TV 3's blog

MediaWorks TV has confirmed that Director of Programming Kelly Martin has resigned, after 12 years with company.  Ms Martin will be released from her contract early next month, and intends to take a complete break, before considering her options later in 2012.

MediaWorks Group Managing Director Sussan Turner paid tribute to the pivotal role Martin has played in shaping TV3 and, more recently, FOUR.

“Kelly has overseen the acquisition and commissioning of a schedule of content (both local and international) that is the envy of our competitors.

“From Outrageous Fortune, 7 Days and New Zealand’s Next Top Model, to Homeland, New Girl and The X Factor USA, Kelly’s successes are literally too many to mention.  She leaves behind a formidably legacy, and we wish her well.”

Associate Director of Programming, Mark Caulton, will be acting Director of Programming until a permanent replacement is named.

TV3 is breaking new ground in the brand-funded content space with a blue-chip family of sponsors for upcoming hit renovation-reality series The Block NZ.

For the first time on a major New Zealand television series, the foundation partners whose brands are integrated into the programme have unprecedented access to the stars of the show.

Broadcast sponsor, Bunnings Warehouse, and fellow foundation partners Kiwibank, Mazda and Wild Bean Cafe are working with TV3 on creative marketing campaigns that extend well beyond traditional sponsor activity, and support both the programme and the brand objectives.

MediaWorks TV Head of Integration, Melanie Reece, says MediaWorks’ unique ability to create campaigns across the company’s television, radio, online (including social media), and mobile phone platforms is central to the success of this innovative approach. Continue reading »

SATURDAY APRIL 12 9.30 — SUNDAY EDITION APRIL 13 8.00 — TV3
SOE Minister Tony Ryall with Duncan Garner on asset sales.

Shelley Nahr reports from Otorahanga on the town that eliminated unemployment.

Downer Human Resources General Manager, Chris Meade; Orion Health Director and CEO, Ian McCrae; EPMU National Secretary, Bill Newson; Manukau Institute of Technology Director of External Relations / Founder of the high school programme, Stuart Middleton discuss the Otorahanga experiment with Rachel Smalley.

Bill Ralston and Brian Edwards with their report on the media week. Special guest, Waikato Times Colour Writer, Alistaiar Bone on reporting on teenage mothers in Huntly.

8:30pm – Monday, May 21 on TV 3

Abandoned by his mysterious employer and unwillingly embroiled in a suspicious political assassination, a stealthy hitman falls for a Russian prostitute who complicates his life before he eliminates their enemy, the right wing ‘double’ of a presidential candidate. Starring Timothy Olyphant, Dougray Scott, and Olga Kurylenko. (2007)

8:30pm – Sunday, May 20 on TV 3

The Oscar-winning Walk the Line chronicles the birth of a new kind of American artist, Johnny Cash, who had to move past raw anger, the ravages of addiction, and the temptations of stardom to discover the voice that would make him a hero to generations. Starring Joaquin Phoenix, Reese Witherspoon, Ginnifer Goodwin and Robert Patrick. (2004)

10:30pm – Saturday, May 19 on TV 3

A heartfelt romantic comedy about a handsome but intriguing young man who has all his life led a sheltered existence – until he meets a beautiful, cosmopolitan young woman who pulls him into the outside world, with funny, touching and entirely unexpected results. Starring Hugh Dancy, Rose Byrne, and Frankie Faison. (2009)

8:30pm – Wednesday, May 23 on TV 3

It’s the day of Gaia’s (Keisha Castle-Hughes) actual 21st and, therefore, the day of her attainment in this week’s unmissable The Almighty Johnsons season two finale, screening on Wednesday, May 23rd at 8:30pm on 3.

“Right from the beginning of series one we took the viewpoint that if there were Norse Gods then the Gods of other cultures may also exist,” co-creator and co-writer, James Griffin explains.

“And given that we brought our Norse Gods to Aotearoa, then it seemed incredibly obvious that the first set of other Gods we would be likely to meet would be Maori.”

“It was really just a question of finding a fun and interesting way to bring them into play,” Griffin adds.

Focusing on Gaia’s actual 21st, the season finale is certainly a game changer that delves into many facets of Norse Mythology. But how much pressure did the writers feel to stick to “the rules” of Norse mythology?

“Our rule about Norse mythology is that our Gods know best what is real and what is myth; and that the myths that we all read are written by non-Gods and are therefore deeply suspect,” Griffin explains.

“To be honest the great thing about reading up on Norse mythology is how vague and/or barking mad it is, thus we can pick and choose what we use and make up our own bits to fill in the blanks.”

So what does this mean for Gaia, will she become Frigg? Or is Papatuanuku her destiny?

Find out when The Almighty Johnsons concludes its second season on Wednesday, May 23rd at 8:30pm on 3.

