Tamati will join Toni Street on the couch, replacing Rawdon Christie who has moved to hosting the weekday edition of the show. The new role on Saturday Breakfast adds to an already busy schedule for Tamati, as he will also be hosting the upcoming entertainment show New Zealand’s Got Talent, which screens on TV ONE later in the year, as well as continuing his role as weather presenter on the weekday edition of Breakfast four days a week.

“Tamati is a talented presenter, and his popularity with viewers is evident in the feedback we receive,” says Editor Daily Programmes John Gillespie. “He and Toni are both clever and charismatic, and so Tamati will be the perfect fit for Saturday Breakfast.”

Tamati, who has an honours degree in Political Studies from the University of Auckland, is looking forward to adding Saturday Breakfast co-host to his ever-expanding CV, but as the winner of multiple viewers’ choice awards for his weather presenting is not planning on giving up that aspect of his working life anytime soon.

“Since people seem to really like me doing Breakfast weather, it means I’ll still be doing what I do best for most of the week, but Saturday Breakfast feels like such a natural step for me,” says Tamati. “Toni is intelligent, warm, funny and gorgeous to boot, and between the two of us, you can guarantee Saturday mornings are going to be must see TV!”

Tamati begins with Saturday Breakfast immediately, commencing tomorrow on Saturday, May 19th.

- TVNZ

The new channel will be an exact duplicate of TV ONE, broadcast an hour later.

Changing viewer habits have seen time-shifted channels develop as an internationally-established method of meeting viewer demands for greater flexibility – especially with News and Current Affairs. Long working hours, shift work and traffic problems have had an impact on the numbers able to watch the evening news in its traditional time slot, and there is now an identifiable global trend towards time-shifting by consumers.

TVNZ Acting Chief Executive, Rodney Parker, says “a ‘plus one’ channel aligns with TVNZ’s strategy of reaching more New Zealanders on more screens. TV ONE has been selected as the time-shifted channel to maximise exposure for the great local content, news and current affairs that it features”.

“Having already established a number of new channels over the past few years, including Channel U, Heartland and Kidzone24 the decision to broadcast a free to air ‘plus one’ channel was only made once we looked carefully at what other options might be commercially viable”.

“We believe that this is a desirable and appropriate use of the frequency that offers an additional opportunity for viewers, particularly those without PVRs, to fit their individual circumstances,” Mr Parker says.

The new channel will begin broadcasting at 7am on July 1. It will be offered on Freeview and details are still being finalised on which other platforms may also carry it.

Board Chairman, Sir John Anderson said today that Mr Kenrick will take up the position in the middle of May.

He said Mr Kenrick is a well known New Zealand business figure who has held a number of significant leadership roles in some of New Zealand’s largest companies, including Lion Nathan, Telecom New Zealand, and most recently, House of Travel.

Sir John Anderson said the appointment completed a substantial search that attracted an extremely talented group of applicants. “The strong interest in this position by quality candidates reflects the high regard in which Television New Zealand is held” he said.

Mr Kenrick describes himself as a proud kiwi who has a passion for people, customers and making the most of current and future technologies to enhance the services available to all New Zealanders.

“As New Zealand’s leading television and digital media company, TVNZ is in a great position. I’m excited about building on these strong foundations and taking advantage of the new opportunities, like ultra fast broadband, to deliver richer media services to more New Zealanders’ said Mr Kenrick.

“The future of TVNZ is all about continuing to deliver the news, information, and the great entertainment that kiwis want to see, all while expanding how this is delivered to every screen, where and when people want to see it.

It is a great privilege to lead one of New Zealand’s most recognisable companies at such a dynamic time for the media industry and with so many fantastic opportunities ahead of us, I can’t wait to get started” said Mr Kenrick.

Background

Kevin Kenrick joins TVNZ most recently from House of Travel where he was CEO from 2008 to 2011. Prior to that Mr Kenrick held a number of roles with Telecom NZ from 1999 till 2007 including, Sales & Marketing Manager for Xtra, General Manager Marketing, General Manager Mobile; and finally as Chief Operating Officer for the mass market retail business division.

Presenter Morgan Bradley presents a fresh new look to the Kidzone environment, as she teaches Kiwi kids New Zealand sign language. Morgan continues to encourage viewers to have fun and join in with physical activities and opportunities to think and learn about the world around them. Children can take away problem-solving skills and think about issues that are relevant to their lives.

As Kidzone is produced, directed and written by early childhood experts, the series is developmentally age-appropriate and helps position children as competent, capable and social individuals in their own right.

Episodes of Kidzone with Kayne and Morgan screen every day on TVNZ 7, starting at 6am. Morgan’s episodes start at 7.30am.

Ross Dagan is currently Director of News, Sydney, for Network 10 Australia.

He is an experienced News executive who has held senior roles with Network 10 in Sydney and Brisbane, was Programme Editor for Aljazeera English in Kuala Lumpur, and was Director of News after holding various senior Reporter, Producer, and Bureau Chief roles with Seven Network in Queensland.

Mr Dagan will join TVNZ early in 2012.

RadioLIVE General Manager, Jana Rangooni, says she is extremely pleased to have Cliff joining the team.

“Cliff Joiner is a news heavyweight who brings a wealth of journalistic experience to our breakfast programme and RadioLIVE, which I’m very excited about,” she says.

Cliff Joiner leaves his current position as National Bureau Editor for TVNZ for the job, and will start at RadioLIVE in 2012.

- MediaWorks

Mr Ellis will be leading a new Telstra division called Telstra Digital Media, as Group Managing Director – Digital Media, with responsibility for Telstra’s Sensis, Bigpond, Trading Post and IPTV businesses, and Telstra’s partnership with Foxtel.

