How marvelous for books and book people that we are to have a fourth series of The Good Word, the trend-setting TVNZ 7 show about books and the people who love them.
The 15-episode series, presented by star New Zealand novelist Emily Perkins, will make its return in 2012, with a few surprises on board.
The Good Word will retain its lively mix of studio and documentary elements – Perkins on the show’s set with an all-star book-review panel and interviewing a notable guest about his or her favourite book, journalist Finlay Macdonald in the field with his Under the Covers series, looking at the stories behind famous New Zealand books. I was privileged to see one episode being shot last week and I was most impressed.
The new two-minute documentary strand ‘Write Space’ that was introduced in Series 3, is kept, which gets us up close and nosey with a variety of Kiwi writers in their private creative places, in a lyrical sort of way.
District Court judge – and former Chief Censor – Bill Hastings, actor Jennifer Ward-Lealand, funnyman Te Radar, columnist Steve Braunias, TV presenter Miriama Kamo and journalist Gordon McLauchlan return to the regular book review panel along with a notable new regular, Carol Hirschfeld.
Bookman Beattie even makes a cameo appearance!
Well yes that is all pretty positive stuff and certainly warms the cockles of my heart BUT tragically this will be the last ever series of this high class show, New Zealand’s only television show devoted to books and writers. Why? Well the government is not providing funding to keep TVNZ afloat beyond mid-2012.
As reported in the press;
Public broadcasting channel TVNZ 7 is to be wound up after just three years.The commercial-free channel has cultivated a niche audience since its inception but Broadcasting Minister Jonathan Coleman confirmed yesterday its funding would not be extended beyond next year after it failed to live up to expectations that it would support itself over time.
What a shame. What a disaster. What a loss. Not just for books of course, we will also lose Media 7, Back Benches, The Court Report, longer TVNZ news bulletins uninterrupted by ads, and a whole raft of serious documentaries, all the stuff you are able to see on public broadcasting channels in other civilized countries. But not here!
Colin Hogg the genius and driving creative force behind The Good Word has told me that he has been to the other tv channels and despite his best efforts none are interested in a book show.
So authors out there make sure you do not miss this final series of The Good Word in March 2012, you’ll never see another.
This piece was first published as Beattie's Blat in New Zealand Author,
December/January issue.
2 comments:
You're right, a great series, certainly in my top five. But why does it have to stop with Channel 7? It would easily find a regular home in the programming of a station such as Stratos.
Or even simply on the Internet.
In France they have TV book shows at 8 or 8:30 pm - prime time.
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