Media Matters: NZOA bursts MediaWorks’ soap bubble, backs new TV3 current affairs show

Click the NBR Radio box for on-demand special feature audio: NZOA bursts MediaWorks’ soap bubble: Chelsea Armitage and Nick Grant on the inner workings of NZ media

There was more anticipation than usual regarding NZ On Air decisions this week – primarily whether or not the broadcast funding agency would support a bid by MediaWorks to make its own local soap opera.

The company had long been talking up its plans for the show – including an apparently innovative approach to product placement – which was understood to have been destined for TV3’s 5.30pm weekday slot, where it was hoped it would provide a strong lead-in to its 6pm news, and the evening schedule beyond.

Up to two years ago a strong audience was being delivered to the news bulletin by Aussie soap Home and Away, the rights to which were lost when MediaWorks went into receivership in mid-2013.

Television industry participants and observers were split on whether or not NZOA would or should back the series proposal.

On the plus side, if the show was successful it would provide continuity of work for a lot of production industry workers, as well as giving Kiwis the opportunity to “see more New Zealand on air.”

 Naysayers, however, questioned whether NZ really needs another soap opera, given the ongoing popularity of Shortland Street and the diminishing pool of money NZOA has to distribute, with some suggesting funding it would have amounted to “public money ... being used to prop up television executives’ expensive, commercial visions.”

In the event, NZOA declined to put funding into the soap, on the basis that its constrained funding meant it wasn’t considered a priority compared to competing projects and that the proposal’s requirement for an ongoing financial commitment from the funder was unsustainable.

But it’s not all bad news for MediaWorks’ television programming. This week NZOA also announced its latest news and current affairs funding decisions, which included supporting a new Sunday morning current affairs show to be hosted by RNZ’s Mihingarangi Forbes.

With the working title Minority Reports, the TV3 Maori current affairs show has promised investigations and arts and culture stories seen through an indigenous lens.

The half-hour show will comprise 30 episodes and receive $400,000 in funding for its first run.

It is noted that Ms Forbes previously fronted Native Affairs on Maori TV but left the show in June this year amid rumours of political and managerial interference in the show’s current affairs reporting.

Finally, the local media’s fawning coverage of the visit by billionaire media mogul Oprah Winfrey – and the conditions imposed on those who wanted access to her – is briefly touched on.

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