Shortland Street cut to three episodes a week

photo: South Pacific Films

TVNZ has confirmed Shortland Street The show will only air three episodes a week until 2025, a compromise meant to keep the long-running series alive.

NZ On Air has injected $3 million of public media funding to secure the show’s 34th season.

Shortland Street Since 1992, five episodes have been aired every Monday to Friday. But industry insiders say the show Almost cancelled in TVNZ’s latest restructureleading to the cancellation fair play and Sunday.

“We are likely to lose Shortland Street” said Erin Gardner, president of the Screen Production and Development Association.

“With advertising revenue falling dramatically, TVNZ can no longer afford to finance the entire project on its own.”

Thanks to a last-minute policy change by Media and Communications Minister Paul Goldsmith, and a life-saving injection of funding from NZ On Air, Shortland Street narrowly avoided cancellation.

“A lot of people are working hard behind the scenes to save Shortland Street“Gardner said.

“Goldsmith announced they were making a small adjustment to the film production tax rebate to make Shortland Street eligible, and NZ On Air was also involved.”

The Film Production Rebate provides a 40% cash rebate for domestic film productions, but Shortland Street npt had not met the threshold until Goldsmith tweaked the plan earlier this week.

Gardner says Shortland Street It has important cultural significance to New Zealand and remains an important training ground for local film and television industry talent.

2021 season, Shortland Street The crew employed a total of 383 temporary, contract and permanent workers, and hired 190 actors, including 21 core actors.

South Pacific Pictures Shortland Streethas entered a consultation period to consider how the new timetable will affect employees.

“I’m really relieved that we can still have a show,” CEO Kelly Martin told reporters. Lunch Report.

“We’ve got a year left, we’ve got a lot of work to do, we’ve got creative challenges ahead of us … and frankly, in the current media climate, this is a triumph.”

Martin admitted she is nervous about the future.

“We are very lucky to have such a strong and successful show as the basis for our collaboration, but looking around the market … the situation is not optimistic,” she said. “We are all a little nervous, it’s a difficult time.”

she says Shortland Street One can expect more intense episodes to make up for the reduced show time.

“We’re going to take the show a step further creatively,” she said. “I have great confidence in the creative team and this will be an opportunity to take it to the next level.”

TVNZ chief executive Jodi O’Donnell said the decision was influenced by the broadcaster’s new “digital first” strategy.

“The television landscape is changing rapidly, and we are changing with our audiences,” she said in a statement.

“We have a very active online audience Shortland Street We hope that this show will be successful in the future and ensure its continued relevance,” she said.

Season 34 Shortland Street It will go on air in February, but South Pacific Pictures and TV New Zealand could not confirm the date the show would be aired.

Martin said they will focus on quality rather than quantity.

“Reducing the number of episodes means a greater focus on creating storylines that can attract audiences in a competitive market,” she said.

“Three days a week, we’ll bring our audience everything they love about Shorty, digging deep into real life and hot topics in New Zealand.”