Cameron Harland, CE
Tēna koe,
I was immensely proud of the quality and diversity of funded content celebrated at the NZ TV Awards recently and congratulate all finalists and winners. The nine-awards sweep by After The Party reflects what an exceptionally good show this is, and the buzz it is creating offshore demonstrates once again that ambitious, well-funded stories told by very talented local creative teams are world-class.
We are excited by the projects funded in Round Rua, for their ambition, breadth and creativity, but this is tempered by acknowledgement of the many great projects that we couldn’t fund. We hope some of these will be back for consideration in Round Toru. The guidelines for that round will be out tomorrow.
I’m sure I am not the only one looking forward to this year ending. Although every year that I have been here at NZ On Air has had its challenges (and wonderful achievements) 2024 has been tough. The extreme headwinds being faced throughout the media sector have hit hard. We are seeing it reflected in the number of applications for projects we would previously not have been asked to fund, and in the very limited ability of platforms to contribute to costs. We are also seeing many talented people losing their jobs. I worry about the loss of talent and capability in the sector. In short, we need a thriving sector in order to do our job.
Every funding round requires astute assessment of funding applications, balancing the creative merits and audiences served, while trying to achieve the best bang for buck with finite funds. Whilst we are acutely aware of the financial challenges faced by individual platforms and businesses, we have to be guided by the consistent application of our published guidelines and investment principles in service to the audiences of Aotearoa New Zealand.
I sincerely wish you all well for the coming year and hope that 2025 will be a better one for all in the sectors we support. The work we collectively do matters. We are all here to ensure New Zealanders see and hear their stories and songs. Connection with our culture in this way is such a fundamental part of being a New Zealander. And we look foward to continuing to serve audiences with powerful, beautiful and informative content.
Kia kaha
Cam
Looking ahead
Round Toru – the last funding round for the 2024/2025 financial year – opens for applications next week, Thursday 12 December.
The Round Toru Information for funding applicants will be available on our website from tomorrow, Tuesday 3 December, with a Round Toru information webinar on this Wednesday 4 December from 3-4pm. If you haven’t already registered, email funding@nzonair.govt.nz today.
Timeline
- Targeted and General Audiences round
- Round Toru information webinar: Wednesday 4 December
- Applications open: Thursday 12 December
- Applications close: Thursday 30 January, 2025
- Applicants informed: Friday 11 April, 2025
Also, just an update on the new NZ On Air Portal we mentioned in our last newsletter - we are now using the system internally checking it top to bottom to ensure it is working as intended. For Round Toru, applicants can continue to use the existing application portal. We'll do the switch over next year, creating less pressure on applicants to this round.
Latest funding round
Taskmaster NZ
We have just completed our last funding round for the calendar year and received applications across Scripted, Non-Fiction, Content Development, Capability and Discoverability.
You can find the full list of funding decisions at the end of this newsletter.
Scripted
We approved 12 Scripted projects for a total of just over $15m. This included four new drama series, ranging from procedural crime to comedy and millennial angst, and seven pieces of content for tamariki. You can read about that here.
Non-Fiction
We approved just over $11.5m in funding for 20 local Non-Fiction projects. Three-quarters of these were returning series with a strong audience, while eight were journalism projects with strong reach and consistently large audiences across the motu. You can read more here.
NZ On Air-Te Māngāi Pāho Reo Māori Co-Fund
Three Scripted and one Non-Fiction projects received funding via our co-fund with Te Māngāi Pāho, along with a further three Scripted projects for development. In total, the projects will receive funding of just over $8m. The projects, which contain at least 30 percent te reo Māori, reflect a breadth of Māori perspectives and will appeal to many audiences across Aotearoa. For the details on that announcement, you can see more here.
CNZ Arts and Culture Podcast
Creative New Zealand, NZ On Air and RNZ came together for a one-off podcast co-fund to address the deficit in media coverage about arts and culture in Aotearoa New Zealand. This was off the back of the Creative New Zealand New Mirrors research published in 2023 which showed a real need for support for arts and culture coverage.
Of 209 proposals, three podcasts were selected – a podcast taking listeners on a gallery visit with an art critic, an artist and rangitahi Māori; an exploration of New Zealand’s bold Māori art history and its intersection with societal change; and a podcast of Māori and Pasifika collective voices, bringing queer artists, academics and thinkers together to exchange ideas.
