TV3 Turns 25
November 2014 marks 25 years since New Zealand TV’s third channel began broadcasting. This 25th birthday sampler pack looks back at iconic drama (Outrageous Fortune), upstart news shows (Nightline), fresh youth programming (Ice TV, Being Eve) and comedy high watermarks (bro’Town, Jaquie Brown, 7 Days). As the launch slogan said "come home to the feeling!"
Camino Skies
Every year thousands of hikers and cyclists head out on Spain's Camino de Santiago (also known as the 'Way of St James'), a famous Christian pilgrimage and network of trails leading to the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia. Camino Skies focusses on six Kiwi and Aussie hikers all aged between 50 and 80, who team up to tackle the 800 kilometre journey together. They each have personal reasons for taking up the challenge, and as the miles clock up they become pilgrims, battling blisters, grief, and the niggles of age to reach their goals.
Stan Walker, Ria Hall, Troy Kingi and Maisey Rika
Te reo single ‘Aotearoa’ features contributions from talents Stan Walker, songwriter/producer Vince Harder, and singers Troy Kingi (Mt Zion) and Ria Hall. Maisey Rika also chimes in late in the track, with lines in te reo from the national anthem. 'Aotearoa' began after Mātai Smith (producer of Māori language show Pūkana) approached Walker with the idea of creating a hit song in te reo. Te Haumihiata Mason, who translated the lyrics into Māori, argues that the song “encourages us to nurture each other and to persevere with whatever it is we aspire to, no matter where we come from”.
Huntly Eliott
The late Huntly Eliott segued into television in the early 70s, after producing and acting in, a host of radio plays. He would go on to make his name in children's television, eventually rising to become TVNZ's head of children's programming. Eliott passed away in May 2000.
Jason Gunn
Jason Gunn is one of the most recognised faces on New Zealand television. He began as a presenter on children's TV. These days Gunn is best known for hosting top-rating programme Dancing with the Stars and the game show Wheel of Fortune.
Whai Ngata
Whai Ngata worked in Māori broadcasting at Television New Zealand for 25 years, a period when the quantity of Māori broadcasting underwent a major expansion. Starting as a reporter, he rose to become TVNZ's general manager of Māori Programming, a post he held from 1994 until retiring in 2008. Ngata was named an Officer of the Order of New Zealand Merit in 2007. He passed away on 3 April 2016.