Celebrating Rural New Zealand - Farming Favourites

MEDIACOM-RELEASE-NZ-ON-AIR

Celebrating Rural New Zealand - Our Farming Favourites Are Back

Farming favourites Country Calendar and the Wrightson Agmardt Young Farmer Contest are back, bringing rural New Zealand into the nation's living rooms for another year.

NZ On Air Chief Executive, Jo Tyndall, said NZ On Air was pleased to be able to fund both programmes once again.

"Country Calendar has the largest viewing audience of all television series funded by NZ On Air. New Zealanders clearly want to see this slice of life, either because it reflects their own lives, or because it's about a New Zealand they no longer have contact with.

"Country Calendar is relatively expensive to make, largely because it is filmed in a wide range of locations around New Zealand. For this reason, it would almost certainly not be made without NZ On Air support.

"The series has been on our screens since 1966, making it New Zealand's longest running television series."

Ms Tyndall said that, similarly, the Young Farmers' contest is now in its 32nd year.

"These programmes in combination show rural New Zealand from bush-shirt on the job to a black tie awards event."

Frank Torley, Producer of Country Calendar said that this year, selected programmes would be shot in wide screen format and in stereo sound.

"We have retained our highly experienced production team, but we are not content to rest on our laurels. After 34 years of production, we are always on the look-out for ways to improve the series.

"The wide screen/stereo sound format will certainly enhance the quality of Country Calendar programmes this year," said Mr Torley.

NZ On Air has allocated $239,179 to TVNZ to produce 13 half-hour series for Country Calendar, and $101,000 for the one-hour screening of the Wrightson Agmardt Young Farmer Contest.

Both programmes will screen on TV One later this year.

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