TV3 cancels leaders debate

TV3 have cancelled their Decision 08 leaders debate, scheduled for October 9, after John Key and Helen Clark made a joint decision not to appear in any debates with the leaders of the minor parties.

TV3 said today that a debate without the two main leaders was not viable and that they are considering screening a head-to-head debate between Key and Clark at a later date.

The leaders of the minor parties and other commentators are of course furious and believe that the move is both anti-MMP and anti-democratic.

ACT leader Rodney Hide says that TV3 should get tough and stand their ground as he believes the idea that anyone who wants to be Prime Minister can dictate to TV networks is "disgusting".

James Coleman leaving Sunrise

In a shocking announcement, TV3 has revealed James Coleman is leaving the morning show Sunrise effective immediately.

Coleman has presented the show alongside Carly Flynn since it began in October 2007.

"I’ve been with the show for a year now and I feel that it’s an appropriate time to pursue some exciting new opportunities that have arisen within MediaWorks, both in radio and television," Coleman said in a media release.

Will a change of presenter have a positive effect on the shows ratings? One agency puts Sunrise's ratings at around 30,000 while it's rival Breakfast has been receiving 140,000.

Ali Ikram will present the show with Flynn until an announcement regarding a permanent host will be made "in the coming weeks".

Friday Flashback: 3 News 2005-2007

I know, it's a bit cheeky calling this a flashback so soon, but here is the previous version of 3 News for your comparison.

TV3 expands ASB Business

Due to the recent success of Michael Wilson's business coverage during Sunrise and 3 News at 12, TV3 are expanding ASB Business to a half hour show starting Monday 6 October at 6.30am.

Mark Jennings, TV3's Director of News and Current affairs says "The current turmoil on financial markets affects us all and ASB Business will play an important role in providing the latest information and timely analysis for a wide range of viewers. This is a good time to start a programme that will look at all the issues around personal investment as well as business and the economy."

Sunrise will move forward and now screen between 7.00am and 9.00am.

Full list of 2008 Emmy winners

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES:
Jeremy Piven, Entourage (HBO)

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES:
Jean Smart, Samantha Who? (ABC)

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES:
Zeljko Ivanek, Damages (FX)

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES:
Diane Wiest, In Treatment (HBO)

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A MINISERIES OR A MOVIE:
Tom Wilkinson, John Adams (HBO)

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A MINISERIES OR A MOVIE:
Dame Eileen Atkins, Cranford (Masterpiece) (PBS)

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A MINISERIES OR A MOVIE:
Laura Linney, John Adams (HBO)

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A MINISERIES OR A MOVIE:
Paul Giamatti, John Adams (HBO)

OUTSTANDING DIRECTING FOR A VARIETY, MUSIC OR COMEDY PROGRAM:
Louis J. Horvitz, The 80th Annual Academy Awards

OUTSTANDING WRITING FOR A VARIETY, MUSIC OR COMEDY PROGRAM:
The Colbert Report (Comedy Central)

OUTSTANDING VARIETY, MUSIC OR COMEDY SERIES:
The Daily Show with John Stewart (Comedy Central)

OUTSTANDING INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE IN A VARIETY OR MUSIC PROGRAM:
Don Rickles, Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project (HBO)

OUTSTANDING DIRECTING FOR A COMEDY SERIES:
Barry Sonnenfeld, Pushing Daisies - "Pie-lette" (ABC)

OUTSTANDING WRITING FOR A COMEDY SERIES:
Tina Fey, 30 Rock - "Cooter" (NBC)

OUTSTANDING MADE FOR TELEVISION MOVIE:
Recount (HBO)

OUTSTANDING MINISERIES:
John Adams (HBO)

OUTSTANDING DIRECTING FOR A MINISERIES, MOVIE OR A DRAMATIC SPECIAL:
Jay Roach, Recount (HBO)

OUTSTANDING WRITING FOR A MINISERIES, MOVIE OR A DRAMATIC SPECIAL:
Kirk Ellis, John Adams - "Independence" (HBO)

