Reality shows, documentaries big on screen

By REBECCA BARRY

From a reality series about the country's dirtiest homes to a "landmark" documentary on New Zealand history, TVNZ says its 2005 lineup has it all.

The broadcaster announced its new season schedule to media and advertisers yesterday, a day after the Government said it would pour $11m back into TVNZ to make charter programmes. The charter aspires to lift local content to 50 per cent.

TVNZ's general manager of programming Annemarie Duff defended the lack of local drama and comedy in the presentation, saying a number of New Zealand productions were still in development and would not be on screen until 2006.

The only local drama showcased yesterday was Last Man Standing on TV2 - a co-production with Australia's Channel 7 that explores "the sexual and emotional terrain occupied by three 20-something males". It stars Kiwi actress Miriama Smith.

Ms Duff said TV2 would be committed to local entertainment, particularly in the 6-7pm timeslot which would feature game shows and lifestyle programmes.

Facelift would continue as TV One's leading local comedy in election year.

Significant local additions to TV One include the third series of award-winning Maori drama Mataku, the first two series of which screened on TV3. Also touted was Frontier of Dreams, a 13-part documentary series about the history of New Zealand that took five years to make.

Most new local productions are of the documentary and reality genres, such as How Clean is Your House? and makeover show 10 Years Younger, although Ms Duff said TVNZ would rely less on reality content than it has in the past.

TV2 has nabbed the rights for 20/20 from TV3, forcing the rival channel to rejig its Sunday night timeslot next year.

They are yet to announce what will replace it but the channel's other flagship current affairs show 60 Minutes will continue to screen on Monday nights.

TV3 head of news Mark Jennings said 20/20 would "sink without a trace" on TV2.

"People don't expect to see news and current affairs on that channel. They want to be entertained."

The trend marks the steadily shrinking gap between TVNZ's two channels as TV One takes a stronger focus on entertainment and TV2 takes on more factual content.

Ms Duff said the core audiences of each channel would remain but TVNZ needed to cater for the changing market.

"The older are staying active longer and are wanting more energetic, contemporary programming. We want our audiences within the TVNZ family to build a relationship with both channels."

Mr Jennings said it was a "dangerous strategy".

"They're desperate to take [TV One] younger because they're worried about the rest homes dominating their viewerships. Conversely, they're trying to make TV2 a more serious channel because it is losing a lot of its share to Sky."

NZ Idol will return in the new year, as will popular shows such as Third Watch, Without A Trace, Nip/Tuck, The Sopranos and ER.

New shows will include Friends spin-off Joey and reality show The Contender (from the makers of The Apprentice).

Meanwhile, acclaimed American dramas Six Feet Under and The West Wing return to TV One alongside British favourites Bad Girls and Spooks.

Jeremy Wells returns to front his second satirical show on TV2, The Unauthorized History of New Zealand, written with Paul Casserly. The pair return next week on the third series of Eating Media Lunch.