7:30pm – Friday, May 25 on TV 3

When Matt Bomer’s Cooper Anderson arrives at McKinley High, Blaine’s (Darren Criss) older brother causes quite a stir when everyone – including Sue Sylvester (Jane Lynch) – in Glee, continuing its latest season on Friday, May 25th at 7:30pm on 3.

Portraying the star of a free credit rating commercial, Matt Bomer says that even though his character’s heart is in the right place, the hilariously named Cooper Anderson is a total mess when it comes to offering career advice for the kids of New Directions.

“To me, the fun of the role was getting to play somebody who had such strong convictions and opinions about all of the wrong things and in all of the wrong ways,” Bomer explains. “At the heart of it, he really does want to help his brother avoid the slings and arrows of being a young artist.”

“He clearly hasn’t had an easy road of it as an actor. And over the course of that path, he sort of developed his own short cuts and tricks of the trade, which are all horribly misleading and misguided.”

Bomer admits he based his performance on a number of “bats**t crazy” motivational speakers from early in his career.

“Sometimes there’s a lot of gold in their advice. And then sometimes you’re just scratching your head,” he says.

“I’ve definitely had crazy acting teachers… just completely bats**t crazy. I’m not going to name any names.”

Bomer also says that he had an “incredible time” and a “lot of fun” working with Criss on Glee, but it was fellow co-star Jane Lynch (Sue Sylvester) behind the most memorable moment of his guest stint.

“I think Jane sussed out right away that my character was just all over the map, just a complete hot mess,” he explains.

“So she said, ‘Matt, on this take, just kiss me on the lips’. I said, ‘Great. You don’t have to ask me twice’. It was nice. She had a lovely lip gloss on.”

Make sure not to miss all this when Matt Bomer guest stars in Glee, screening on Friday, May 25th at 7:30pm on 3.

9:30pm – Thursday, May 24 on TV 3

The straight-talking, perfectly coifed Tabatha Coffey lends her sound advice and styling expertise to help desperate salon owners turn their struggling businesses around in Tabatha’s Salon Takeovers, returning with all new episodes on Thursday, May 24th at 9:30pm on 3.

Tabatha’s Salon Takeovers follows Coffey, the charismatic former Shear Genius contestant and Australian native, as she visits struggling salons in the Los Angeles and New York areas and literally takes over the establishments to whip them into shape.

Coffey may not have made it to the end of the first season of Shear Genius – the hairdresser and salon owner was cut at the end of episode six – but the fan favourite made it in a different way.

Soon after the Shear Genius season ended, producers of the show approached Coffey and made her an offer she could net refuse – to star in her own reality series.

The series follows the straight-talking and brutally honest hairdresser as she visits struggling salons to make them over. Each episode takes place over a period of one week.

“A lot people feel like if you put a little bit of paint on the wall, the problem’s going to go away,” Coffey explained during a Tabatha’s Salon Takeovers press conference.

“Or if you change your outfit, the clients will come. That’s not the case in business. You need to manage your business. You need to lead by example. You need to have great work. You need to have fantastic customer service. You need to have an experience.”

Coffey’s directness is part of what made her so memorable on Shear Genius, but the hairdresser never expected it would lead to her starring in her own series.

“I never did imagine it, could have imagined it, would have imagined it. It has been really brilliant. I’m having a great time doing it.”

But with just a week to work her magic, will the salons have a great time heeding Coffey’s advice?

Find out when Coffey journeys to Boston in order to transform a mismanaged salon marked by unprofessional staff and an owner who allows his stylists to walk all over him. Tabatha’s Salon Takeovers returns to our screens on Thursday, May 24th at 9:30pm on 3.

5:30pm – Monday, May 21 on TV 3

Home and Away’s Liam (Axle Whitehead) will finally reach breaking point and tell his wife Bianca (Lisa Gormley) that he wants to end their marriage in his week’s unmissable Home and Away , screening Monday, May 21st to Friday, May 25th at 5:30pm on 3.

Liam makes the shocking decision as he realises that he cannot live with the fact that Bianca is carrying Heath’s (Dan Ewing) child. “He’s not particularly happy,” Axle Whitehead explains.

“It’s just been such a tough time, what with Heath and the whole town knowing”

The storyline will see Liam and Bianca planning to leave Summer Bay to escape the complicated situation, but Liam feels compelled to give up on Bianca altogether when he realises that she does not want to go.

“Bianca leaves work and is saying goodbye to April and it’s sort of in that moment where Liam can see that underneath she doesn’t really want to go,” Whitehead explains. “She has a lot more at stake in Summer Bay than Liam does.”

Revealing what it was like to film the emotional scenes, Whitehead says: “It was a heavy time and a big moment. You draw on your own experiences – and I’ve been through my fair share of rocky break-ups!”

Home and Away screens Monday, May 21st to Friday, May 25th at 5:30pm on 3.