This story was originally published on The Spinoff
Only the two hugely powerful agencies that decide what we fund for our screens.
The NZ Film Commission was founded in the late 70s, tasked with a broad range of functions, most notably “to assist in the making, promotion, distribution, and exhibition of films [and] to encourage and promote cohesion within the New Zealand film industry”. It has quite a broad remit, which encompasses everything from developing the industry to marketing it overseas, to funding or part-funding many New Zealand films and administering the big money screen production rebate (or SPR), which exists to encourage people to shoot films here.
NZ On Air was formed a decade later, the apex of the fourth Labour government’s gamifying policy. Ostensibly it was to encourage payment of and administer the broadcasting fee – a $110 per household annual payment that funded the making of TV shows (and soon a little music). The fee was eventually abandoned – but it’s worth remembering that universally paid and adjusted for inflation it would be close to $450m a year, around triple what it is today. Over time NZ On Air too has seen its remit broaden, moving beyond television into streaming, podcasts, industry development and some shows (disclosure: including The Spinoff’s) with YouTube as the platform, while also administering a gaming rebate.
