Kiwitv

Kiwitv Celebrating New Zealand Televisions shows from the pre internet era - 1959 to 1990ish

Reading the authoritative survey of New Zealand Drama Ourselves in Primetime by Trisha Dunleavy back in 2006 made me want to read more about the individual productions, but looking around made me realise that many great shows from my childhood like Mortimer's Patch, The Governor, Close to Home, and Under the Mountain were sadly neglected on the world wide web. Thus I was inspired to develop this s

ite to try and document as much as I could about New Zealand TV shows. In some cases this is just links to a fan page or official site if one exists, or there might be more details based on my research and the kind assistance of visitors. My main focus for this site is on shows from before the 1990s because they pre-date the emergence of the web so aren't usually very well documented online, and it also allows me to turn a blind eye to much of the reality TV shows which I have to say I don't find that entertaining. Since starting the site I've also moved to the UK, so I'm not in a position to keep up to date with every 21st century production, only the ones that turn up on UK TV, but these shows most likely have their own website somewhere out there for people to access. If you have any information, memories, links or questions about NZ TV shows feel free to have post a comment

People keep asking me what will I do with it....
13/04/2026

People keep asking me what will I do with it....

Looks like a rostrum stand? Passed in at the Tirau museum closing down auction
13/04/2026

Looks like a rostrum stand? Passed in at the Tirau museum closing down auction

By young adults, for young adults...
07/04/2026

By young adults, for young adults...

SHAZAM! Oh, and Phillip Schofield on the cover of the 1983 Shazam! Battle of the Bands LP.

In 1982, Television New Zealand had two long-running pop music shows. At primetime on Saturday evenings, Ready To Roll counted down the nation’s Top 20 record sales charts. Radio With Pictures was aimed at the more discerning music buff.

Then, in April 1982, a third pop music show emerged from the Children’s Programming Department. Shazam! was aimed directly at the kids. By 1985, Shazam! was rating around 400,000 viewers a week...

The Shazam! story (with a bit of the Phillip Schofield story and the wonderful Phillipa Dann story before she wandered off to the UK and MTV): https://www.audioculture.co.nz/articles/shazam

Happy anniversary!
05/03/2026

Happy anniversary!

On March 6, 1966 the first episode of a new show for farmers began. Six decades later, it's still going strong.

Full story ⬇️

Saw this at Hidden Treasures in Morrinsville....
21/02/2026

Saw this at Hidden Treasures in Morrinsville....

Those NZBC setup canisters are intriguing, sounds like a test pattern?
21/01/2026

Those NZBC setup canisters are intriguing, sounds like a test pattern?

60th anniversary is coming up this year, well done to NZ longest running show....
17/01/2026

60th anniversary is coming up this year, well done to NZ longest running show....

"I think there are a lot of NZers who have a slight hankering for a life in the country."

Why the search for New Zealand's missing TV might be running out of time. .
20/12/2025

Why the search for New Zealand's missing TV might be running out of time. .

In today’s newsletter: From Quatermass to Doctor Who, so much early television has vanished – and as film degrades and collectors age, the chances of recovering what remains are shrinking

A fair few National Film Unit titles on film for sale there, plus some US and UK titles. No NZBC shows or lost Dr Who ep...
05/11/2025

A fair few National Film Unit titles on film for sale there, plus some US and UK titles. No NZBC shows or lost Dr Who episodes that I can see but we live in hope...

Great news that all that content is safe and hopefully easier to access....
27/10/2025

Great news that all that content is safe and hopefully easier to access....

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