Winners of the 2006 Qantas Television Awards

MEDIA RELEASE - Embargoed until 10pm Saturday, November 18 2006

Winners announced for the 2006 Qantas Television Awards

The winners of the 2006 Qantas Television Awards were announced this evening during a glamorous awards ceremony at Auckland’s Aotea Centre. Hosted by leading television presenters Dominic Bowden and Petra Bagust, the Awards recognised the best of the New Zealand television industry, including news and current affairs.

The Gibson Group’s series Insiders Guide to Love was the stand-out show of the Awards taking the prize for Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Drama, Best Camera (non-factual), Best Director (drama) and Best Script (non-factual). The Judges said: “This thought provoking and original series demonstrates all-round excellence and consistency in the key areas of scripting, direction and acting.”

Bruce Wallace, Executive Director of the New Zealand Television Broadcasters’ Council said, "New Zealand created shows and programming continues to shine on the network schedules and grow in strength. The NZTBC congratulates all the winners and finalists on a fantastic job.”

Qantas New Zealand Regional General Manager, Grant Lilly said “Qantas was proud of its association with the Television Awards and pleased to see their increased strength in only their second year. Tonight’s winners illustrate the high calibre of talent working within New Zealand’s television industry”.

Guest presenters included a number of New Zealand celebrities including Australian Logie winner Lisa Chappell, and actors Oscar Kightley, Robyn Malcolm, Michael Galvin, Laura Hill and Shane Cortese. The evening included a special dance extravaganza with contestants from two of the hottest dance shows of the year - TVNZ’s Dancing With The Stars and TV3’s So You Think You Can Dance. The dancers included Lorraine Downs with Aaron Gilmore, Beatrice Faumuina with Brian Jones, Rodney Hide with Georgina Beyer, Anita Hutchins, Justin Haiu, Daniel Sintes and Sharnica Robson.

Awards were announced in 34 categories, including the Woman’s Day Readers’ Choice TV Awards, where Kiwis voted for their favourite New Zealand Show, Favourite International Show, Favourite Female and Favourite Male Personality. Voting was open to the public via entry forms in the magazine and the Woman’s Day website.

Megan McChesney, the Woman’s Day Editor-In-Chief was delighted with the public’s response. “Viewers again voted in their tens-of-thousands and provided some surprising results. It really shows the level of support that exists for Kiwi talent and shows. The public, after all, are the ultimate consumers of what goes to air.”

The NZTBC is made up of the two leading companies operating national broadcast television channels. They are CanWest TVWorks and Television New Zealand.

The Qantas Television Awards screens on TV3 Saturday, November 18 at 9.00pm.

QANTAS TELEVISION AWARDS 2006

General Television Category Winners

Best Actor in a TV Drama
Ryan O’Kane The Insiders Guide to Love The Gibson Group TV2

Best Actress in a TV Drama
Kate Elliott The Insiders Guide to Love The Gibson Group TV2

Best NZ Drama
The Insiders Guide to Love The Gibson Group TV2

Best Script (non-factual)
David Brechin-Smith The Insiders Guide to Love The Gibson Group TV2

Best Director (drama)
Brendan Donovan The Insiders Guide to Love The Gibson Group TV2

Best Camera (non-factual)
Simon Baumfield The Insiders Guide to Love The Gibson Group TV2

Best Editing (non-factual)
Bryan Shaw Doves of War ScreenWorks TV3

Best NZ Arts/ Festival Documentary
‘The Magical World of Misery’ – Artsville Sticky Pictures TV ONE

Cure Kids Best NZ Children’s/ Youth Programme
Lets Get Inventin Rocket Skates Television Spaceman TV2

Best NZ Comedy
Pulp Sport Series 3, Ep 1 Shonky Productions TV3

Best NZ Entertainment
Dave Dobbyn One Night in Matata Satellite Media TV ONE

Best NZ Information/ Lifestyle
Target Special: Ep 1: Australia Top Shelf Productions TV3

Best NZ Popular Documentary
Million Dollar Tumor Desert Road TV TV3

Best NZ Reality (format)
Sensing Murder Ninox Television TV2

Best NZ Sports or Event Coverage
Na Ratou Mo Tatou ANZAC Day Special Screentime MTS
- They Did it For Us

Best NZ Observational Reality (non format)
Snotties Trilogy Productions Ltd TV2

Best Director (non-drama)
Geoff Husson Sensing Murder - The Patient Killer Ninox Television TV2

Best Editing (factual)
Paul Sutorius Aspiring The Gibson Group TV ONE

Best Camera (factual)
David Stipsen Airports and Overtures The TV Set TV ONE

News and Current Affairs Category Winners

Best News
One News TVNZ TV ONE

Best News or Current Affairs Presenter
John Campbell Campbell Live TV3 News TV3

Best News Reporter
Donna-Marie Lever One News - Unrest Returns to Dili TVNZ TV ONE

Best Current Affairs Reporter
Hadyn Jones 20/20 - Peddling in the Park TVNZ TV2

Best News Report (team Award)
3 News Gaza TV3 News TV3

Best Current Affairs Report (team award)
20/20 Detox Diary TVNZ TV2

Best Current Affairs Series
Campbell Live Telecom TV3 News TV3

Best News Camera
Leon Menzies 3 News - Poorest & Urban Girls TV3 News TV3

Best Current Affairs Camera
Peter Day Sunday - The Big Chill TVNZ TV ONE

Best News/Current Affairs Editing
Shahir Daud One News - Press Photo TVNZ TV ONE
Close Up - Steam Train TVNZ TV ONE

TV Journalist of the Year
Mike McRoberts 3 News TV3 News TV3

Woman’s Day Readers’ Choice Awards 2006

Favourite New Zealand Female Personality
Hilary Barry

Favourite New Zealand Male Personality
Simon Dallow

Favourite New Zealand Show
Shortland Street

Favourite International Show
Grey’s Anatomy

Ends

© Scoop Media