The TV networks have just released their 3rd quarter (Jul-Sep) ratecard along with a sneak peek at upcoming programming while there’s been disruption to production timelines due to the recent Covid restrictions. There’s still plenty of great programming on the horizon to keep us happily wrapped up over the winter months.
Starting with the rates, both networks have been mindful of the current climate, with rate reductions across one of their key periods to support advertisers. TVNZ has reduced their average cost by 10% across the quarter while MediaWorks have been more conservative with -3% on average vs Q3 ‘19.
With the high of “lockdown” viewing now looking to have come to an end, we are now seeing viewing trends normalise to pre COVID levels. With the decrease in rates from both the free to air networks, and if viewing continues to maintain pre COVID, we forecast 0-5% deflation versus Q3 2019.
Television programmes to get excited about
New and favourite returning programming will be key to getting the best value from the reduced rates. My picks for the upcoming quarter are below:
Drama
TVNZ1 ‘Life’ set in Manchester, England, follows the lives of residents of a large suburban house, as their stories begin to intersect, hidden secrets connect these characters.
Factual
TVNZ1 ‘Origins’ presented by Scotty Morrison, who seeks to uncover who the Maori people are, where they originated from, and how they reached Aotearoa.
THREE ‘Kevin McCloud’s Rough Guide to the Future’, Kevin is optimistic about the future but can he persuade his trio of sceptics to see the light?
TVNZ1 ‘Kids”, an Instruction Manual With Nigel Latta’, the most realistic and honest depiction of New Zealand family life ever filmed.
Not for the faint hearted
TVNZ2 SAS: Who Dares Wins, is set in Scotland and takes 25 men and women to a remote island and put through what is believed the toughest, most unforgiving selection course yet.
For a bit of nostalgia
THREE ‘Big Brother Australia’, a show we watched twenty years ago, but a new format set in a new futuristic purpose-built house to be watched 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Game time
TVNZ1 ‘Beat The Chasers’ brings all five quiz geniuses together for this show to challenge contestants to play against them for huge cash prizes.
For laughs
THREE ‘Toke’, a locally produced new show set in the sleepy town of Tokerangi. It centres around three happy-go-lucky kiwifruit orchard workers who accidentally grow a new strong strain of marijuana, and are drawn into the shadowy high stakes of the global cannabis industry, staring Lucy Lawless.
