Long-running soap Shortland Street will be back on screens from next year - with a difference.
South Pacific Pictures and TVNZ have announced today that the show will screen just three times a week next year, rather than its current format of five episodes a week.
It will air on TVNZ 2 and TVNZ+. The release today promises viewers “fewer, higher impact episodes”, aiming to attract younger audiences to the show.
TVNZ’s chief executive Jodi O’Donnell said: “The TV environment is changing fast and we’re moving with our viewers.
“For some time, we’ve been reimagining what is possible for Shortland Street and we’re delighted to be able to continue the much-loved show with this new, creative format.”
It comes after Media Insider reported earlier this week that the drama looked “set to be saved”, thanks to a raft of changes announced by the Government including a ban on TV advertising on Sunday mornings and some public holidays.
New Zealand’s broader media industry is also likely to receive help from the Government in earning revenue from digital tech giants such as Google and Facebook.
Media and Communications Minister Paul Goldsmith (centre) with Shortland Street cast members Michael Galvin (left) and Ben Barrington.
Media and Communications Minister Paul Goldsmith said the Government would take “immediate action” to support New Zealand’s media and content production sectors – including allowing a 40% screen production rebate to apply to Shortland Street.
The show currently costs TVNZ in the region of $20 million to produce each year.
Goldsmith described the show as “an important institution” for generating talent and it would “be great” if it continued.
In April this year, TVNZ told the Herald, “We need to look at everything across our slate to ensure we remain commercially viable. That includes Shortland Street.”
Kiwis have been watching Shorty for 32 years, but while it’s New Zealand’s longest-running soap and one of the most popular locally-made shows in the country, television viewers have declined over the years.
Michael Galvin plays Dr Chris Warner on the medical soap Shortland Street. He is the show's only original cast member and its longest serving.
Viewers watching linear television have declined to a third of what they were between 1999 and 2010, a period that saw highs of almost 350,000 viewers in the critical 25-54 age group.
Commentators predicted that if the show were to keep going, it would almost certainly look different - and could possibly revert to its pandemic-era schedule of three nights a week.
South Pacific Pictures chief executive Kelly Martin said, “We’re pleased to see the show continue into this exciting new chapter. Fewer episodes mean a greater focus on creating the storylines that will cut through with audiences in a competitive market.
“We’ll bring all the things Shorty viewers love on steroids for three days per week, with stories that dig deep into real-life and topical issues in New Zealand.”
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