Is this the end of NZ reality TV as we know it?

Originally published by The Spinoff . Some of the biggest shows on television might well be airing their final seasons in 2024. Duncan Greive explains why.

If you’re just watching television on your couch, the way God intended, this might look like a strong year for New Zealand reality TV. Three has screened My Mum, Your Dad and is currently showing the return of Married at First Sight (MAFS) NZ , while The Traitors NZ returns for what looks a terrific second season shortly. TVNZ has a similarly stacked line-up, with Celebrity Treasure Island (CTI) continuing its golden return and Love It or List It NZ , Grand Designs NZ and MKR NZ all coming down the pipe.

The thing about television, though, is we’re always living in the past. Those shows were largely commissioned in 2023, an entirely different economic reality for New Zealand media. Since then we’ve seen the advertising market tank, and TVNZ jettison two of its highest-rating and most beloved news shows in Sunday and Fair Go , on the way to forecasting a staggering loss of up to $33 million .

Somehow, that’s the good news in free-to-air television. Warner Bros Discovery (WBD), owners of Three and ThreeNow, completely shut down Newshub , signalled a potential withdrawal from Bravo and trimmed jobs everywhere. By August, just 150 people will work at what was until recently a beefy powerhouse of New Zealand media.

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