The podcasts are due to go into development towards the end of 2024 and will be broadcast on RNZ National in 2025 and available on all the RNZ podcast platforms.
The funding decisions are included in the full list at the end of this newsletter.
Summertime reading
Annual Report
Our Annual Report for the 2023/24 year was recently tabled in Parliament. It gives an overview of the activities, achievements and issues in the year. And it was a very big year (yet again!). With the introduction of a whole new rebate scheme for the game development sector, the expansion of the Screen Production Rebate benefitting local productions accessing NZ On Air funding, and a comprehensive review of the Music funding streams.
Read more about the year in review here.
Diversity Report
The Diversity report for Scripted and Non-Fiction funded projects in the 2023/24 year is also now out. Reporting on 212 projects, the report findings include an improvement of representation in above-the-line positions for Māori, Pasifika and Middle Eastern, Latin American or African (MELAA). However Asian creatives remain under-represented.
You can read the full report here.
Music Update
Teeks
The Music Team is super proud of the changes we have made to the Music Funding streams in response to the 2023 Music Funding Review by Victoria Kelly.
The changes we have made to date are:
- Adding a 10% Artist Creation Fee on top of all the New Music funding grant totals and making this mandatory. This ensured artists received a ring-fenced fee for their creative work.
- In New Music Project, we increased the total funding amount per project to $50,000, changed the drawdowns to advances to help aid cashflow, and phased out the requirement for financial co-investment.
And shortly, we will be announcing some further changes to our Music Funding streams, so keep an eye out for this.
2025 Music funding dates
The 2025 Music funding dates until 30 June 2025 are now up on our website.
The next round for New Music Project and New Music Project Kids will open on Thursday 12 December and close 4pm, Thursday 23 January.
The next New Music Single round opens on Thursday 16 January 2025 and closes 4pm, Thursday 30 January.
Celebrating our sound
We are always so proud to see many of the artists we support being celebrated at various awards ceremonies and 2024 was no different:
Aotearoa Music Awards – finalists and winners
Taite Music Prize – finalists and winners
Pacific Music Awards –finalists and winners
APRA Silver Scroll Awards – finalists and winners
Aotearoa Alternative Awards – winners
Whakarongo mai nei!
Finally, with Christmas fast approaching, we encourage you to enhance your holiday season by tuning in to the NZ On Air Music team’s lovingly curated playlist of only the freshest cuts from these shores.
GDSR Update
As we near Year Two of the Game Development Sector Rebate, the Games team has been hard at work making several refinements to our processes thanks to invaluable feedback from the sector.
Those refinements include an update to the registration and application process to include the Statement of Readiness as part of the registration form itself and a change to the requirement for applicants to give financial projections – so they need only confirm they’re confident their studio’s eligible game development expenditure will exceed $250k.
We have also extended the application window from four to six weeks, allowing extra time for applicants to finalise submissions and introduced standardised templates to make applying for the GDSR even easier. These include a GDSR Financial Details Template and a GDSR Game Details Template. Finally, we have also developed Software Eligibility Guidelines so applicants can determine exactly which software expenses qualify.
2025 Dates
- Registration Opens: Monday, 3 February
- Registration Closes: Friday, 28 February
- Applications Open: Tuesday, 1 April
- Applications Close: Friday, 9 May
- Decisions Announced: July
Full details of the GDSR are available on our website.
Changes to contracts
We have made a few changes to contracts that will be rolled out with the Round Toru contracts. These include:
No more flash drives
To date, under the NZ On Air production funding agreement (PFA) for funded screen content, we have required a copy of funded content via a USB or DVD. However, the feedback we have been getting is that this is inefficient and outdated. So we now require only a link to the content either via a shared online drive or on a supporting platform’s website, which will make everyone’s life easier.
New workforce reporting tool
NZ On Air is currently collaborating with Te Māngai Pāho and the NZ Film Commission on a demographic survey tool called ‘The Everyone Project Aotearoa’ (TEPA). Developed for the screen sector, it aims to provide an accurate picture of the industry by gathering data across a wide range of categories in a 5–10-minute survey. As part of a post-shoot drawdown in our Funding Agreements, successful applicants will be expected to submit their project into the TEPA portal. All demographic data is de-identified, aggregated and owned by the individuals who provide it. More information will be made available soon. This will replace the current Diversity survey requirement. Please direct any questions to our Research Advisor fairooz@nzonair.govt.nz.
