online platforms.
The initiative combines development funding, in-person workshops in Melbourne alongside selected Australian teams, online modules and one-on-one mentoring from specialists with YouTube and direct-to-audience platform experience.
Please read the Guidelines for applicants for this initiative.
Aotearoa Scripted Series Initiative
NZ On Air, Sky New Zealand and global production and distribution company Dynamic Television have joined forces to launch a scripted development initiative that will support the development of up to three original New Zealand drama series with international potential.
The Aotearoa Scripted Series Initiative will bring together local creative talent with local and international development expertise to help shape distinctive New Zealand stories with global appeal. It creates a new pathway for ambitious, premium scripted series to be developed for both domestic and international audiences.
The initiative is open to New Zealand writers and producers developing original one-hour scripted drama series.
A live webinar will be held on Tuesday 3 November at 12pm – 1pm NZT for those wishing to learn more. To register for this email funding@nzonair.govt.nz with the subject line 'Scripted Series webinar'.
Please read the Guidelines for applicants.
Summer break
The end of the year is fast approaching!
We wanted to give plenty of notice of the Christmas close down period, so please mark these dates in your calendar.
Our office closes at the end of Friday December 18 and reopens on Thursday 6 January 2027.
Please note, our last payments for 2026 will be made on Thursday 17th December. All paperwork for this payment round needs to be received by 5pm, Monday 14th December. Our first payments for 2027 will be on Thursday 14th January.