Back in 2006 a Listener article about digital media in New Zealand suggested that TV series' from the TVNZ archives might be made available for public download under some sort of a creative commons license in the future:
Among the 50 or so free clips from the TVNZ archive at launch are likely to be – subject to rights clearance – some iconic New Zealand series. Say, The Governor?
“That’s my plan,” says Ellis. “There are some rights issues that we need to navigate, but wouldn’t that be great? I’d love to see The Governor back up there.”
That site for this appeared as reality in the form of TVNZ ondemand with a few clips from the past. Over time a few archival clips appeared, and they opened a youtube chanel to highlight some material.
According to The Press (Feb 2008) ...TVNZ is expected to add another 10 to 20 more old shows to the "classics" section of ondemand this year, says Jason Paris, the network's head of emerging business. Such shows as The Governor, Pukemanu and, hopefully, Gloss, although the latter is proving to be something of a rights nightmare.
But then sometime in 2008 the site got a makeover and focused more on being catch-up service for current TV shows both local and international, and the archival material disappeared. About the same time NZ On Screen appeared, operating as an online archive for New Zealand's moving image media. NZ On Air initiated the NZ On Screen project in 2007 as an integral part of its digital strategy with a growing number of select episodes from local TV shows continually being added to the site over the years.
Since 1989 NZ On Air has funded over 15,000 hours of local television production. Much of this content, as well as thousands more hours supported by broadcasters, film investors and other funding sources, is not easily accessible to the public.
NZ On Screen is unlocking the treasure chest, providing access to the wealth of television, film, music video and new media produced in NZ, along with knowledgeable background information.
Fast forward to 2024 and New Zealanders have a myriad of on-demand services available to them, from local broadcasters with a few more recent shows available:
to international providers with not much kiwi content all:
and of course some Kiwi material turns up on youtube now and then as individuals go through their old video tapes and upload their favourite clip.
Trying to keep track of shows on-demand availability is a hard task as shows appear and disappear off platforms as deals are done and then expire so quickly. A good source of info on Kiwi shows streaming in the US is thedownundertvplace.com, and services such as Justwatch can help if you have a particular show in mind. Most new shows are streamed these days, my focus is older shows and I've noticed a few of these with what seem to be official streaming options:
- Ash vs Evil Dead (2015-18) (Drama)
- 1951 (2001) (Documentary)
- 800 Words (2015-2019) (Drama)
- A Good Way to Die (2009) (Documentary)
- A Woman of Good Character (1982) (Drama)
- Adventures of Suzy Boon, the (2018-19) (Comedy)
- Ahikāroa (2019-) (Soaps)
- Ake Ake Ake (2022) (Documentary)
- Alibi (2018) (Drama)
- An Awful Silence (1972) (Drama)
- An Evening with Sir Howard Morrison (1990) (Musical Variety)
- An Island Calling (2008) (Documentary)
- Anika Moa Unleashed (2018-2023) (Documentary)
- Another Country (1992) (Drama)
- Ans Westra: Private Journeys/Public Signpost (2006) (Arts)
- Aotearoa 250 (2019) (Documentary)
- Atlantis High (2001) (Kids)
- Bad Seed, The (2019) (Drama)
- Beyond the Veil (2022) (Drama)
- Bird's Eye View (2022) (Kids)
- Black Grace: From Cannon's Creek to Jacob's Pillow (2005) (Arts)
- Blood, Sweat and Touring (1990) (Sports)
- Bloodlines (2010) (Docu-Drama)
- Bombshell (2016) (Docu-Drama)
- Boy from Andromeda, the (1991) (Kids)
- Brokenwood Mysteries, the (2014- (Drama)
- Brother Number One (2011) (Documentary)
- By the Balls (2019) (Sports)
- Call Up, the (1995) (Drama)
- Casketeers, the (2018) (Documentary)
- Casualties of Peace (1983) (Drama)
- Cave In (2003) (Drama)
- Cowboy Bebop (2021) (Drama)
- Cult, The (2009) (Drama)
- Danny Down Under (1980) (Comedy)
