Local TV content tops 11,000 hours in 2011

Local TV content tops 11,000 hours in 2011

In 2011 more than 11,000 hours of New Zealand programme content screened on our television channels, with more than 8,000 hours of that being brand new programmes.

The latest Local Content Report from NZ On Air shows 37 per cent of prime time hours on the six major free to air television stations was Kiwi content.

Overall local content increased by 3.1 per cent on 2010 figures – an extra 338 hours of home-grown TV.

Special coverage of the Canterbury Earthquakes, General Election and Rugby World Cup led to an increase in both news and current affairs programmes and sport.

There was also more locally made TV for children on our screens – 112 more hours than in 2010. One of the contributors was the relaunch of FOUR and its dedicated space for children’s and young people’s viewing before 6pm each day.

Hours of local documentary, drama and comedy also increased. Hours of entertainment, information, Maori and children’s drama programming decreased.

‘Not only are New Zealanders seeing more of themselves on screen these days, but the range and quality of our local television productions is growing all the time’ says NZ On Air chief executive Jane Wrightson. ‘While the difficult economic climate is affecting investment in some types of production, it’s still great to see there’s a diversity of material making it to air,’ she said.

Overall there has been a 327 per cent increase in local content since the first year NZ On Air measured local content in New Zealand. In 1989 there were just 2,804 hours of local content screened on just three channels: TV One, TV2 and TV3. Now the research counts six main free to air channels: TV One, TV2, TV3, FOUR, Prime and Maori Television. Even more hours screen on pay and regional channels, which are not able to be covered by the research.

More details of NZ On Air’s Local Content Report for 2011 can be found here.

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