OUTSTANDING REALITY/COMPETITION PROGRAM:
The Amazing Race (CBS)

OUTSTANDING HOST FOR A REALITY OR REALITY/COMPETITION SHOW:
Jeff Probst, Survivor (CBS)

OUTSTANDING DIRECTING FOR A DRAMA SERIES:
Greg Yaitanes, House - "House’s Head" (Fox)

OUTSTANDING WRITING FOR A DRAMA SERIES:
Matthew Weiner, Mad Men - "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" (AMC)

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES:
Tina Fey, 30 Rock (NBC)

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES:
Glenn Close, Damages (FX)

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES:
Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock (NBC)

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES:
Brian Cranston, Breaking Bad (AMC)

OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES:
Mad Men (AMC)

OUTSTANDING COMEDY SERIES:
30 Rock (NBC)

Something new for Nightline

Tonight was the first time I have seen a presenter on Nightline standing up before a segment in the new 3 News set! I thought it looked quite good.

Check it out below and share your thoughts.

Allyson Gofton hangs up her apron

The NZ Herald reported today that Allyson Gofton will be leaving the famous Watties cooking advertorial Food in a Minute next year in order to spend more time with her family.

Watties will begin searching for a new host next week and Gofton says her replacement does not need any professional cooking or TV training, but does need to have a desire to cook for the average New Zealander and not mind using the most basic ingredients to do so.

Allyson Gofton has presented Food in a Minute directly before One News for the past 12 years.

Gofton will present her final Minute in late January of next year.

Gossip Girl too racy for 8.30pm timeslot

From next week TV2 plans to move the American teen drama Gossip Girl from it's 8.30pm slot to the later time of 10.30pm.

TVNZ spokesperson Justine Caldwell told Stuff.co.nz that the decision was not based on poor ratings, but was instead made due to the racy content of the show.

"As the series progressed we felt the content made Gossip Girl more appropriate for a later time slot," said Caldwell.

Gossip Girl is based on the novel series by Cecily von Ziegesar about the lives of students who attend an elite New York private school. The show deals with themes such sex, jealousy and drugs.

The Plug:
Gossip Girl, 10.30pm Friday, TV2.

Peter Williams to present One News at 6pm

From this Saturday onwards Peter Williams will join Bernadine Oliver-Kerby as part of the weekend presenting team for One News at 6pm.

Bernadine Oliver-Kerby has been the sole presenter of the weekend bulletins for many years, however TVNZ's Head of News and Current Affairs Anthony Flannery says that changing to a double-reader format on Saturday and Sunday gives the bulletin consistancy during the entire week.

"Bernadine and Peter are both exceptional talents, and impressive performers either in the studio or out in the field. With the two of them, we are able to duplicate the option we have on weeknights where one hosts the News from the studio, and the other presents a breaking story from the scene," Flannery says.

"News doesn't stop at the weekend so we want a fully-resourced team of top newsreaders then, as well as during the week."

Peter Williams will continue presenting the news on Breakfast and One News at Midday from Monday to Wednesday, and Alison Mau will now present the bulletins on Thursday and Friday.

MF Friday Flashback: One News 2003-2004

The 2003-2004 look for One News at Midday. Some regard the techno-music filled orange period as the best ever for the TVNZ bulletin. I wouldn't argue with them.

Dennis Plant is back!

The second series of the local comedic drama The Pretender is set to launch on TV One this Sunday at 10.00pm.

Series 1 of The Pretender screened on TV3 during the 2005 election and followed fake politician Dennis Plant (Bob McLaren) as he ran for office in the fictional electorate of Wakatipu South. It gained praise from the NZ Herald and National Radio, the latter declaring it "brilliant and funny, 100 times better than Facelift."

In Series 2, Dennis has made it to parliament. However he's quickly ousted from his party and finds himself sitting as an independent MP. But Dennis is a multi millionaire property developer and an entrepreneur, so he quickly forms a new party – Future New Zealand – and when joined by defecting Labour MP Joanne Williams (Lucy Schmidt), Plant suddenly holds the balance of power. This then sees the two major parties offering this right-wing kingmaker positions such as MP for Queenstown and MP for Men's Affairs in order to try and win him over.

