Since 1989 NZ On Air has been measuring local content on the main free-to-air (FTA) channels.
This year local content figures for Māori Television (MTS) and C4 have been included in this report for the first time. This is in addition to Prime TV’s local content hours, added for the first time last year. Therefore, the main figures for this year cover six free to air channels: TV One, TV2, TV3, Prime, MTS and C4.
Key trends
- Local content on the main channels has been relatively stable in recent years. As the broadcast market continues to expand, growth in local content is coming from new channels.
- The addition of MTS and C4 to the survey means that total local content measured in 2006 increased by 3229 hours to 10,255 hours, compared with 2005 (7026 hours).
- Excluding MTS and C4, total local content hours were 6924 (7026 in 2005). Local content on TV One, TV2 and TV3 was 6061 hours (6455 in 2005).
- Local content accounted for 30.3% of the 6am to midnight broadcast hours in 2006. Excluding MTS and C4 the percentage is 26% compared with 26.7% in 2005.
- Total first-run local content hours increased by 2201 hours, from 5698 in 2005 to 7899 in 2006. Excluding MTS and C4, the total first-run local content on New Zealand screens totalled 5850 - an increase of 152 hours when compared to 2005.
- Prime time local content increased from 2070 hours in 2005 to 3797 in 2006, explained by the inclusion of MTS and C4. Excluding these channels, prime time local content totalled 2034 hours - a decline of 36 hours when compared to 2005.