Code of Conduct
We are introducing a Code of Conduct to outline behavioural expectations for anyone engaging with NZ On Air – this includes funding recipients and other stakeholders, our Board members and staff.
Please take the time to read the Code of Conduct, which will now be referenced in contracts.
Funding details
Non-Fiction
Breakthrough with David Lomas, 8 x 44', Warner Bros. International Television Production New Zealand for viewing on ThreeNow and Three, up to $1,594,000.
KEA Kids News 7, 132 x 4', Luke Nola & Friends for viewing on NZ Herald, TikTok, YouTube, YouTube Kids, Instagram, and Facebook, up to $1,568,900.
Tagata Pasifika 2025, 30 x 23', SunPix for viewing on TVNZ 1, TP+,Whakaata Māori and Sky Open, up to $1,250,050.
Paddy Gower Has Issues, 8 x 44', Believer Media for viewing on Three and ThreeNow Stuff, YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, up to $954,721.
Taskmaster NZ 6, 10 x 44', Kevin and Co for viewing on TVNZ 2 and TVNZ+, up to $944,306.
Q+A with Jack Tame 2025, 40 x 60', Television New Zealand for viewing on TVNZ 1, TVNZ+, Facebook, and YouTube, up to $842,550.
The Hui 10, 40 x 28', Great Southern Television for viewing on Stuff, Facebook, Instagram, RNZ, Sky Go, Sky Open, Three, ThreeNow, Whakaata Māori, Whakaata Māori+, YouTube, and TikTok, up to $788,000.
The Detail 2025, 266 x 20', Newsroom NZ for viewing on Newsroom NZ and RNZ, up to $554,997.
Open Justice, NZME for viewing on NZ Herald, Facebook, Newstalk ZB, NZ Herald, Whakaata Māori, Top South Media, Allied Press, Star Media, and RNZ, up to $499,038.
Mata 3, 4 x 30', Aotearoa Media Collective for viewing on RNZ , Access Radio, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, up to $448,010.
Frank: Stories from the South 3, 15 x 8', Frank Film for viewing on Frankfilm.co.nz and NZ Herald, up to $407,006.
Newsroom Investigates 2025, 27 x 25', Newsroom NZ for viewing on Newsroom NZ, up to $400,000.
Haukāinga 2024/25, 133 x 5', Te Reo Irirangi O Te Hiku O Te Ika for viewing on Whare Kōrero App, Iwi radio, and, up to $300,000.
Use My Name, 6 x 10', One-Legged Seagull for viewing on NZ Herald, TP+ and E-Tangata, up to $259,811.
The Best Foods Comedy Gala 2025, 2 x 44', Discovery NZ for viewing on ThreeNow and Three, up to $205,268.
Rainbow Warrior- A Forgotten History, 6 x 43', Bird of Paradise Productions for viewing on NZ Herald and NZME, up to $199,810.
ANZAC Dawn Service & National Commemorative Service 2025, 1 x 100', Screentime NZ for viewing on TVNZ 1 and TVNZ+, up to $143,541.
The Nutters Club on Newstalk ZB, 48 x 90', I am Hope Foundation for viewing on Newstalk ZB, up to $85,460.
Christmas 2024, 18 x 51', CBA for viewing on Newstalk ZB, up to $51,835.
Easter 2025, 12 x 54', CBA for viewing on Newstalk ZB, up to $42,875.
Scripted
Blue Murder Motel, 8 x 44 mins, Great Southern Television for TVNZ 1 and TVNZ+, up to $2,800,000.
Bust Up, 6 x 44 mins, Lippy Pictures for Sky Open, Sky Go, Whakaata Māori and Māori+, up to $2,265,000.
Head Girl, 6 x 30 mins, Head Girl for ThreeNow, Three and YouTube, up to $3,482,480.
The Sanctuary, 8 x 22 mins, Kevin & Co for ThreeNow and Three, up to $1,367,556.
Ms. X (additional), 6 x 44 mins, South Pacific Pictures for ThreeNow and Three, up to $290,000.
