Engaging Content For Younger Audiences On Platforms They Use

New Zealand’s young audiences will be catered to with a range of new content served on multiple platforms, as NZ On Air continues to look for innovative ways to engage these audiences.

“We continue to prioritise children’s and youth content. Our research and experience points towards content that young people can engage with on multiple platforms. This strategy gives tamariki and rangatahi a better chance of discovering local stories they can relate to and enjoy,” says NZ On Air Chief Executive Cameron Harland.

Among the latest rangatahi projects funded by NZ On Air, is murder mystery series Please Don't Break Anything - The First Night. The story focuses on finding a killer, after a high school party in rural Aotearoa becomes an evening from hell. The series will play out across YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. 

In scripted comedy The School Repeaters, Jay-Jay and his crew face expulsion and must repeat the year after a prank on the final day of term. They join the rugby team and try to lead the school to victory—all while hoping their parents don’t find out. The series will be available across three local platforms as well as social media.

A series for TVNZ + will explore the riveting true tale of the toxic allure of wealth and fame within influencer culture. Bling, Hype & Heartbreak, is a bold story that speaks to the aspirations and vulnerabilities of a generation raised online. 

A new short-form online video series 60 Seconds will unpack urgent issues facing Aotearoa in just one minute. Targeting young people with bite-sized informative content, 60 seconds will feature on The Spinoff, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube. 

On the Brink, which will be available on YouTube and TikTok, looks at one of the best mixed martial arts gyms in the world, City Kickboxing, through the gaze of three young stars on the brink of greatness.

Having racked up hundreds of thousands of views in its first season, The Gender Agenda will return, looking to educate and provide community to rangatahi by platforming often unheard LGBTQIA+ perspectives. 

For the tamariki audience, an animated scripted mindfulness show, Be With Zee explores emotions, helping the very young to identify and deal with their feelings in fun and healthy ways. It will screen on TVNZ+ and YouTube Kids.  

An engaging pre-school music series, Music with Michal returns with a range of content types across YouTube Kids, RNZ, podcasts and livestreams to entertain and help youngsters learn. 

For a slightly older primary school audience, The Last Moa, is an animated comedy series blending slapstick with heart. Kiwi finds a frozen egg that hatches into Moa. Pursued by a trapper, Kiwi will do anything to protect Moa, the last of her kind. The series will be available on Sky Open, Sky Go, Neon and YouTube Kids. 

And finally, three new games will be made for children to play on a variety of game platforms.  

How Was Your Day? is a narrative-driven point-and-click puzzle game in which players search for a missing cat. Adu Puli - Goat vs Tiger is a strategic digital board game where players control tigers hunting goats or goats outsmarting tigers, using tactical moves in a battle of wits inspired by an ancient Indian game. And Kupu is an educational word game designed to assist with learning te reo Māori and increase players’ vocabulary. 

Funding details:

Note: All funding commitments are based on the funding applications received and must be contracted within a specified timeframe. Funding is only released, in stages, as contractual commitments are met. Funds committed but not contracted within the specified timeframe are written back and distributed in future funding rounds. 

Rangatahi/Youth

Scripted 

Please Don't Break Anything - The First Night, 5 x 7', Kevin and Co for viewing on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, up to $687,477.

The School Repeaters, 6 x 10', The Niu Wav for viewing on The Coconet TV, Pacific Media Network, RNZ, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, up to $673,574.

Non-fiction

Bling, Hype & Heartbreak, 3 x 22', Tavake for viewing on TVNZ+, up to $473,537.

60 Seconds, 80 x 1’ and 40 x 3', The Spinoff for viewing on The Spinoff, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, up to $446,502.

The Gender Agenda 2, 5 x 10', Rumbletoon for viewing on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok and Facebook, up to $395,665.

On the Brink, 6 x 10', Fire Fire for viewing on YouTube and TikTok, up to $199,955.

Tamariki/Children

Be With Zee, 52 x 5’ 30”, Oddly Quiet for viewing on TVNZ+ and YouTube Kids, up to $2,500,000.

The Last Moa, 10 x 5’ and 10 x 1’, Vinewood for viewing on Sky Open, Sky Go, Neon and YouTube Kids up to $685,997.

Music with Michal 2, 20 x 6’, 80’ YouTube Shorts, 200’ podcasts, 600’ livestreams, Music with Michal for viewing on YouTube Kids and RNZ, up to $399,220.

How Was Your Day?, (Game) Mad Carnival Entertainment for HEIHEI and Steam, up to $103,100.

Kupu, (Game) Arctic Arcade for HEIHEI, Apple App Store, and Google Play Store, up to $45,000.

Adu Puli - Goat vs Tiger, (Game) Whoopee Interactive for HEIHEI, Steam and itch.io, up to $24,480.

© Scoop Media