1 00:00:01,080 --> 00:00:01,280 Speaker 1: Area. 2 00:00:01,320 --> 00:00:04,280 Speaker 2: There's speculation tonight that Shortland Street might not be coming 3 00:00:04,320 --> 00:00:04,920 Speaker 2: back next year. 4 00:00:04,920 --> 00:00:05,040 Speaker 1: Now. 5 00:00:05,040 --> 00:00:07,600 Speaker 2: Shortland Street has lost its head writer, Jessica Joy would 6 00:00:07,640 --> 00:00:09,720 Speaker 2: to the UK, and we understand other staff have also 7 00:00:09,760 --> 00:00:11,840 Speaker 2: been told to find new jobs too. So we asked 8 00:00:11,840 --> 00:00:14,319 Speaker 2: TV and Z today if Shorty Street will return next year. 9 00:00:14,640 --> 00:00:17,400 Speaker 2: They wouldn't confirm that it would. They would only say 10 00:00:17,400 --> 00:00:20,159 Speaker 2: it's not canceled and we are working through plans for 11 00:00:20,200 --> 00:00:22,599 Speaker 2: what twenty twenty six might look like now. John Barnett 12 00:00:22,640 --> 00:00:24,640 Speaker 2: owns South Pacific Pictures, which is the company that makes 13 00:00:24,640 --> 00:00:27,320 Speaker 2: Shortland Street for TV and own it for twenty five years. 14 00:00:27,120 --> 00:00:29,880 Speaker 1: And is with us. Now, Hey John, Hi, how are you. 15 00:00:30,120 --> 00:00:31,680 Speaker 2: I'm very well, thank you. Do you think it's back 16 00:00:31,720 --> 00:00:32,160 Speaker 2: next year? 17 00:00:34,200 --> 00:00:37,760 Speaker 1: Well, I don't know. I mean if TV and said so, 18 00:00:37,960 --> 00:00:42,000 Speaker 1: I'm not sure. I guess the decisions there is. It'll 19 00:00:42,040 --> 00:00:48,320 Speaker 1: be a shame if it isn't, But there don't appear 20 00:00:48,360 --> 00:00:51,520 Speaker 1: to be assurances at the state if you okay. 21 00:00:51,560 --> 00:00:54,840 Speaker 2: So what we've also heard is that contract staff contracts 22 00:00:54,920 --> 00:00:56,920 Speaker 2: run out at the end of June. Have you also 23 00:00:56,960 --> 00:00:57,280 Speaker 2: heard this? 24 00:00:58,640 --> 00:01:06,440 Speaker 1: Yes, I think that people who were on staff have 25 00:01:06,640 --> 00:01:13,520 Speaker 1: been advised that they would be contractors going forward as 26 00:01:13,520 --> 00:01:18,160 Speaker 1: opposed to continuous staff because you know, the show was 27 00:01:18,200 --> 00:01:22,080 Speaker 1: a five day a week, fifty week a year production, 28 00:01:22,280 --> 00:01:25,800 Speaker 1: so people were actually they were employees of the company, 29 00:01:26,400 --> 00:01:32,360 Speaker 1: and I think that the change that tvm Z made 30 00:01:32,440 --> 00:01:35,720 Speaker 1: with going three days a week on air meant that 31 00:01:37,200 --> 00:01:43,480 Speaker 1: there wasn't fifty weeks production required, and so people have 32 00:01:43,920 --> 00:01:48,400 Speaker 1: been contracted, which is more usual in the screen industry. 33 00:01:48,520 --> 00:01:51,280 Speaker 2: Flexible, is it possible? One way of looking at it is. 34 00:01:52,000 --> 00:01:54,320 Speaker 2: One way of speculating is that this is all over 35 00:01:54,360 --> 00:01:56,920 Speaker 2: and it's not coming back. But an alternative is that 36 00:01:57,000 --> 00:01:58,920 Speaker 2: the end of the contracts mean that they are able 37 00:01:58,960 --> 00:02:02,680 Speaker 2: to let the staff go scale back from a five 38 00:02:02,760 --> 00:02:04,280 Speaker 2: day a week show two or three day a week 39 00:02:04,320 --> 00:02:07,280 Speaker 2: or two day a week show for the future. Which 40 00:02:07,280 --> 00:02:08,240 Speaker 2: of the two is more likely? 41 00:02:10,280 --> 00:02:13,079 Speaker 1: Well, certainly I think the summary is right, but as 42 00:02:13,120 --> 00:02:15,520 Speaker 1: to whether it was three or two, I don't know. 43 00:02:15,680 --> 00:02:19,200 Speaker 1: I mean, they've had to make changes in the way 44 00:02:19,280 --> 00:02:22,280 Speaker 1: that they've presented the show as they've moved to three days, 45 00:02:22,280 --> 00:02:26,280 Speaker 1: and more of it takes place inside the hospital and 46 00:02:26,840 --> 00:02:30,040 Speaker 1: less of it is about the life of New Zealand, 47 00:02:30,120 --> 00:02:33,519 Speaker 1: which is what engaged people. But viewing habits have changed 48 00:02:33,520 --> 00:02:37,560 Speaker 1: so much and audiences have changed, and the demands on 49 00:02:39,080 --> 00:02:41,839 Speaker 1: the audience to come in at seven o'clock every night 50 00:02:42,639 --> 00:02:44,920 Speaker 1: are quite tough. In the meantime, you can see that 51 00:02:45,040 --> 00:02:48,880 Speaker 1: actually going to three days a week has not been 52 00:02:50,040 --> 00:02:54,720 Speaker 1: nearly as profitable for TV two as being on as 53 00:02:55,160 --> 00:02:57,840 Speaker 1: I must see every night, five nights a week. 54 00:02:58,080 --> 00:02:59,840 Speaker 2: Okay, So if I had to ask you to put 55 00:02:59,880 --> 00:03:01,440 Speaker 2: my money on the fact it comes back next year, 56 00:03:01,440 --> 00:03:01,960 Speaker 2: what would you do? 57 00:03:04,639 --> 00:03:07,320 Speaker 1: I look the other way, I think at the moment. 58 00:03:07,639 --> 00:03:12,120 Speaker 2: Okay, John, thank you. I appreciate your time this John Bennett, 59 00:03:12,160 --> 00:03:15,720 Speaker 2: film and television producer. Obviously you Sawn the company that 60 00:03:15,720 --> 00:03:19,280 Speaker 2: made Shorten Street. For more from Hither Duplessy Allen Drive, 61 00:03:19,440 --> 00:03:22,839 Speaker 2: listen live to news talks it'd be from four pm weekdays, 62 00:03:22,960 --> 00:03:25,120 Speaker 2: or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.