Tamariki content
Toi Time! 4 , 20 x 30 mins, Rogue Productions for TVNZ 2, TVNZ+ and YouTube Kids, up to $1,226,860.
Mr Hugo’s Little Library, 8 x 12 mins, Gibson Group for TVNZ 2, TVNZ+ and RNZ, up to $1,118,603.
Fresh Fairytales! 3, 5 x 15', Tikilounge Productions for The Coconet TV, Pasifika TV, Instagram and YouTube, up to $708,000.
Night Eyes 2, 13 x 7', Mukpuddy for TVNZ 2, TVNZ+ and YouTube Kids, up to $780,404.
My Favourite Dead Person 3, 8 x 8', The DownLow Concept for YouTube, Sky Open and RNZ, up to $593,780.
Tākaro Tribe Pacific, 9 x 12', Cinco Cine Film Productions for YouTube, The Coconet TV and PMN, up to $285,753.
Suzy & Friends 2025, 53 x 60 radio shows and 46 x 60' podcasts, Treehut for 25 Regional Radio Stations, RNZ and YouTube Kids, up to $227,249.
NZ On Air/TMP Te Reo Maori Co-Fund
(The total funding for this co-fund is split 50/50 between Te Māngai Pāho and NZ On Air.)
Scripted:
KIWI (working title), 1 x 80’, Wheke Group for viewing on TVNZ+ and Whakaata Māori, up to $1,095,962.
This is Home, 6 x 24’, 787 Media for viewing on Whakaata Māori and Sky Open, up to $2,233,682.
Baddies, 6 x 22’, Brown Sugar Apple Grunt Productions for viewing on TVNZ+ and TVNZ 2, up to $3,330,565.
Non-Fiction
Origins 3, 2 x 44’, Scottie Douglas Productions for viewing on TVNZ 1 and TVNZ+, up to $1,312,355.
CNZ Arts and Culture Podcast
(Funding for this co-fund is split between Creative New Zealand, NZ On Air and RNZ)
Toitu te Toi (working title): an exploration of New Zealand’s shifting Māori art history including landmark moments such as the establishment of Ngā Puna Waihanga, the 1984 exhibition Te Māori, and recent Venice Biennale Golden Lion winners. Producer Jamie Tahana with presenter Matariki Williams. Funded: $81,500.
Tukua (working title): an art critic, a practising artist and rangatahi Māori attend an arts event together and share their own responses. Producer Kathryn Graham and presenters Brett Graham, Ngāhuia Te Awekōtuku and Kura Turuwhenua. Funded: $95,500.
Orators Anonymous (working title): an indigenous queer podcast for rogue philosophers, researchers, bedroom scholars and those trying (and sometimes failing) to be likeable ancestors. Producers Jessica Hansell aka Coco Solid and the Wheke Fortress collective. Funded: $80,000.
Capability
Activator Screen Business Programme, Activator, up to $100,000.
Parachute Music Musician Pathway Initiatives 2025, Parachute Arts Trust, up to $30,000.
Industry Supports - Music, Music Helps Wellbeing Service 2025, up to $30,000.
Network AI Project, Kowhai Media, up to $20,000.
NZSPR Masterclass, Vista Foundation, up to $5,000.
Discoverability
Aotearoa Music Awards 2025, Recorded Music, up to $100,000.
Big Screen Symposium 2025, Script to Screen, up to $30,000.
Māoriland Film Festival 2025, Māoriland Charitable Trust, up to $20,000
Rotorua Indigenous Film Festival 2024, Steambox Collective Charitable Trust, up to $20,000.
Voyager Media Awards 2025, Newspaper Publishers' Association, up to $15,000.
Taite Music Prize 2025, Independent Music NZ (IMNZ), up to $12,500.
NZ Radio & Podcast Awards 2025, Radio Broadcasters Association, up to $10,000.
Going Global Music Summit 2024, Independent Music NZ (IMNZ), up to $2,000.
Platforms
Access Community Radio Auckland Inc, Planet FM, up to $23,012.
Radio One 91 FM, Radio One 91FM, up to $20,318.
Music Feature
Rova Kiwi Discovery 2025, Mediaworks Radio, up to $280,000.
Locals Only 2025, NZME Radio, up to $200,000.
