TVNZ

TVNZ’s half-year numbers have been released and while the national broadcaster is understandably chuffed with a 136 percent increase in operating earnings for the six months to December, there are also a couple of fairly big wounds to lick after a $14.8 million TiVo misfire and an 18 percent drop in taxpayer equity.  

TVNZ launched its new youth-centric digital channel U on Sunday. And while there’s plenty of talk about breaking ground, filling gaps and New Zealand firsts, there’s no talk about ratings data just yet. And there may not be any in the future, either.

TVNZ corporate affairs’ Megan Richards didn’t want to say much, but told StopPress that there hasn’t been a formal announcement yet and the broadcaster has had no advice from the Government, and right now, all the talk is just speculative. But several media releases and a John Drinnan …

TVNZ is introducing a new service for its vision impaired Coronation Street enthusiasts. The service, called Audio Description, launched on Tuesday this week and is described by TVNZ Corporate Affairs’ Megan Richards as “the visual equivalent of captioning for hearing impaired audiences”. Similar services are already available in the UK and US.

Understandably, with surreal pictures such as these, overseas interest in the Christchurch earthquake has been extremely high and generous offers of international support have been numerous. And, according to YouTube, a six minute edited compilation of footage posted on the ONE News channel was the second most watched video worldwide yesterday, receiving 1.1 million views.

MasterChef drew plenty of Kiwi eyeballs in its first season last year. And it also drew plenty of advertiser dollars, whether during the ad breaks or, increasingly, during the show itself through product placement. So, with estimates putting the worth of the Australian version of the show and its associated enterprises at $100 million, how much are Kiwi brands paying to be involved? Does such obvious commercial involvement affect the credibility of the show? And how did the new season launch fare in the ratings?

Things seem fairly sedate on the Movings/Shakings front at present, but there are a few noteworthy exceptions, with a Kiwi chap being tapped for higher Unilever honours, TVNZ announcing some new blood for its board and the Semi-Permanent doyenne who’s sailing for waters anew.

The New Zealand television scene is already über-competitive. But, with a range of new initiatives from the broadcasters, a slowly increasing sense of economic optimism and an array of new technology that’s changing the game for everyone, things look set to get even spicier in 2011. In an effort to eat into the more lucrative older demographics that have long been the domain of TVNZ, TV Works is changing its focus slightly and is set to launch its mainstream entertainment channel FOUR very shortly. And it’s a decision chief executive Jason Paris says is already bearing fruit.

The scramble for free television advertising space is on after TVNZ announced applications are open for its CSR programme, which gives a handsome $50k worth of filler time every month for two years to four national charities or NGOs.

The Ad Show’s main aim was to demystify the realm of marketing and advertising for the benefit of the New Zealand public and equip them with a few tools to fully understand the tactics they were regularly being exposed to. It was something of a fringe benefit that the show also seemed to find favour with the industry. But, with speculation about a possible merger of TVNZ’s two digital channels 6 and 7 and uncertainty about continued government funding, it’s still unclear whether there will be a second season of the show, despite what appeared to be a successful first run.

There was an impressive haka, there was cheese (literally and, with Pippa Wetzell and some guy in orange overalls to open proceedings, figuratively), there were 560 RSVPs and there was a solid dose of market leader mentality on display as the national broadcaster launched its New Season 2011 line up for ONE and TV2 last night.

TVNZ’s Ondemand is all about choice; about giving viewers the opportunity to watch content when (and increasingly where) they want to. And, with the help of TVNZ’s latest online advertising innovation, Ad Selector, they now have the ability to choose what ads they want to watch.

Part of Paul Henry’s broadcasting appeal is that he usually treads a very thin line. But he well and truly crossed that line yesterday after suggesting to Prime Minister John Key on Breakfast that Governor General Sir Anand Satyanand’s successor should look and sound more like a New Zealander. And TVNZ chief executive Rick Ellis has taken action over his comments, suspending Henry without pay until October 18.

TVNZ raked in a fair few awards at the Qantas Film and Television Awards. And it added to its weekend haul at the Promax/BDA ANZ festivities, an awards show that aims to recognise the broadcasting world’s best promotional work.