- Daphne and Chloe (1983) (Drama)
- Dark Knight (2000) (Drama)
- Darryl: An Outward Bound Story Comedy series (2016) (Comedy)
- Dave Dobbyn - One Night in Matatā (2005) (Documentary)
- Dear Murderer (2017) (Drama)
- Doves of War (2006 ) (Drama)
- Dream in the Making (1977) (Documentary)
- Duggan (1997-99) (Drama)
- Emile Richards (2012) (Drama)
- Enduring Land, the (1990) (Documentary)
- Enid Blyton Adventure Series (1996) (Kids)
- Enid Blyton Secret Series (1998) (Kids)
- Fatal Game, the (1997) (Documentary)
- Fish Skin Suit (2001) (Drama)
- Five of Us, the (1998) (Documentary)
- Flight of the Albatross (1995) (Drama)
- Flight of the Conchords (2007-09 (Comedy)
- Forgotten Silver (1995) (Docu-Drama)
- Fresh Eggs (2018) (Comedy)
- Friends Like Her (2023) (Drama)
- From Len Lye to Gollum (2004) (Arts)
- Game of Bros (2016-2018) (Reality TV)
- Get It To Te Papa (2018) (Documentary)
- Girl vs Boy (2012) (Kids)
- Go Girls (2009-13) (Drama)
- God Boy, the (1976) (Drama)
- God, Sreenu and Me (2000) (Documentary)
- Good Grief (2022) (Comedy)
- Good, the Bad and the Rugby (1989) (Sports)
- Goodbye A.I. (2022) (Kids)
- Goodnight Kiwi (1976-94, 2007-) (Shows that defy catagorisation)
- Governor, the (1977) (Drama)
- Green Chain, the (2011) (Documentary)
- Gulf, The (2020-now) (Drama)
- Guy Montgomery’s Guy Mont-Spelling Bee (2023–present) (Panel Shows)
- Hang on a Minute Mate (1982) (Comedy)
- Hard Out (2002) (Kids)
- Haunting of Barney Palmer, The (1987) (Kids)
- He Tohunga Whakairo (2002) (Documentary)
- Head High (2020-21) (Drama)
- Hercules: The Legendary Journeys (1995 - 99) (Drama)
- High Road, the (2013-18) (Comedy)
- Highwater (1997) (Drama)
- Homebound 3.0 (2023- ) (Comedy)
- Hooks and Feelers (1984) (Drama)
- Hope and Wire (2014) (Docu-Drama)
- How to Murder Your Wife (2015) (Docu-Drama)
- Howard Morrison Special (1982) (Musical Variety)
- Hunt's Duffer (1973) (Drama)
- I Am the River (2011) (Documentary)
- Ice (2007) (Documentary)
- If the Cat Laps (4/4/1982) (Drama)
- Ihaka: Blunt Instrument (2000) (Drama)
- In Dark Places (2018) (Docu-Drama)
- ITM Fishing Show, The (2009 - ?) (Sports)
- James Must-a-pic his Mum a Man (2024) (Reality TV)
- Jesus: The Cold Case (2011) (Documentary)
- Jonah (2019) (Docu-Drama)
- Journeys in National Parks (1987) (Documentary)
- Ka Haku Au (2009) (Arts)
- Kaleidoscope (1976-88) (Arts)
- Kasey and Karena's Kitchen Diplomacy (2016) (Lifestyle)
- Kid Sister (2021 - ) (Comedy)
- Killing of Kane, the (1971) (Drama)
- Kura (2018) (Comedy)
- Lawless (1999-2001) (Drama)
- Legend of the Seeker (2008-2010) (Drama)
- Legend of William Tell, the (1998-99) (Drama)
- Line of Fire (2018) (Docu-Drama)
- Loose Enz (1982) (Drama)
- Lost in Wonderland (2009) (Documentary)
- Lost World, the (2001) (Drama)
- Love Mussel (2001) (Comedy)
- Lucy (2003) (Docu-Drama)
- Madam (2024) (Comedy)
- Maiden Voyage (2004) (Drama)
- Making Good Men (2017) (Documentary)
- Mark II (1986) (Drama)
- Marks of Mana (2019) (Documentary)
- Married (1992) (Drama)
- Mataku (2002-2005) (Drama)
- Mean Mums (2019-21) (Comedy)
- Miles from Nowhere (2024) (Comedy)
- Milly, Molly (2008-?) (Kids)
- Mistress, Mercy: The Renee Chignell Story (2018) (Docu-Drama)
- Monstors Christmas, the (1981) (Kids)
- Moon TV (2002 - 2010) (Comedy)
- My Year With Helen (2018) (Documentary)
- Mystic (2020-22) (Kids)
- Nancy Wake: The White Mouse ( (Docu-Drama)
- Nga Reo (2003) (Documentary)
- Ngā Tohu: Signatures (2000) (Drama)
- Nights in the Gardens of Spain (2011) aka Kawa (Drama)
- No Latitude for Error (1994) (Sports)
- Nothing Trivial (2011-2014) (Drama)
- NZ Detectives (2010-11) (Docu-Drama)
- NZ Wars: Stories of Waitara (2019) (Documentary)
- NZ Wars: The Stories of Ruapekapeka (2017) (Documentary)
- Old Man's Story (1977) (Drama)
- One Land (2009) (Reality TV)
- One Lane Bridge (2020) (Drama)
- One of Them (1997) (Drama)
- One of Us is Lying (2020-) (Drama)
- Orange Roughies (2006) (Drama)
- Outrageous Fortune (2005-2010) (Drama)
- Overnight (1995) (Drama)
- Pact, the (2022) (Drama)
- Panthers, The (2022) (Drama)
- Paradise Cafe (2009-11) (Kids)
- Patrick Gower: On Weed (2019-20) (Documentary)
- Pavlova Paradise Revisited (2002) (Documentary)