Find out more about Dennis Plant MP at futurenewzealand.co.nz, and be watching TV One this Sunday at 10.00pm for the season premiere of The Pretender.

3 News background changed?

It looks as though the background on 3 News has had some darker elements added to it tonight - do you agree? Perhaps the TV3 team has been reading comments online, as various bloggers commented that the background needed to be slightly busier.

All they need to do is change background colour of the "LIVE" button and other similar text and everything will be perfect!

US shows offered free of charge on TVNZ ondemand

TVNZ have today announced a deal with Disney-ABC International Television to make some of the top US shows available free of charge to New Zealanders via TVNZ ondemand.

The shows will be available online 12 hours after their broadcast in New Zealand and will remain available for a further 28 days. In order to keep them free of charge, the shows will be supported by advertisements.

TVNZ ondemand kicked off the new service with the first four episodes of hit new show Private Practice.

Other ABC shows that will now be available online in New Zealand include Gossip Girl, Desperate Housewives, Eli Stone, Brothers & Sisters, Dirt, Grey's Anatomy, Samantha Who?, Scrubs, and Criminal Minds.

New look for TV3 news and current affairs

The brand new TV3 set has now been completely revealed and I must say that it is pretty impressive.

The new set is excellent and really does fit the "ultra-modern" description given by TV3's director of news and current affairs Mark Jennings. Presenters sit at the same long glass-top desk in each show, and you are able to see under the bottom half of the desk - no getting away with wearing jeans now guys! It seems that the same desk is used for both 3 News and Sunrise, and the couch area of Sunrise transforms into the Campbell Live set at night. However, with clever background changes it doesn't look as blatantly obvious that they are using the same set as it did with the previous one. The wide shot of the set at the beginning of 3 News at 6pm looks amazing!

Sunrise and Campbell Live have kept the same graphics and they suit the new set perfectly fine. 3 News has completely updated theirs, however in my opinion the graphics have really let down the makeover. The set looks perfect but the graphics look like they have been created in Microsoft Paint and the tones of green and blue are extremely harsh on the eyes. The split screen looks like it was created at the last minute, and the text on the straps looks a little large.

Overall, the new set is perfect and is a real improvement yet it is let down by a poor graphics package for 3 News. Sunrise and Campbell Live seem to have come out as the major winners in the change of appearance - my absolute favourite part was the interactive screen John used on Campbell Live. Check out the screen shots I took below:

TV3 relaunch videos

3 NEWS & CAMPBELL LIVE RELAUNCH:

SUNRISE RELAUNCH:


3 NEWS AT 12 RELAUNCH:

Courtesy of dannewsvideo.

New-look 3 News at 12

We have now had our first look at the relaunch of 3 News, and there have been mixed reactions.

The set looks great, as we found out this morning with Sunrise, and the opening graphics and theme music were quite good. However the new straps look a little unprofessional in my opinion, and the colouration is a little too harsh - particularly that lime green! Perhaps we just a little time to adjust to the new look.

It will be interesting to see how 3 News at 6pm is presented, especially in terms of camera work as we did not seem to be shown that many wide shots of the set in 3 News at 12.

New Sunrise set on TV3

TV3 have unveiled their new set this morning with a very flash looking Sunrise.

I must say I am pretty impressed so far! The backdrop behind Carly and James at the main desk gives the impression that they are in front of a big window overlooking the city, and there is a new couch area to the left of the Sunrise desk with a white couch and dark orange backdrop. Sacha and Rod now both sit to the right of the two main hosts. One thing I was a bit worried about was the fact that you would be able to see underneath the bottom hald of the desk, however it didn't look so bad on screen. ASB Business also looked good in the new Sunrise area - so good that I thought it was in a different part of the studio to begin with.

Interestingly, they have not changed the graphics package for Sunrise and the presenter lineup has remained the same despite many rumours Carly Flynn would be replaced with Jacquie Brown or Petra Bagust.

