TVNZ has announced its new season of programming. The line-up includes all the biggest returning series as well as local dramas and international blockbuster movies.

Top picks for TV1 include a brand news series of Absolutely Fabulous and our own Sam Neill starring in a new drama called Alcatraz revolving around America’s most infamous prison, as well as more stories from Beyond the Darklands and Big Fat Gypsy Weddings.

New shows for TV2 include 2 Broke Girls and Chelsea Straight Up starring Laura Prepon from That 70s Show, as well as returning series such as American Idol and Go Girls.

For the full line-up visit the TVNZ website here.

Below is a listing of the top ten programmes on NZTV, recorded as of the 25th September 2011 via Nielsen TV Audience Measurement.

The top programme being watched is still One news TV ONE, with a mixture of New Zealand drama and current affairs in the other top spots and RWC coverage making it into the top 10.

To watch some of these programmes please follow this link to the TVNZ website.

Below is a listing of the top ten programmes on NZTV, recorded as of the 18th of August 2011 via Nielsen TV Audience Measurement.

The top programme being watched is still One news TV ONE, with a mixture of New Zealand drama and current affairs programmes dominating the other top spots.

To watch some of these programmes please follow this link to the TVNZ website.

Below is a listing of the top ten programmes on NZTV, recorded as of the 18th July 2011 via Nielsen TV Audience Measurement.

The top programme being watched is Shortland Street, with News programmes dominating the remainder, and interestingly The Food Truck is currently rating fourth – a reality TV programme looking at the challenge of making fast food healthy.To watch some of these programmes please follow this link to the TVNZ website.

TVNZ is has announced its plans for its Rugby World Cup coverage.

The state broadcaster announced its commentary, presenting and news team today and they are clearly nicely placed to win the ratings war that is about to explode around the tournament.

With Sky Television, Maori Television and TV3 all having rights to the tournament the battle for the television audience will come down to points of difference.

Today’s announcement included:

• All Blacks great Jeff Wilson will be the broadcaster’s expert comments man.
• The award winning sports journalist Andrew Saville will be the lead commentator.
• Martin Devlin will front the World Cup coverage
• A new panel based show, Rugby World Cup 2011 – Tonight will air every match night.

“We needed to approach the Rugby World Cup with a fresh presentation,” TVNZ’s General Manager of Sport, Murray Needham said.

“With these key people on board I am anticipating that we will deliver an event which will be both informative and entertaining.”

Simon Dallow will be a regular guest on Rugby World Cup 2011- Tonight which will be hosted by Devlin and he’s excited by the groundwork put in by TVNZ’s executives.

“When New Zealand bid for the tournament they talked about a stadium of four million people,” he said. “Well, with the resources that TVNZ has, we will be able to take the Rugby World Cup to those four million. It’s hugely exciting for everyone involved.”

Award winning journalist, Miriama Kamo is the new presenter of TV ONE’s flagship current affairs programme, Sunday, which returns in its prime-time slot at the end of the month.

Miriama has spent the last six years presenting and reporting on 20/20 and returns to Sunday after working as a reporter on the show between 2002-2005. During that time she won the prestigious Best Current Affairs Reporter gong at the Qantas Media Awards in 2005 for her investigation into alleged abuses at Porirua Hospital in the 1960’s and 70’s.

“I’m looking forward to being back with the team that I started my career with at TVNZ,” says Miriama.

“Sunday is a programme of great prestige and quality, and it’s a privilege to be working alongside journalists and craftspeople the country trusts and whom I admire greatly.”

John Hudson , Janet McIntyre and Ian Sinclair all return as correspondents on Sunday in 2011.

“It’s an incredibly impressive line-up of talent – it’s an outstanding programme with an enviable reputation for first-in-class journalism,” says TVNZ’s Head of News and Current Affairs, Anthony Flannery.

“Evidence of that is the multitude of awards the programme and the individual journalists, producers, editors and camera operators who have worked on it have won.”

Miriama was planning to travel and work in Germany this year until she was offered one of the most sought after current affairs roles in New Zealand.

“I’m delighted that Miriama has decided to take up this opportunity, it’s testament to the integrity and prestige of Sunday and its journalism”, says Flannery.

Miriama says the decision to stay was easy:

“I couldn’t pass up the offer to front a world-class current affairs programme in my own country”, she says.

Miriama will also present the weekend edition of TVNZ 7’s hour long evening bulletin, News at 8.

She says she’s looking forward to getting her teeth into some of the important stories Sunday will cover in 2011.

“It’s a big year for news and current affairs in NZ. We’re trying to recover from a recession, an earthquake, and a mining tragedy.

