NZ On Air’s Good Year

Media Release for immediate distribution

10 November 2010

NZ On Air’s Good Year

Broadcast funding agency NZ On Air today released its annual report for the year ended 30 June 2010 after it was tabled in Parliament. NZ On Air investments provide wide-ranging Kiwi perspectives, stories and music for many different New Zealand audiences.

Highlights for the year included:

• The introduction of the Platinum Fund, a new fund focused on high-end television. Investments were made in one-off quality dramas, important documentaries and two interview-based current affairs series Q&A and The Nation. None of these programmes could have been accommodated without the Fund
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• The Digital Content Partnership Fund helped attract New Zealand’s first International Digital Emmy award, thanks to the talents behind Reservoir Hill
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• New Zealand music, focused on the crucial radio hits that help drive the music economy, produced some great results for varied musicians including Gin Wigmore, Midnight Youth, Dane Rumble, Kids Of 88 and The Naked & Famous
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• Top-rating television drama Outrageous Fortune went into the history books: this year’s investment in its sixth and final season made it the longest and most popular one-hour New Zealand drama series ever produced
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• The launch of Access Radio Taranaki, New Zealand’s first new access community radio station for a decade
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• Funding to unlock hundreds of important classical music recordings from the archives so NZ music content can increase on Radio New Zealand Concert
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NZ On Air’s annual public survey found that, even in a fragmenting media environment, 71% of New Zealanders agree that NZ On Air supports programmes and activities that are important to them. Over $130 million was invested in 932 hours of varied TV programmes including over 400 hours of children’s programmes. NZ On Air also fully funds Radio New Zealand and website NZ On Screen, and supports 12 access radio stations, over 200 NZ music videos, songs and albums, and various programmes for commercial radio audiences.

Only 2.2% was spent on administration, making NZ On Air one of the most cost-effective agencies in the world.

ends

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