- Percy The Policeman (1974) (Comedy)
- Piri's Tiki Tour (2018 - ?) (Sports)
- Plain Tastes (1995) (Drama)
- Police Ten-7 (2007-2023)) (Reality TV)
- Pop-Up: Imagine with Rufus (2010-11) (Kids)
- Power Rangers Beast Morphers (2019-20) (Kids)
- Power Rangers Megaforce (2013) (Kids)
- Power Rangers Samurai (2011) (Kids)
- Praise Be (1981 - Now) (Lifestyle)
- Radar Across The Pacific (2011) (Documentary)
- Raised by Refugees (2021) (Comedy)
- Ray Bradbury Theatre, The (1991-97) (Drama)
- Remand of Ivan Curry, the (1992) (Documentary)
- Reservoir Hill (2009-2010) (Drama)
- Revelations – The Initial Journey (2002) (Kids)
- Revolution (1996) (Documentary)
- Richard John Seddon - Premire (1973) (Documentary)
- Ride with the Devil (2007) (Drama)
- Rugged Gold (1994) (Kids)
- Savage Play (1994) (Drama)
- Scratched: Aotearoa's Lost Sporting Legends (2019) (Sports)
- Sensing Murder (2006 - 2010) (Documentary)
- Serial Killers (2004) (Comedy)
- Shackleton's Captain (2012) (Docu-Drama)
- Shadow Trader, the (1989) (Drama)
- Shannara Chronicles, the (2016-17) (Drama)
- Share the Dream (1997) (Drama)
- Siege (2012) (Docu-Drama)
- Sis (2020-2022) (Comedy)
- Skin and Bone (2003) (Drama)
- Sound and the Silence, the (1993) (Docu-Drama)
- Sounds, the (2020) (Drama)
- Staunch (2002) (Drama)
- Straight Forward (2019) (Drama)
- Strangers (1989) (Kids)
- Strip, the (2002-3) (Drama)
- Stuff Circuit (2015-?) (Current Affairs)
- Suzanne Prentice in Concert (1986) (Musical Variety)
- Sweet Tooth (2021 - ) (Drama)
- Tales Of Time (2015-?) (Documentary)
- Tamaiti Tū (2022) (Kids)
- Tangiwai, A Love Story (2011) (Drama)
- Terry Teo (1985-86) (Kids)
- Thunderbirds are Go (2015-2020) (Kids)
- Tiger Country (1998) (Drama)
- Time Trackers (2009) (Kids)
- To Sir With Love: A Tribute to Sir Howard Morrison (2008) (Musical Variety)
- Top of the Lake (2013) (Drama)
- Tribe, the (1999-2003) (Kids)
- Trifecta (1995) (Drama)
- Typhon's People (1993) (Drama)
- Unbreakable (2019) (Reality TV)
- Uncharted With Sam Neill (2018) (Documentary)
- Under the Vines (2021-) (Drama)
- Underbelly NZ: Land of the Long Green Cloud (2011) (Drama)
- Undercover (1991) (Drama)
- Until Proven Innocent (2008) (Docu-Drama)
- Wa$ted (2007-2008) (Lifestyle)
- Wanted (2017) (Drama)
- War News (2014) (Docu-Drama)
- Welcome to Cardboard City (2018-?) (Kids)
- Westside (2015-20) (Drama)
- What Really Happened - Waitangi (2011) (Docu-Drama)
- What Really Happened: Votes For Women (2012) (Docu-Drama)
- When We Go To War (2015) (Drama)
- White Fang (1993) (Kids)
- Why Am I?: The Science of Us (2016) (Documentary)
- Wild South (1981-97) (Documentary)
- Wilds, the (2020) (Drama)
- William Shatner's A Twist In The Tale (1998) (Kids)
- Winners and Losers (1976) (Drama)
- Woman at the Store, the (24/3/1975) (Drama)
- Worzel Gummidge Down Under (1986-87) (Kids)
- Xena: Warrior Princess (1995-2002) (Drama)
- You and Me (1992-1999) (Kids)
- Young Hercules (1998-99) (Kids)
Sadly there aren't that many classic Kiwi TV amongst them; even some of the popular shows with an internationally following that were briefly available on DVD are missing an online digital presence. A quick look at adding more recent shows to the site suggests most local TV series disappear from their broadcasters' on demand hubs after 2 or 3 years unless they have been picked up for new seasons..
It's hard to understand why classic local content isn't being exploited more by TVNZ and others when on demand services are in bidding wars to lock in content to attract subscribers. I guess the minefield of talent clearances is an obstacle, or could it be a simple lack of quality master tapes from which to source shows?
When Chris Schulz from The Spinoff examined the issue the general consensus from folks in the industry seemed to be the owners of the old shows don't believe demand for older shows is there, and in that case costly restoration projects are just too prohibitive. Sadly if producers think everything has to be blue-ray 4k quality to be worth watching I'm not convinced we'll see much older material turn up, as a self imposed hurdle is often the hardest to cross..
Comments powered by CComment