Easter Promotion for Q + A

Heightened interest in news and current affairs has prompted TVNZ 1 to air a Q + A With Jack Tame over Easter ahead of its primetime promotion.

The 9am April 12 broadcast will replace the previously scheduled Building the Ultimate — and will be the last edition to air this year on Sunday mornings.

From April 20, Q + A will screen 9.30 Mondays in a slot where for the past two years it’s struggled to gain traction.

It’s likely TVNZ 1 was always going tor resume Q + A in peak-hour because it’s an election year.

But public interest in all things COVID-19 would have given the move extra impetus, especially given the programme’s excellent coverage of the pandemic and its political and economic ramifications.

Q + A’s Easter bonus follows TVNZ 1’s decision to break with tradition and do likewise with Breakfast and Seven Sharp.

Meanwhile, reduced advertising sales and reduced programme durations continue to daily reshape TVNZ’s schedules.

For instance, TVNZ 2 is adding a 9.15 episode of Neighbours at War to Thursday nights because, with preceding slots running five minutes shorter, it can’t start the adults-only Naked Attraction before 9.30 (this week’s episode will screen at 9.35).

And Thursday and Friday’s Coronation Street will start 10 minutes earlier on TVNZ 1, at 9.30.