A veritable David and Goliath is looming in TV land

A veritable David and Goliath is looming in TV land

The ITM Fishing Show was conceived by Matt Watson and a couple of his fishing mates, and produced in true kiwi number-eight-wire style in the garage with little more than a couple of home PC’s and a dial-up internet connection.

Ten years on, and the show is still made in a Kerikeri garage, (well it’s now in the sleep-out to be precise) but it continues to punch above its weight, pulling down consistently good ratings and attracting fans young and old to the unique style of high energy, high action fishing show.

Despite the success of the show here and overseas, Matt and his team have never been invited to the glitzy film and television awards nights, much less nominated or recognised by the television industry.

But the fans of the show and admirers of Watson’s Kiwi can-do attitude now have the chance to help The ITM Fishing Show get one over the big budget show’s that are funded by broadcasters or taxpayers via generous NZ on Air grants.

On February the 12th the 2014 TV Guide Best on the Box Awards will be opened up to Kiwi’s to vote for their favourite shows, actors, actresses and more.

The awards are hotly contested amongst the various nominees.

In the Best Sports Show award, The ITM Fishing Show is up against The Crowd Goes Wild, and it’s been a two horse race for the past three years.

With a nightly broadcasts calling on fans to vote as well as the hosts being on radio and the darlings of the sports and woman’s magazines, it’s a hard ask to take the CGW team on and win… but that’s what Watson is dead set on doing.

“Last year we only missed by a couple of percent of the vote so we’re hoping that fans of the show vote, rally support, spread the word and help us take the top spot in 2014”.

In the Favourite Show overall category The ITM Fishing Show took a very impressive 3rd placing in 2013, only being piped by the NZ On Air funded Shortland Street and Seven Days.

To take 3rd place amongst all the other shows on air, given all the promotion and money the big shows have to throw around, is an outright endorsement that people like what they see on The ITM Fishing Show and they were prepared to cast their vote.

Watson is again calling on the shows fans, and all fishers to take just a minute to vote.

“We struggle to get decent coverage and recognition for recreational fishing in New Zealand, so while we’d be chuffed to get the gong, it’s gotta be good if the great kiwi outdoors and real kiwi characters can get one over the all the cooking and renovation reality shows”.

Voting opens on February the 12th and closes March 6th 2014
TV Guide now has the only Awards format for TV Shows in New Zealand
Over 12,600 people cast over 240,000 votes in 2013
The ITM Fishing Show is in its eleventh year in 2014
The ITM Fishing Show won 3rd place in the Favourite Show category in 2013
Visit www.thefishingshow.co.nz and follow the links to vote.

ENDS

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