Round Rua closes
The second round of the financial year, Round Rua, officially closed last week with 166 applications received and a total funding request of just over $72.4m.
This includes:
- 95 Content Production applications
- 52 Content Development applications
- 18 Industry Capability and Discoverability applications
The round was open to Drama, Comedy, Documentary and General Factual, Journalism, Children, Youth, Podcasts, Content Development, Capability and Discoverability.
- Decision due date: Monday 24 November
(Please note, we will be announcing the funding decisions a couple of days later than usual this round, due to the SPADA conference being held on Thursday 20 and Friday 21 November.)
Music
Within Round Rua was also New Music Project, with 30 applications, and the pilot New Music Project Touring fund which saw an extraordinary 37 applications into this round.
- Decision due date: Wednesday 5 November
Te Māngai Pāho Reo Māori Content Co-fund
Also now closed to applications is the Irirangi Te Motu | NZ On Air - Te Māngai Pāho Reo Māori Content Co-Fund, which invited proposals from applicants creating high-quality reo Māori screen content for a broad audience.
20 applications were received for the co-fund, seeking nearly $31.7m.
- Decision due date: Friday 21 November
Local platform guidance
The information for platforms that are supporting the distribution plans of Scripted and Non-fiction applications seeking development or production funding has now been updated.
This document outlines the roles of various platform types, with a particular focus on the responsibilities of a primary platform. It also details expectations around co-investment and audience data sharing.
The key changes you will see are more detailed information about what NZ On Air expects a primary platform to provide for funded projects and also outlines the eligibility requirements for being a primary platform that supports Scripted and Non-fiction applications, noting there is a very high eligibility threshold.
You can find the Information for Platforms Supporting Funding Applications doc here on our website.
Ngā Aho Whakaari – Screen Industry Survey on Te Reo Māori Capacity and Capability
Ngā Aho Whakaari, the national representative body for Māori working across the screen sector, is inviting the sector to take part in its Rautaki Reo Māori Survey.
The organisation’s kaupapa is to champion, advocate for and uplift Māori voices, stories and creative talent on screen – and the whakaaro gathered from this survey will help identify what role Ngā Aho Whakaari can play in strengthening te reo Māori capacity and capability within the hapori or community, which will in turn support the creation of high-quality te reo Māori content on screen.
The survey kaupapa, which is being led by Stacey Morrison, is an important step in helping understand how te reo Māori is being used, supported and championed within the industry. The survey input will contribute directly to shaping future initiatives that strengthen the place of te reo Māori across screen and media.
As an added bonus, those who fill out the survey will also go in the draw to win a $250 Prezzy card.
To access the survey, click on this link. The survey is open until Friday 3 October 2025.