Smokefree Rockquest & Smokefree Tangata Beats 2025, Rockquest Promotions, up to $100,000.
SOUNZ Films 2025, Centre for New Zealand Music Trust, up to $100,000.
Most FM 2025-Kiwiana, Making Tracks, Under the Mic, Taranaki FM Trust (The Most FM), up to $60,000.
Pulzar FM-2025 Grid City Grooves & NZXelectronica, Dew Oh Holdings t/a Pulzar FM, up to $40,000.
New Music Project
Anika Moa, Anika Moa – Album, up to $55,000.
Earth Tongue, Earth Tongue Album, up to $55,000.
Jackson Owens, Jackson Owens EP, up to $55,000.
Jonathan Bree, Jonathan Bree – Double Album, up to $55,000.
Luca George, Luca George – Album, up to $55,000.
PRINS, PRINS – EP, up to $55,000.
Tami Neilson, Tami Neilson - Album, up to $55,000.
TEEKS, TEEKS - Album, up to $55,000.
Tiny Ruins, Tiny Ruins - Album, up to $55,000.
Devilskin, Devilskin - Album 5, up to $55,000.
Erny Belle, BUOY, up to $44,000.
Georgia Lines, Georgia Lines EP, up to $55,000.
Ladyhawke, Ladyhawke NMP, up to $55,000.
Lydia Cole, Fragments, up to $55,000.
Montell2099, EP 2025, up to $55,000.
PARK RD, Album 2, up to $55,000.
RIIKI REID, What If, up to $55,000.
STNDRD, Album 2, up to $55,000.
The Black Seeds, Album 8, up to $55,000.
Victor J Sefo, Island Vibe Volume 1, up to $55,000.
New Music Single - Sept (each receive up to $11,000)
Arahi, Baby's Back
Bridges, Close To You
Coast Arcade, City Limits
Coterie, Wahine
DARTZ, Cool Change
Dillastrate and KEI, Freak
Erny Belle, Boudoir
Flaxxies, Daywrecker
Frankie Venter, Backseat Driving
French for Rabbits, Gold and Blue
Heidi Simpson, heart in danger
Jazmine Mary, Memphis
JessB, Say My Name
Jujulipps, Good Guys
Lips feat. E from Eels, The Wolf
MACEY, More Than A Minute
MOHI, up late
Neive Strang, Gather Round
Paige, Twenties*
Rubi Du, Played Me
Sam Cullen, That Somebody's You
Silas Futura, The Gate
SPYCC, OH BOY
SUB-TRIBE, WOMANKIND
Sure Boy, Orbiting
The Boondocks, Bear With Me
Vince Harder, You're My Sign
Where's Jai, Rosaline
WHO SHOT SCOTT, THE DATA
Keira Wallace, Lambs Aren’t Waking Yet
New Music Single - July (each receive up to $11,000)
1 Drop Nation, The Way We Love
A.R.T , EASY*
Amamelia, Floating Opera
Beastwars, Levitate
Borderline, When it's Raining
Brandn Shiraz, Pay No Mind
Castaway, It's Not Your Fault
CH!EF, Take Me For A Fool
Chase Woods, LIGHTS
Dera Meelan AP, Problem
Ella Minehan and Altitude, Bullet
FERBY, EYES UP ON ME
George VILLA, Keep It All Together
Hemi Hemingway, (To Be) Without You
INDYAH, Every Damn Song
L. Hotel, Dead Ends
LA WOMEN, B.Y.O.D
Ladz of the Mist, R.U.A
Len Blake, Better Now
MISSY, Boss
Mylen feat. Houndeye, Walls
Phoebe Rings, Daisy
PollyHill, Wishing Wells
Powder Chutes, Merchants
Sea Mouse, Red Day
Spdrtwnbby, Back 2 Self
Te KuraHuia, BIG MANA
Volts, Make Up Your Mind
Wiri Donna, In My Chambers
Xuzz, A Light
Zac Taylor, Bounty
New Music Kids (each receive up to $11,000)
Hey DUBY, Me & My World
Jaya, Don't Be Scared
Judi Cranston, Christmas Songs for Toddlers
Kia Whanake, Rua
Little Lips, Night Light
Marshmellow, Collaborations
Mr Roberelli, Robert the Plant