Once upon a time in the 70s, the afro was the haircut of choice amongst truly groovy broadcasters. Back then the Jackson 5 were still the Jackson 5, Earth, Wind and Fire was the name of a band, and milk arrived in glass bottles. Paul Holmes was a radio DJ with an afro, a mo and a hatred of the to...

In the 1970s Kiwi music was making more impact, and artists’ confidence was increasing with more self-penned tracks. In May 1975, the Official NZ Top 40 Music Chart – based on a weekly survey of music sales – was introduced. Every local number one song from the 70s is represented in this Spotligh...

This Spotlight collection celebrates broadcaster Phillip Leishman, whose amiable features were synonymous with Kiwi sports broadcasting. Since the 70s he fronted everything from the Olympics to rugby tests and a globally-syndicated golf show. He also branched out into quiz shows and entertainment...

To mark Valentine's Day, NZ On Screen Content Director Irene Gardiner has selected 14 Kiwi love songs spanning 40 years of NZ music history. The list is in chronological order — from an early Loxene Golden Disc winner for Ray Columbus and the Invaders, to Dragon in the 70s, and in the 80s, everyo...

The decade of fondue and flares also cooked up colour television. Our black and white living room icons — from Selwyn Toogood to Space Waltz — melted into a Kiwi kaleidoscope of Top Town, Grunt Machine, and Close to Home. And 'our stories' and rights fights — boks, hikoi, nukes and 'nam — echoed onscreen (Sleeping Dogs, Tangata Whenua). Ready to roll?

This collection is a celebration of the eccentric, exuberant career of NZ screen industry frontrunner Tony Williams. As well as being at the helm of many iconic ads (Crunchie, Bugger, Spot, Dear John) Williams made inventive, award-winning indie TV documentaries, and shot or directed pioneering feature films, including Solo and cult horror Next of Kin.

This collection celebrates Kiwi comedy on TV: the caricatures, piss-takes, and sitcoms that have cracked us up, and pulled the wool over our eyes for over five decades. From turkeys in gumboots and Fred Dagg, to Billy T, bro'Town and Jaquie Brown. As Diana Wichtel reflects, watching the evolution of native telly laughs is, "a rich and ridiculous, if often painful, pleasure." 

Before X Factor there was New Faces, before Masterchef ... Graham Kerr, before Country Calendar there was ... er, Country Calendar. This collection picks the screen gems from the decade that gave Kiwi pop culture, "miniskirts, teenagers — and television." Peter Sinclair, Sandy Edmonds, Howard Morrison, and Ray Columbus star. Do your mod's nod and C'mon! 

Long before Ghost Chips, even before "don't use your back like a crane", life in Godzone was fraught with hazards. This collection shows public safety awareness films spanning from the 50s to the 70s. If there's kitsch enjoyment to be had in the looking back (chimps on bikes?!) the lessons remain timeless. Remember: It's better to be safe than sorry.

Animated plasticine. Talking chickens. Dancing Cossacks. Plus old favourites bro'Town, Hairy Maclary and Footrot Flats. From Len Lye to Gollum, feast on the talents of Kiwi animators. In his backgrounder to the Animation Collection, NZ On Screen's Ian Pryor provides handy pathways through the frogs, dogs and stop motion shenanigans.