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Networks to battle it out for televisual accolades, but where’s Sky?

That inconsequential stuff the ads are placed around on the telly (aka programming) has been acknowledged once again, with finalists for 41 sections across three categories—news and current affairs, general television and documentary—announced in this year’s Qantas Film and Television Awards.

Overall, in the hotly contested battle between the two major networks, TVNZ nabbed 61 finalist nods and TV3 got 33. And in the even more hotly contested news and current affairs category, TVNZ has 17 finalists and TV3 13, with TVNZ coming out on top after the addition of Tonight to the top three in the Best News section (and this is despite being “pulverised” by Nightline, according to TV3 news guy Mark Jennings).

The three programmes that received the highest number of finalist nominations were The Cult, Outrageous Fortune and Kaitangata Twitch.

New Zealand Television Broadcasters’ Council (NZTBC) chief executive and awards organising committee co-chair, Rick Friesen, said all the stuff chief executives are supposed to say, like ‘warm congratulations’ and ‘strength of the industry’.

“This year there were 490 entries for the 41 television categories [637 entries in total, which was two entries down on last year’s total] and, as always, it was an extremely challenging job for the judges to select the 120 finalists. This year saw a diverse range of entries from across all the major television networks.”

When Friesen says “all the major television networks”, he means the free to air networks, because programmes on pay-to-view aren’t eligible.

Friesen said in an email: “The Qantas Film and Television Awards programme accepts entries from television programmes that New Zealanders have had the chance to watch on free-to-air broadcast. Programmes that have screened only on pay-to-view networks are currently not eligible for entry because the awards recognise programming created for all New Zealanders.”

Given New Zealand has one of the highest per capita rates of pay TV subscription in the world, it seems like a fairly strange rule, particularly considering the recent arrival of TVNZ’s Heartland to the Sky platform, which, under current rules, won’t be able to strive for Qantas glory. And none of the Sky Sports broadcasts are eligible either.

But Tony O’Brien, Sky’s communications director says the company sees it as a free to air gig and, even though it owns Prime and could enter the awards, he says Sky doesn’t see much benefit in participating, which seems reminiscent of ACP’s current attitude to the Magazine Awards.

“Our relationship is with the viewers and subscribers. That’s what matters to us,” he says.

When asked why he thought Sky was unable to enter, he said the NZTBC would know. Then he repeated that Sky doesn’t see much benefit in participating. And when asked if he knew if it was an archaic rule from the days when pay TV didn’t exist, whether it was a long-held grudge from the FTAers, or whether it would even enter if it was eligible, he responded with Sky doesn’t see any benefit in participating thrice more.

The finalists in the film categories will be announced tomorrow (12 August) and Film and Television Craft Awards will be announced over an industry luncheon at the Auckland Town Hall on 17 September. There’s also a People’s Choice Award, so if you’re keen, details on how to vote can be found in New Idea magazine.

The red carpet soiree will be held on 18 September at the Civic Theatre in Auckland, and you can get hold of your tickets here.

CATEGORY FINALISTS:

News and Current Affairs Categories

Qantas Best News
3 News (TV3)
One News (TV One)
Tonight (TV One)

Best News or Current Affairs Presenter
Hilary Barry & Mike McRoberts – 3 News, “Aisling Symes” (TV3)
John Campbell – Campbell Live, “Tsunami Aftermath” (TV3)
Carly Flynn – Sunrise, “Samoa Tsunami” (TV3)

Best News Reporting
Paul Hobbs – One News, “TSU Funerals” (TV One)
Lisa Owen – One News, “Baker Hostage” (TV One)
Rebecca Wright – 3 News, “Drink Drive Fly” (TV3)

Best Current Affairs Reporting for a weekly programme or one off current affairs special
John Hudson & Jane Skinner –  Sunday, “Child Brides” (TV One)
Karen McCarthy – 60 Minutes, “Homocide” (TV3)
Janet McIntyre & Joanne Mitchell – Sunday, “Discourse with a Dictator” (TV One)

Best Current Affairs Reporting for a daily programme
Corinne Ambler – Close Up, “Dwarf” (TV One)
Brook Sabin – Campbell Live, “Darryl’s Recovery” (TV3)
Natasha Utting – Campbell Live, “Fraudster” (TV3)

Best Current Affairs Series
Campbell Live (TV3)
Sunday (TV One)
Willie Jackson’s NewsBites (Maori Television)

Best News Camera
Michael Lacoste – 3 News, “Maubisse, Haiti and Bangkok” (TV3)
Steve Lawton – One News, “Birds” (TV One)
Daniel O’Sullivan – One News, “Ice Energy” (TV One)

