Fresh moves in current affairs and regional news and information

A new series that promises to be a ‘bold voice in Māori current affairs’ has been supported by NZ On Air as part of its ongoing Platinum Fund support for specialist current affairs programmes.

Minority Reports (working title), to be presented by respected broadcast journalist Mihingarangi Forbes, will screen on TV3 on Sunday mornings and be available on demand shortly after. The producers have promised current affairs investigations, arts, and culture stories seen through an indigenous lens. The series is co-funded with Te Māngai Paho and will be supported by TV3.

Two long-running political current affairs series will also return in 2016, The Nation on TV3 and Q + A on TVOne.

“We believe there is audience demand for specialist television current affairs. Our support through the Platinum Fund is acknowledgement both that this is important content, and difficult for broadcasters alone to support,” said NZ On Air Chief Executive Jane Wrightson.

Meanwhile NZ On Air will issue a closed tender for the provision of converged regional media news and information services.

Earlier this year a review of regional television found a series of weak business cases in most areas. NZ On Air decided to assess interest in new ideas for delivering converged regional news and information content beyond 2016.

NZ On Air sought proposals that showed clear and compelling demand from regions; delivery on multiple platforms; and media partnerships that could deliver regional content to the platforms audiences are already accessing.

18 proposals were received in response to a call for Expressions of Interest. Overall, NZ On Air decided that the range of submissions received fell short of the stated objectives for the EOI process and that further work is necessary before short-listing decisions can be made. Accordingly, the Board of NZ On Air has decided to invite full proposals from any EOI submitter wishing to supply a full proposal through a closed tender process.

Funding details

The Nation 2016, 40 x 1 hr, MediaWorks TV for TV3, $900,000 (Platinum)

Q + A 2016, 40 x 1 hr, TVNZ for TV One, $846,000 (Platinum)

Minority Reports, 30 x ½ hr, Great Southern Television for TV3, $400,000 (Platinum)

ENDS

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