New 3 News set launched tomorrow

The wait is finally over - the new ultra-modern 3 News set is to be unveiled on Monday 15th September, and I'm sure viewers aren't the only ones excited.

The old 3 News set was recreated in a smaller studio for presenters to read the news from over the past few weeks, however it was so small that sections including the weather, Campbell Live and Sunrise were filmed in other various areas of the building - including the loading bay.

Weather presenter Juliet McVeigh wrote in her TV3 blog that one night during the construction she was making her way back to the weather green screen from the part of the building Dobbo was presenting the sports from only to find herself locked between two roller doors.

The TV3 presenters will be happy to know that from tomorrow they will all be in the same room again. "We will have a big long continuous desk which all our presenters will sit at. We're not going to have different people in different parts of the studio; everybody will be at the same desk," says TV3's director of news and current affairs Mark Jennings. "We're moved away from what we have traditionally had... we have gone completely modern."

The new 3 News set is said to have cost around one million dollars, but Jennings says it will pay off as refreshing the look of the show is vital.

"The set is a factor in terms of your credibility. If you don't have the right people there it doesn't matter how much money you spend... But if you have the right team and put them in the right set it does have an impact on the ratings. We like to think of ourselves as a cutting edge news service ... we want to be seen as innovative and modern and this new set very much fits that image."

Media Fetish will have more on the new look when it is unveiled tomorrow.

Qantas Film and TV Awards anounced

The Qantas Film and Television Awards were handed out last night, and for the second year running One News took away the top prize of Best News.

TVNZ's news and current affairs team took away eight of the 11 news and current affairs awards, including Best News or Current Affairs Presenter for Mark Sainsbury and Best News Report for Lisa Owen.

TV One's head of news, Anthony Flannery told the NZ Herald that "it's been a reward for a lot of hard work from everyone around the place."

TV3's Sarah Hall, Paula Penfold, George Murahidy and Catherine Hallinan took away the trophy for Best Current Affairs Reporting for their work on 60 Minutes.

TV3 also took away eight trophies for the popular Outrageous Fortune, including awards for best actor and actress to Antony Starr and Robyn Malcolm. Best supporting actor and actress went to Tammy Davis and Antonia Prebble.

The awards ceremony was not without a little bit of on-stage bickering between TVNZ and TV3. Mike McRoberts joked to Pippa Wetzell that her show Breakfast had been turning into 'presenter idol', and Simon Dallow gloated to Hillary Barry that two of TV3's sports presenters - Shaun Summerfield and Howard Dobson - had applied to the top job on One News.

SHORTLAND STREET SPOILER: Summary of this Friday's episode

In an embarrassing move TVNZ accidentally uploaded the summaries for the Thursday (11/09/08) and Friday (12/09/08) episodes of Shortland Street before they screened. This Friday's episode has still not yet screened, so Media Fetish brings to you the following spoiler:

Callum arrives back at work, and is awkwardly forced to maintain the pretence of Justine's death. When Chris puts aside his rivalry with Callum to offer his personal condolences, Callum realises how hard it will be to endure peoples' undeserved sympathy.

Similarly, Hunter arrives at work and is taken off-guard by Kieran's expectation that he be in mourning. Chris is outraged that Scott-Spear have killed another friend and colleague, and he vows to Sarah that he will do everything he can to bring them to justice.

But Sarah now fears for her own life, and warns Chris that anyone who has come close to exposing Scott-Spear has ended up dead.

Back at the I.V, Gerald's heart goes out to Hunter when he sees Hunter being jovial with a customer, and assumes Hunter is in deep denial. Morgan is concerned when Gerald updates her on Hunter's strange mood.

Arriving home, Hunter's relief about being out of the public eye is short-lived when Morgan arrives, and he has to fake grief. Morgan consoles Hunter, and in a moment of upset about Justine's absence, Hunter kisses Morgan.

Brooke is concerned for a grief-weary Chris, and offers to cook dinner for him at his home. He is grateful for the company. Ethan overhears Brooke's offer, and is quietly jealous.