Best Current Affairs Camera
Martin Anderson – 20/20, “Lost and Found” (TV2)
Ken Dorman – Sunday, “Brave Choice” (TV One)
Belinda Walshe – 60 Minutes, “Braking Point” (TV3)
Belinda Walshe – 60 Minutes, “Drug Runner” (TV3)

Best News Editing
Kirsten Bolam – One News, “Cavalcade” (TV One)
Andrew Gibb – Breakfast, “Spelling Bee” (TV One)
Paul Sparkes – One News, “Opshop” (TV One)

Best Current Affairs Editing
Andrew Gibb – Close Up, “Apprentice” (TV One)
Catherine Hallinan – Campbell Live, “Darryl” (TV3)
Vicky Harker – Sunday Episode 24, “Born to Dance” (TV One)

General Television Categories

Images and Sound Best Drama Programme
The Cult – Rachel Gardner, Great Southern Television Ltd (TV2)
Go Girls – South Pacific Pictures (TV3)
Outrageous Fortune – South Pacific Pictures (TV3)

Best Comedy Programme
7 Days –  Jon Bridges & thedownlowconcept (TV3)
The Jaquie Brown Diaries – Jaquie Brown, Gerard Johnstone, Young, Gifted & Brown
(TV3)
Pulp Sport – Jamie Linehan & Ben Boyce, Shonky Productions (TV3)

Best Maori Language Programme in association with Te Taurawhiri I Te Reo Māori and Te Māngai Pāho
AKO – Jeni-Leigh Walker & Pania Papa (Maori Television)
E Tu Kahikatea – TeNoni Ltd (Maori Television)
Moteatea – Hinewehi Mohi (Maori Television)

Qantas Cure Kids Best Children’s/Youth Programme
Eco Rat Trap – Luke Nola and Friends Ltd (TV2)
Kaitangata Twitch – Christopher Hampson Production Shed.TV (Maori Television)
Reservoir Hill – KHF Media (TV2)

Best Information/Lifestyle Programme
Fair Go – Graeme Muir, TVNZ (TV One)
Radar’s Patch – Jane Andrews, JAM TV Ltd (TV One)
South – Melanie Rakena and Marcus Lush, JAM TV Ltd (TV One)

Best Entertainment Programme
Good Morning ‘Sir Howard Morrison Special’ – Sally-Anne Kerr, TVNZ (TV One)
Homai Te Pakipaki – Homai Te Pakipaki (Maori Television)
The Topp Twins & The APO – Arwen O’Connor, Satellite Media (TV3)

Kordia Best Sports Broadcast
Heineken Open Tennis Final 2010 – Steve Jamieson, TVNZ (TV One)
International Netball Series 2009 – Barbara Mitchell, TVNZ (TV One)
TV3 V8 Supercars Hamilton 400 – Nigel Carpenter, TV3 (TV3)

Best Observational Reality Series
Intrepid Journeys – Dean Cornish, JAM TV Ltd (TV One)
Neighbours At War – Sarah Kinniburgh, Greenstone Pictures (TV2)
Piha Rescue – Eric Derks, South Pacific Video Productions (TV One)

Best Constructed Reality Series
Master Chef New Zealand Series – Bettina Hollings & Darryl McEwen, Imagination Television (TV One)
One Land – Julie Christie & Bailey Mackey, Eyeworks New Zealand (TV One)
The Apprentice – Glenn Sims & Philip Smith, Great Southern Television Ltd (TV2)

Best Performance by an Actress – General Television
Danielle Cormack – The Cult, Great Southern Television Ltd (TV2)
Kate Elliott – The Cult, Great Southern Television Ltd (TV2)
Siobhan Marshall – Outrageous Fortune, South Pacific Pictures (TV3)

Best Performance by a Supporting Actress – General Television
Lisa Chappell – The Cult, Great Southern Television Ltd (TV2)
Chelsie Preston Crayford – The Cult, Great Southern Television Ltd (TV2)
Miriama Smith – Kaitangata Twitch, Production Shed.TV (Maori Television)

Best Performance by an Actor – General Television
Latham Gaines – The Cult, Great Southern Television Ltd (TV2)
George Henare – Kaitangata Twitch, Production Shed.TV (Maori Television)
Kirk Torrance – Outrageous Fortune, South Pacific Pictures (TV3)

Best Performance by a Supporting Actor – General Television
Grant Bowler – Outrageous Fortune, South Pacific Pictures (TV3)
Matt Whelan – Go Girls, South Pacific Pictures, (TV2)
Scott Wills – The Cult, Great Southern Television Ltd (TV2)

Best Presenter Entertainment/Factual Programme
Petra Bagust – What’s Really In Our Food?, Top Shelf Productions Limited (TV3)
Marcus Lush – South, Jam TV Ltd (TV One)
Te Radar – Radar’s Patch, JAM TV (TV One)

