Kids Take Over Television

5 December 2001

Media Release

Kids Take Over Television

NZ On Air has provided funding for five children's programmes - Sticky TV, Suzy's World, Wannabes, Animation Station and The Dress Up Box.

Sticky TV is a weekday afternoon show creating a home-grown environment for children from five to 12 years old. Sticky TV will wrap around favourite New Zealand shows like Suzy's World, and newcomers Wannabes and Animation Station.

"These shows are consistent with NZ On Air's children's programming strategy; they encourage creativity and children are active participants in them," said NZ On Air chief executive, Jo Tyndall.

Raconteur Productions takes the bold new step of involving children from day one in the creation of Animation Station - a show dedicated to showing off the creative talent of young animators. They will source animations made by children through a widespread call for entries and also by working with schools.

"Animation Station is a fantastic concept as it encourages children's creativity and gives them an opportunity for their hard work to be presented on television," said Ms Tyndall.

Wannabes is a new series, showcasing New Zealand children in a pop music talent quest. Over ten weeks, 40 of the nation's top youngsters will sing-off on-screen to earn the maximum viewer votes.

Popular presenter Suzy Cato brings a fourth series of Suzy's World to the screen next year.

"Suzy's World continues as a great favourite for youngsters' inquisitive minds, using experiments and investigations to answer a range of science and technology-based questions," said Ms Tyndall.

"This year the programme will expand its coverage to include more science-based questions from the social studies and health curricula. This move is in response to the type of questions being received from viewers."

The Dress Up Box returns in a series of creative plays, featuring children amid fabulous locations, with creative props, gorgeous costumes and original music. The children tell their own stories using imaginative play and pretending.

"For the young audience watching The Dress Up Box, the focus is on New Zealand children exploring, playing and performing in their own environment," said Ms Tyndall.

NZ On Air has allocated $964,150 to Pickled Possum Productions to produce 200 fifteen-minute episodes of Sticky TV, $690,000 to Treehut Productions to produce 66 ten-minute episodes of Suzy's World and $331,628 to Raconteur Productions to produce 40 five-minute episodes of Animation Station. Whitebait Productions receives $333,825 to produce 219 minutes of children's talent show Wannabes and Papageno Productions receivs $260,000 to make 16 five-minute episodes of The Dress Up Box.

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Funding details:

Sticky TV $964,150 200 x 15 minutes Broadcaster: TV3 Producer: Mary Phillips, Pickled Possum Productions

Suzy's World IV $690,000 66 x 10 minutes Broadcaster: TV3 Executive Producer: Gerban Cath, Treehut Productions

Animation Station $331,628 40 x 5 minutes Broadcaster: TV3 Producer: Veronica McCarthy, Raconteur Productions

Wannabes $333,825 219 minutes Broadcaster: TV3 Producer: Janine Morrell, Whitebait Productions

The Dress Up Box III $260,000 16 x 5 minutes Broadcaster: TV3 Producer: Sue Wolfenden, Papageno Productions

ENDS

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