Exploring The Many Faces Of Aotearoa – New Informative Factual Content Gets Green Light

The many different faces of Aotearoa are represented in a host of new Factual content to be commissioned from the latest NZ On Air funding round.

The content traverses engaging topics such as early arrivals to our shores of pan-ethnic communities, raising tamariki, the digital divide, debunking conspiracy theories, kapa haka and intercultural marriages.

NZ On Air Head of Funding Amie Mills says the strength of the NZ On Air model is its ability to support a wide range of content creators with distinct world views to tell their stories on a wide range of platforms used by different local audiences.

“In their own way, each of these latest Factual projects strengthens and deepens the way we see ourselves and our place in NZ society.”

Hosted by Jehan Casinader, Passengers is a landmark series celebrating early Pacific, Chinese, Indian and Pan-Asian immigration through the stories of the first passengers from pan-ethnic communities to arrive in Aotearoa. It will screen on TVNZ 1.

Neuroscientist Nathan Mikaere-Wallis tackles the biggest challenges facing whānau today in Kids Don’t Come With A Manual on Māori Television. The series is a science-based, workable guide to solving whānau challenges.

The Heart Of The Matter will be a new series on Apna TV looking at inter-cultural marriages within NZ’s migrant communities, highlighting the changing demographics and diversity of Aotearoa New Zealand.

We’ll be able to follow the fortunes of our Winter Paralympians with full coverage of the Games, preceded by a documentary following the journey of New Zealand's new Winter Paralympians and an update on two veteran Paralympians. Cool As Ice – Beijing Paralympic Winter Games 2022 will screen on TVNZ Duke.

A six-part series for TVNZ OnDemand, The Road to Te Matatini, follows All Black, TJ Perenara, as he visits six different kapa haka (haka groups) poised to perform at the 2022 Te Matatini festival, and along the way he'll learn all about Te Matatini.

Dusky Maiden, on The Coconet.TV, will explore the impact of the colonial gaze on images of Pacific women through the ages, and how and why this image was created and has lasted so long.

A new documentary series also for The Coconet.TV, Akanuanua, is about Rainbow Pasifika youth claiming their visibility and truth. These are the stories of the young, brown and queer in Aotearoa. Also reflecting the rainbow community is What’s The Disabili-Tea?, a series for AttitudeLive.com exploring living with a disability and being queer.

A new series for Stuff.co,nz Disconnected – Living In The Digital Divide looks at what it’s like to be among the one-third of Pacific Peoples who are living without digital tools and access. The series will explore the impacts and seek solutions to the digital divide. 

With young adult audiences in mind, Conspiraseries is a series for RNZ, and also delivering social media vignettes presenting tongue-in-cheek investigations into the why, how and ‘what the heck’ of some of New Zealand's most outrageous conspiracy theories. For the platform Re:, Dating While Asian will create social media videos that shine a light on Asian New Zealanders’ romantic and sexual selves.

Two of our most enduring factual series also return, with Attitude continuing to tell the stories that empower people living with disabilities and chronic health. And Fresh will be back with its engaging content via TV and social media focussed on Pasifika and Māori youth.

Funding details:

New

Passengers, 4 x 44 mins, Warner Bros Int. TV Production NZ for TVNZ 1, up to $697,158. A landmark series celebrating early Pacific, Chinese, Indian and Pan-Asian immigration through the stories of the first passengers.

Kids Don’t Come With A Manual, 6 x 25 mins, Faultline Films for Māori Television, up to $476,080. From general parenting advice to tackling specific struggles, Neuroscientist Nathan Mikaere -Wallis tackles the challenges facing whānau today.

Cool As Ice – Beijing Paralympic Winter Games 2022, 1 x 23 mins + live coverage of Games, TVNZ + Attitude Pictures for Duke, up to $394,957. Full coverage of the Paralympic Winter Games, preceded by a documentary on our new Winter Paralympians and an update on two veteran Paralympians.