Best Script – Drama/Comedy Programme
Michael Bennett – Kaitangata Twitch, Production Shed.TV (Maori Television)
James Griffin – Outrageous Fortune, South Pacific Pictures (TV3)
Rachel Lang – Go Girls, South Pacific Pictures, (TV2)

Images and Sound Best Director – Drama/Comedy Programme
Peter Burger – Go Girls, South Pacific Pictures (TV2)
Gerard Johnstone – The Jaquie Brown Diaries, Young, Gifted and Brown (TV3)
David Stubbs & Thomas Robins – Reservoir Hill, KHF Media Ltd (TV2)

Best Director – Factual/Entertainment Programme
Jane Andrews – Radar’s Patch, JAM TV (TV One)
Melanie Rakena – South, JAM TV Ltd (TV One)
Belinda Simpson – Intrepid Journeys (TV One)

Kordia Best Multi Camera Direction in General Television
Steve Jamieson – Heineken Open Tennis Final 2010, TVNZ (TV One)
Steve Jamieson – Takapuna Sprint Triathlon, TVNZ (TV One)
Barbara Mitchell – International Netball Series 2009, TVNZ (TV One)

Best Cinematography – Drama/Comedy Programme
David Paul – Kaitangata Twitch, Production Shed.TV (Maori Television)
Simon Reira – The Cult, Great Southern Television Ltd (TV2)
Marty Smith – Outrageous Fortune, South Pacific Pictures (TV3)

Images & Sound Best Editing – Drama/Comedy Programme
Eric de Beus – The Cult, Great Southern Television Ltd (TV2)
Bryan Shaw – Outrageous Fortune, South Pacific Pictures (TV3)
Mark Taylor – Go Girls, South Pacific Pictures (TV2)

Best Original Music in General Television
Gareth Farr – Kaitangata Twitch, Production Shed.TV (Maori Television)
Eden Mulholland – World Kitchen, Zoomslide Media Ltd (TV3)
Rhian Sheehan – The Cult, Great Southern Television Ltd (TV2)

Best Sound Design in General Television
Tom Miskin, James Hayday & Steve Finnigan – Kaitangata Twitch, Production Shed.TV (Maori Television)
Tom Miskin, Steve Finnigan – Go Girls, South Pacific Pictures (TV2)
Carl Smith – Outrageous Fortune, South Pacific Pictures (TV3)

Best Production Design in General Television
Clayton Ercolano – Outrageous Fortune, South Pacific Pictures (TV3)
Gary Mackay – Kaitangata Twitch, Production Shed (Maori Television)
Gary Mackay – Go Girls, South Pacific Pictures (TV2)

Best Contribution to Design in General Television
David Cooke – The Cult, Great Southern Television Ltd (TV2)
Katrina Hodge – Outrageous Fortune, South Pacific Pictures (TV3)
Sarah Voon – Go Girls, South Pacific Pictures (TV2)

Documentary Categories
NZ On Air Best Popular Documentary
Lost in Wonderland – Costa Botes, Lone Pine Film
Donated to Science – Paul Trotman, PRNfilms (TV3)
The Worst Offenders – Virginia Wright, Southern Screen Productions (TV One)

Best Arts/Festival/Feature Documentary
There Once was an Island: Te Henua e Nnoho – Lyn Collie and Briar March
This Way of Life – Cloud South Films
The Unnatural History of the Kakapo – ELWIN Productions

Best Director – Documentary
Thomas Burstyn – This Way of Life, Cloud South Films
Tearepa Kahi – The Flight of Te Hookioi, Monsoon Pictures International Ltd (Maori Television)
Robin Shingleton – Real Crime: The Truth About Us, Project Melting Pot (TV One)

Best Cinematography – Documentary/Factual Programme
Thomas Burstyn – This Way of Life, Cloud South Films
Briar March – There Once was an Island: Te Henua e Nnoho
Marty Williams, Costa Botes & Gareth Moon – Lost in Wonderland, Lone Pine Film

Best Editing – Documentary/Factual Programme
Prisca Bouchet & Briar March – There Once was an Island: Te Henua e Nnoho
Cushla Dillion – This Way of Life, Cloud South Films
Ken Sparks – The Worst Offenders, Southern Screen Productions (TV One)

New Idea People’s Choice Award Finalists

Beth Allen – Shortland Street
Jason Gunn – Cheers to 50 Years
Kimberly Crossman – Shortland Street
Robyn Malcolm – Outrageous Fortune
Jaquie Brown – The Jaquie Brown Diaries
Mike McRoberts – 3 News
Bernadine Oliver-Kerby – One News
Paul Henry – Breakfast
Pippa Wetzell – Breakfast
Kevin Milne – Fair Go

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