NZ On Air has funded almost $2m worth of Aotearoa’s most-loved children’s shows in the latest funding round, including news, creepy crawlies and a quirky local series that’s gone global.

The winner of New Zealand’s Best Children’s show at the 2019 NZTV Awards, Welcome To Cardboard City returns with 10 more action-packed, hilarious episodes. Starring the vocal talents of Jeremy Wells, Mihingarangi Forbes, and Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, the series has already made a splash internationally, with Jetpack Distribution snapping up the rights to take the antics of the Cardboard City Fire Department to the world.

Morgane Merien AKA the ‘Bug Hunter’ will continue to educate New Zealand’s young ones on all things creepy crawly in Bug Hunter! Aotearoa.

Tamariki will delight in the return of Yap Trap 2, a wonderful animated musical comedy series that creates oddball humor from stock and archive footage and photography, while also stretching their brains with creative riddles and mysteries in the new series Riddle Me This!

Josh, his dog Kazumi and his rōpū of newfound friends will continue their quest for the godstick in the animated series Island Of Mystery 2, and Kea Kids News 2021/22 will keep Aotearoa’s young citizens educated and engaged with news made by tamariki, for tamariki.

NZ On Air has also allocated operational funding from this round to continue support for the HEIHEI Games platform, and to house HEIHEI content on the TVNZ OnDemand site.

“Giving our tamariki local content that they can relate to is critical for well-being and connection. We are focused on supporting the content that will keep them curious and entertained, but also on ensuring they can easily find and enjoy it,” says NZ On Air Head of Funding Amie Mills.

"If you have a young person at home why not show them what’s available? It just might spark something important, a quest for facts, a sense of belonging, and hopefully some fun,” she continued.

Funding Details

Bug Hunter! Aotearoa, 6 x 10 mins, Gibson Group for HEIHEI, up to $303,368

Island Of Mystery 2, 10 x 9 mins, Adrenalin Group for HEIHEI, up to $385,079

Kea Kids News 2021/22, 40 x 7 mins, Luke Nola & Friends for Stuff, up to $608,461

Riddle Me This!, 8 x 4 mins, A Grain Of Rice Production for HEIHEI, up to $265,950

Welcome To Cardboard City 3, 10 x 5 mins, Vinewood for HEIHEI, up to $271,400

Yap Trap 2, 15 x 2 mins, Sad Patrol for HEIHEI, up to $154,815

HEIHEI Games Platform 2021/22, Gamelab, up to $156,450

HEIHEI Operating Costs 2021/22, TVNZ, up to $458,190

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