Eyes on Andy's box of treasures

Former NZ Idol producer Andrew Shaw will pitch Prime TV's first homegrown programme schedule to potential advertisers and agencies on Monday.

The action will take place under a strict cone of silence, but it will be the longtime TVNZ stalwart's first serious test since jumping into the channel's Australian-owned waka one month ago.

It will also be a big day for Prime, whose schedule has been dictated by Australians since it went on air in August 1998.

The new programme line-up will be announced as part of a total station makeover early next year.

For a certain generation Andrew Shaw is still remembered from his earliest days as the 18-year-old, long-haired presenter of TV2's Here's Andy, but his subsequent rise has seen his name tied to shows such as Shortland Street, NZ Idol and National Anthem.

His shift to Prime followed three years as chief operating officer at South Pacific Pictures, the country's largest television production company which produces Shortland Street.

Shaw was approached by Prime chairman and former TVNZ chief executive Brent Harman in May, during the frantic business end of NZ Idol.

After a quick think, his appointment was announced in June.

"I've never entered a tunnel without my lights on," said Shaw.

"Careers are fragile things, but I knew this company and I knew what was here. I'd spent three years at SPP trying to do business with them."

The 47-year-old, thrice-married father of four appeared relaxed about his new challenge and said he was relishing the chance to take on the big players, TVNZ and TV3.

"I was inside TVNZ for 26 years - that sounds like I was a prisoner - so I am a broadcaster to the very core of my soul.

"But being an establishment broadcaster is all about defence, coming to Prime appealed to my sense of adventure."

Another attraction was leaving behind the dictates of the TVNZ Charter and the "fear of failure" which can flavour the state broadcaster's decisions.

Rather than having to prove how a show fulfills the charter's arcane social requirements, it would be a relief to be measured simply on the number of eyeballs he delivers to advertisers, Shaw said.

"We are getting highly expensive charter-funded programmes that get viewed by nobody. Is that worthwhile?

"I'm not saying it shouldn't happen, but its real value is difficult to measure."

One of his few regrets was cutting ties with NZ Idol, a series he defends vigorously against ongoing political attacks over the $450,000 the show received from NZ On Air.

"It had the country fixated, nothing has ever been bigger here. That profile has caused the problem, the fact that it was so successful has caused the problem, but Idol was no different to funding some documentary or feature film.

"It was an extraordinarily rewarding experience to be part of a rock and roll crew like that and I remain really proud of it."

He was reluctant to give away too many details but said Prime's new schedule would be substantially different and would feature the controversially potty-mouthed HBO western Deadwood, along with more British and American popular factual programmes, dramas and documentaries.

He said Prime had no plan to move its news show over from Australia, and no immediate intention to produce its own music shows or drama.

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