“ We’re grappling with how to hold on to what matters to us as kiwis while dealing with the realities of an open world economy and, at the same time, we continue to struggle with the challenges of biculturalism.

“Plus, we’re looking forward to the Rugby World Cup, and an upcoming election. These events focus our attention on the challenges, arguments, and triumphs we face as a nation, and how we relate to each other everyday.

“ I’m looking forward to being a part of a programme that brings light to these issues, and tells the real and personal stories of kiwis”, says Miriama.

Sunday returns to TV ONE at 7:30pm on the 27th of February.

To catch up on Sunday episodes please follow this link

Below is a listing of the top ten programmes on NZ TV, recorded as of the 14th of January 2011 via Nielsen TV Audience Measurement.

The antics, drama and drug busts of Border Security seem to be proving popular , as Border Security is holding the top spot this week. And yet again reality TV shows are dominating the ratings. What has happened to Shortland Street? Shortland Street normally makes a good appearance in the top ten, because of a strong fan base. They may need to step up their game, as they are on a slippery slope down in popularity.

To watch some of these programmes please follow this link to the TVNZ website.

1  Border Security TVOne

2  One News TVOne

3  Piha Rescue TVOne

4  Fair Go TVOne

5  Animal Rescue TVOne

6  Islands of Britain TVOne

7  Close Up TVOne

8  Two and a Half Men TV2

9  Shortland Street TV2

10  Packed to the Rafters TVOne

Piha Rescue Lifeguards

Below is a listing of the top ten programmes on NZTV, recorded as of the 29th of January 2011 via Nielsen TV Audience Measurement.

The top programme being watched is still One news TV ONE, and yet again reality TV shows are dominating the ratings. One programme to watch out for is Shortland Street which returns to TV 2 on the 17th of January. With a strong fan base, and dramatic story line finish last year. It is sure to appear high in the top ten rating programmes on NZTV.

To watch some of these programmes please follow this link to the TVNZ website.

Marc Ellis on How the other half lives

Below is a listing of the top ten programmes on NZTV, recorded as of the 7th of Januarary 2011 via Nielsen TV Audience Measurement.

The top programme being watched is still One news TV ONE, and yet again reality TV shows are dominating the ratings. One programme to watch out for is Shortland Street which returns to TV 2 on the 17th of January. With a strong fan base, and dramatic story line finish last year.  It is sure to appear high in the top ten rating programmes on NZTV.

To watch some of these programmes please follow this link to the TVNZ website.

TVNZ Breakfast Team Past and present- left to Right: Pippa Wetzel, Tamati Coffey, Petra Bagust, and Corin Dann.

Petra Bagust and Corin Dann have been confirmed to co-host TV ONE’s Breakfast programme when it returns next year.

The announcement was made this morning when the pair joined Pippa Wetzell and Peter Williams on-air during Breakfast’s Christmas Special – the last show for Pippa and final programme of the year.

Pippa began co-hosting Breakfast with Paul Henry in 2007 – they quickly became one of the most successful presenter combinations on New Zealand television.

“Pippa is an outstanding talent, and a wonderful person,” said TVNZ Head of News and Current Affairs Anthony Flannery.

“She’s a world class broadcaster and one of the most popular television presenters in the country. I’m enormously grateful for her commitment to Breakfast, the programme’s hundreds of thousands of viewers and TVNZ.

“I know she’s a great Mum, as well as a great broadcaster, and wish her the best for the birth of her third child.”

Flannery believes the pairing of Petra (38) and Corin (36) has great potential.

“Their skills and backgrounds are vastly different but very complementary – the ingredients for making great television are definitely there.

“Petra is one of the most versatile and experienced television broadcasters in the country and she’s sensational at live, unscripted television.

Bagust has presented a diverse range of television from live music and youth lifestyle to travel and real estate shows, talent searches, charity boxing bouts, Telethon, Christmas in the Park and, most recently, a factual documentary series.

Corin is an experienced and respected journalist. Before joining TVNZ he had a long career in radio including spells reporting sport, economics and five years as a political reporter covering two general elections in the Parliamentary Press Gallery. He was also an occasional presenter on Radio New Zealand’s flagship programme Morning Report.

Dann has presented Breakfast Business on TVNZ since 2007.

Away from television Petra and Corin are both married with 3 children of primary and pre-school ages.

Breakfast returns with Corin and Petra hosting, Tamati Coffey doing weather and Peter Williams presenting News from Monday 17 January.

Former Fair Go Editor, Graeme Muir has been appointed as the programme’s new Executive Producer and will reveal some new features and content for the show in the New Year.