The Road To Te Matatini, 6 x 12 mins, Pango Productions for TVNZ OnDemand, up to $373,949. Follow TJ Perenara as he visits six different kapa haka poised to perform at the 2022 ‘Te Matatini’ festival.

Manalagi, 6 x 24 mins, Tairawhiti TV for TP+, up to $353,695. Manalagi celebrates the stories of Pacific Rainbow champions in New Zealand.

The Heart Of The Matter, 8 x 22 mins, APNA Television for APNA Television, up to $347,568. A series looking at inter-cultural marriages within NZ’s migrant communities.

Why Am I Gay?, 1 x 44 mins, Ponsonby Productions for TVNZ 1, up to $234,138. Dr Angelo Tedoldi, a neuroscientist and proud member of the LGBTQIA+ community, investigates the science of homosexuality.

Dusky Maiden, 1 x 60 mins, Tikilounge Productions for TheCoconet.TV, up to $212,121. This series will explore the impact of the colonial gaze on images of Pacific women through the ages.

Dark Harvest, 1 x 44 mins, Kindred Films for TVNZ 1, up to $204,786. One South Auckland town confronts its “secret” racist past in this one-off documentary.

ConspiraSeries, 6 x 7 mins, Tomorrow Rain for RNZ.co.nz, up to $197,990. Tongue-in-cheek investigations into the why, how and ‘what the heck’ of some of New Zealand's most outrageous conspiracies.

Dating While Asian, 5 x 6 mins, Re: for Re:, up to $188,620. A series about Asian New Zealanders sharing their dating and sex diaries.

Fair Game? Pacific Rugby Against The World, 8 x 30 mins, Bird Of Paradise Productions for RNZ.co.nz, up to $168,073. An in-depth investigation into the perception Pacific rugby is being held back from reaching its true potential.

Akanuanua, 5 x 8 mins, Tikilounge Productions for TheCoconet.TV, up to $154,000. The journey of five Pasifika Rainbow fuata who discuss their challenges of being Pasifika and LGBTQI+.

Disconnected – Living In The Digital Divide, 6 x 8 mins, Umbrella Media for Stuff.co.nz, up to $143,575. Exploring the impacts and looking for solutions for the one-third of Pacific Peoples who are living without digital tools and access.

What’s The Disabili-Tea?, 6 x 5 mins, Attitude Pictures for Attitude Live, up to $138,902. ‘What’s the Tea?’ is a term used in queer culture, meaning ‘What’s the truth?’; this series will explore the truth of living with a disability and being queer.

Returning

Attitude 2022, 30 x 23 mins, Attitude Pictures for TVNZ 1, up to $1,880,374. Attitude highlights how ordinary Kiwis respond to adversity and empowers people by sharing their stories.

Fresh 2022, 35 x 23 mins, Tikilounge Productions for TVNZ 2, up to $1,807,990. Aotearoa’s flagship Pasifika rangatahi TV show is back to bring more brown youth diversity to our screens.

Rural Delivery 2022, 10 x 23 mins, Showdown Productions for TVNZ 1, up to $161,642. Showcasing the people who are living and working in the primary sector, leading the way with innovation and technology.

The Nutters Club 2022, 48 x 90 mins, The Key To Life Charitable Trust for NewstalkZB, up to $81,680. The Nutters Club is a radio show that deals with all the tough stuff that historically many in society have preferred to keep in the closet.

Real Life With John Cowan 2022, 48 x 22 mins, Christian Broadcasting Association for NewstalkZB, up to $39,033. A weekly nationwide chat show, featuring a different high-profile guest every week.

Christmas 2021, 18 x 51 mins, Christian Broadcasting Association for NewstalkZB, up to $36,099. 18 hours of creative, award-winning Christmas Eve and Christmas Day radio programming.

Easter 2022, 12 x 54 mins, Christian Broadcasting Association for NewstalkZB, up to $31,549. A mix of thoughtful Easter-focused commentary, interviews, talk back, creative production and guests, sprinkled with music-stabs and vox-pops.

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