Sir John Anderson acknowledged Mr Ellis’s cumulative 10 years of service as TVNZ CEO, during which time TV ONE and TV2 consolidated their leadership position in the New Zealand free-to-air television market, and the company diversified into digital media areas including on-line, pay TV channels, and new digital free-to-air channels.

- TVNZ

It’s the fourth year in a row that TV ONE’s flagship bulletin has been awarded the prestigious title; the first time this has been achieved.

Simon Dallow has spent a bit of time in Christchurch in the last 12 months and accepted the award on behalf of ONE News, “I have mixed feelings about winning an award largely predicated on what happened to Canterbury”. He finished by dedicating the award to everyone affected by the earthquakes.

TVNZ’s News Boss also spoke and paid tribute to the camera crews, editors, producers and journalists from Christchurch who reported on the earthquakes and lived through every quake and after shake too.

“To be honoured by the judges for our work over the last 12 months is very special indeed,” said Head of News and Current Affairs, Anthony Flannery.

“I am extremely proud of our teams for stepping up to the challenge – they did so with great professionalism and world class craft, and kept focus on delivering the vital information and important stories for New Zealanders during a year of such tragedy, upheaval and drama.

“I would like to pay a special tribute to the TVNZ staff in Christchurch.

“We were extremely lucky that our building just held together during February’s tragic quake so that they evacuated safely – once out they all pulled together to provide unprecedented levels of rolling coverage of the unfolding disaster.

“It’s been an exceptional year for news. Just one big story puts pressure on a newsroom, but in the last 12 months we’ve had the Christchurch Earthquakes, the Pike River Mine disaster, a Royal Wedding, Tsunami and nuclear panic in Japan, the Rena grounding off Tauranga, the Rugby World Cup and now Election 2011.

“We have thrown everything at these historic stories, and I hope we have proved beyond doubt that we are committed to bringing NZers important news where and when it matters”.

TVNZ also picked up two prestigious current affairs trophies this evening.

Close Up’s Mark Crysell and Kate McCallum won best current affairs reporting for a daily programme for their story on the tragic death of Auckland teenager, James Webster. Producer, Kate McCallum thanked James Webster’s family, “for trusting us to tell their story at such an horrendous time” when she accepted the award.

Veteran journalist, Amanda Millar and producer Joanne Mitchell from SUNDAY won best current affairs reporting for a weekly programme for their revealing story on Jaden Knight and Phillip Johnston, from Lower Hutt, who were wrongly convicted and imprisoned (6 years) for the arson of the Foxton Hotel.

On Thursday at the AFTA Luncheon TVNZ won 3 of the 4 awards for News and Current Affairs Craft.

TVNZ’s NEWS & CURRENT AFFAIRS AFTA AWARDS 2011:

BEST NEWS – ONE NEWS

BEST CURRENT AFFAIRS REPORTING (Weekly) – AMANDA MILLAR & JOANNE MITCHELL, SUNDAY

SUNDAY (TV1) – Innocent

BEST CURRENT AFFAIRS REPORTING (Daily) – MARK CRYSELL & KATE MCCALLUM, CLOSE UP

Close Up (TV1) – Webster

BEST NEWS EDITING – PAUL SPARKES, ONE NEWS

ONE News Special Report (TV1) – CCTV

BEST CURRENT AFFAIRS CAMERA – MARTIN ANDERSON, 20/20*

20/20 (TV2) – Rite of Passage

Rite of Passage followed Shortland Street actor, Kiel McNaughton and his Papua New Guinean wife, Kerry Warkia who made a promise to Kerry’s late father to bring their children up with the customs and traditions of his tribe.

BEST CURRENT AFFAIRS EDITING – NICK REID, 20/20

20/20 (TV2) – Sitting on a Killer

Sitting on a Killer told the story of two 32 year old kiwis, Jared and Claire, both dying of bowel cancer.

* The Best Current Affairs Camera is the Joe von Dinklage Memorial Award. Joe was the cameraman who drowned when a helicopter carrying Paul Holmes and a Holmes TV crew crashed into the sea at Anaura Bay in 1989.

At the AFTA Craft Luncheon in Auckland this afternoon 20/20 cameraman Martin Anderson was presented with the prestigious Joe von Dinklage Memorial Award for Best Current Affairs Camera. This is the second year in a row Martin has won the award.

“The AFTA Craft Awards are very special because it’s really the only time we get to recognise the work done by the extremely talented people who work behind the camera – their craft and professionalism is outstanding, and it’s fantastic to see that recognition officially from the judges,” said TVNZ’s Head of News and Current Affairs, Anthony Flannery.

“It’s been the biggest year for news in TVNZ’s history, and our team has given it everything.

“They’ve worked on rolling deadlines and under immense pressure over the past 12 months to deliver vitally important stories to New Zealand and it’s great to be able to take some time today to say thanks to them all.

“I believe they’ve delivered a world class service to our viewers and we can be very proud of their efforts”.

BEST NEWS EDITING – PAUL SPARKES, ONE NEWS

ONE News Special Report – CCTV

BEST CURRENT AFFAIRS CAMERA – MARTIN ANDERSON, 20/20

20/20 (TV2) – Rite of Passage

BEST CURRENT AFFAIRS EDITING – NICK REID, 20/20

20/20 (TV2) – Sitting on a Killer

The Best Current Affairs Camera is the Joe von Dinklage Memorial Award. Joe was the cameraman who drowned when a helicopter carrying Paul Holmes and a Holmes TV crew crashed into the sea at Anaura Bay in 1989.

The AFTA Awards gala event is being held on Saturday night at Auckland’s Viaduct Events Centre.