New Zealand on Air (legally named the Broadcasting Commission) is the New Zealand govenment agency responsible for distributing public broadcasting funds. It is an autonomous crown entity, having regard to government policy but largely operating independently from the government of the day. New Zealand on Air was established on 1 July 1989 as part of the reform and deregulation of the country's broadcasting sector.
Television licences (the "broadcasting fee") were introduced in August 1960, two months after the country's first television broadcast. The licence, along with television advertising (introduced April 1961), funded the government-owned television broadcaster: originally the New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation (NZBC) and later Television New Zealand (TVNZ). With the imminent launch of the country's first private television network, TV3 (launched 26 November 1989), broadcasting fee proceeds were diverted to the new New Zealand on Air who would fund local programming across both networks. The broadcasting fee was abolished in 1999 and New Zealand on Air is now funded directly by the New Zealand government.
List of shows that have been made with funding from New Zealand On Air:
- The Almighty Johnsons
- Attitude
- Bro Town
- Bumble
- CountryCalendar
- Go Girls
- Outrageous Fortune
- Praise Be
- Shortland Street
- Staines Down Drains
- Sticky TV
- Tagata Pasifika
- Taskmaster (NZ)