Tracey warns Kip that Brooke is in some kind of weird and secret relationship with Ethan. Kip is troubled, but his concern is eclipsed by Sarah's announcement that Justine is dead.

Before Kip and Tracey can ask further questions, she orders them to focus on their new patient - a woman called Jacqui whose face has been disfigured by Botox.

Jacqui reveals that the doctor who wrecked her face is Brooke Freeman. Kip is surprised to confirm this with Brooke, who is privately distressed at her alleged incompetence. She insists on seeing Jacqui immediately.

Brooke feels terrible when a guilty Jacqui worries about being caught-out and rejects her assistance. Ethan is determined to help when Brooke frets about losing her job.

Kip is impressed when Ethan unearths Jacqui's secret - she's been double-dosing on Botox. Brooke is grateful, but Ethan forces her to cancel her date with Chris as payment.

Maia deliberately assigns Tania to the Whitetail's assault victim, Mrs Norton, hoping to confront Tania with the violent truth about her boyfriend.

Although Tania defends Kingi, she is left privately shaken. Determined to help Tania, the Jeffries women give Kingi an ultimatum - give up the gang, or give up Tania.

Tania is furious when Kingi breaks up with her - thanks to her family. The Jeffries women feel they've helped Tania, despite her angry outburst over their meddling in her relationship.

The Telethon is back!

The Telethon is to return to television - this time on TV3 renamed as The Big Night In and supporting children's charity group KidsCan.

The Telethon as we knew it has not been seen on New Zealand screens for more than 15 years, but organisers of the TV3 version say the 22 hour broadcast will feature many of the traditional favourites such as dares and the phone bank.

The television fundraiser will aim raise at least $2 million for KidsCan to help the estimated 42,000 disadvantaged children in New Zealand.

The Big Night In will screen on TV3 the weekend of June 20th and 21st in 2009.

Brand new Shortland Street opening credits

Here they are - what all Shortland Street fans have been waiting for - the new opening credits! You can see them on screen from Monday 8th September.

MF Friday Flashback: Original TV3 ident

TV3's original ident from it's launch in 1989 - "Come home to the feeling, only on 3".

3 News to resemble UK's Channel 4

Moclak from Throng said that when Mark Jennings, Director of News and Current Affairs at TV3, spoke at his school this morning he asked him what the new 3 News set would look like.

Jennings responded by revealing it would look a lot like the current set of Channel 4 News in the UK, and based on the rumours we have heard, this looks to be correct.

Here are some screen caps of Channel 4 News to give you an idea of what you will be seeing on TV3 in a few weeks time.

Sarah Palin's TV sports presenting past

Sarah Palin is the little-known Governor that U.S. presidential candidate John McCain has chosen as his running mate, meaning she could ultimately be the next Vice President of the United States.

In television footage from 1988 we see her as Sarah Heath - sports news presenter for KTUU-TV in Anchorage, Alaska.

Check it out:

Olympics boost One News to 10 months of growth

One News has recorded it's 10th month of growth after the AGB Nielsen ratings show the bulletin receiving an average nightly audience of 691,500 people aged 5+ during August.

The figures show 3 News received an average of 371,400 viewers during the same month period.

Compared with August of 2007, audience numbers for One News have increased by 96,200, and this is clearly as a direct result of the Beijing Olympic games - a fact that even TVNZ themselves have admitted.

It will be interesting to see how the audience numbers change now that the Olympics are over, and whether or not the arrival of a new look for 3 News will also have an impact.

Drama on the Sunrise set

Sources have told Media Fetish that work on the new Sunrise set has hit an unexpected bump in the road. It seems the large Sunrise logo from the front of the old desk has gone missing, perhaps taken by somebody who thought it was no longer going to be used and wanted a souvenir.

However, Sunrise bosses have asked staff to return the sign if they know of its whereabouts, as it apparently is needed as part of the new set.

This strange story provides at least one answer to morning show enthusiasts - the Sunrise logo will be staying the same. While we can confirm that 3 News will receive a new graphics package, development at Sunrise is staying rather more secretive.