Who we are

NZ On Screen goes live on October 23 2008, after months of behind the scenes work. On launch day the website has 280 titles, and 140 biographies of screen industry figures.

A scene of avian sheep-snacking wins tens of thousands of viewers (and crashes the server). The cause: popular tech blog Boing Boing has highlighted a scene from NHNZ documentary Kea - Mountain Parrot, where night cameras capture a parrot feasting on a live sheep. Boing Boing compares the scene to a horror movie.

NZ On Screen launches ScreenTalk, a series of bite-sized video interviews with Kiwi screen figures. Among the early interviews are directors Vincent Ward and Florian Habicht, and actor Rena Owen. As of last count, there are over 370 ScreenTalk interviews on the website.

NZ On Screen wins a Qantas Media Award for Best Entertainment Website, and is a finalist for Best Website Design.

The 500th profile to hit the website is of John Campbell. As of August 2020, there are over 1500 profiles on the website.

NZ On Screen's container exhibition is visited by 100,000+ people, as part of celebrations for the 2011 Rugby World Cup. Visitors engage with a motion-activated screen wall and other interactive features. At the same time, a custom-outfitted caravan crosses Cook Strait, to showcase NZ On Screen the length of the South Island.

NZ On Screen celebrates its millionth visitor.

Launch of website AudioCulture. The 'noisy library of New Zealand music' covers 100 years of popular music culture in Aotearoa. Both AudioCulture and NZ On Screen are run by a newly created trust, the Digital Media Trust.

The 2000th title on NZ On Screen reflects changing trends in how content is made and viewed. Title number 2000 is post-Christchurch quake documentary Living Like Kings, one of a series of bite-sized docos made as part of web series Loading Docs. As of last count, there are over 4800 titles available on-site.

NZ On Screen gets a new visual design and technical platform. The changes allow higher quality video and handling of increasing numbers of viewers. They also let the team publish and update content more easily.

By July 2015 there have been over twenty million page views on the website. That's a more than respectable number, so we figure we're doing something right.

Classic Chris Knox love song 'Not Given Lightly' marks the 500th music video to go up on NZ On Screen, reflecting an important strand of Kiwi screen creativity.

NZ On Screen marks 25 years of the perennial Kiwi soap with a collection of classic clips, bloopers, and memories from the cast — plus a piece by Shortland Street actor/director Angela Bloomfield. The Kiwi TV juggernaut has been a launchpad for dozens of actors and behind-the-scenes talents.

NZ On Screen launches a major collection devoted to Māori Television. It includes comedy, history, music, travel, and Māori TV's very first 30 minutes on air. NZ On Screen has over 110 collections available, ranging from Waitangi to Westside.

NZ On Screen launches a restored version of landmark series Winners & Losers, working with directors Roger Donaldson and Ian Mune, cinematographer Graeme Cowley, and Park Road Post. The restoration is completed with funding from the NZ Lottery Grants Board.

Time to celebrate — NZ On Screen turns 10! Although it's about quality as well as quantity, we're certainly chuffed to have roughly 2300 TV titles, 380 films, 600 music videos, 175 web series, 1400 profiles and 350 video interviews with screen industry people. All available to view, for free, with no advertising (apart from a few classic ads that viewers requested.)

TV series Funny As: The Story of New Zealand Comedy draws on interviews with a host of comedy talents. NZ On Screen added 100 extended interviews shot for the Augusto series, including many new anecdotes — from The Topp Twins to Flight of the Conchords and beyond. The project is completed with funding from the NZ Lottery Grants Board.

NZ On Screen joins funding organisation NZ On Air to create 12 short videos celebrating NZ On Air's 30th anniversary. Well-known NZ'ers described a favourite programme or song, while some of the actors, musicians and creatives involved added a behind-the-scenes perspective.

NZ On Screen receives a design refresh to improve the site's usability and performance.

NZ On Screen celebrates 60 years of television in New Zealand with a collection featuring classic moments from across the decades. Originally listed in chronological order, the 60 moments get re-sorted after viewers are invited to choose their favourites.

After a long gestation — and with support from the Clarke family — NZ On Screen launches a major collection devoted to John Clarke. From the first appearance of his beloved character Fred Dagg on Gallery, to a moving tribute programme after Clarke's death, this collection celebrates the outstanding career of a Kiwi comedy legend. Get in behind!

NZ On Screen launches The Give It A Whirl Collection. The collection is built around the 2003 six-part TV series that traces the evolution of popular music in Aotearoa.

A collection celebrating the 30th anniversary of funding agency Te Māngai Pāho launches. The collection showcases a wealth of content promoting Māori language and culture.