Popstars to Pop Up as TVNZ Simulcast
March 30, 2021 
3 Comments
In a unique programming gambit, TVNZ 1 and TVNZ 2 will simulcast the April 12 premiere of Popstars.
The latest twist on the talent quest format will screen 7.30 Monday-Wednesday but for one night only will go out on both TVNZ channels at the same time.
Clearly TVNZ wants to maximise sampling of the series, which has broadened the original girl band concept to include duos, soloists and groups — especially since it’s being launched opposite Three’s chart-busting crowdpleaser, Married at First Sight Australia.
It’s experimented with this strategy on other local series by scheduling same-week repeats or running them on different nights across TVNZ 2 and Duke, as it will do with the upcoming Patriot Brains.
But this will be the first time the broadcaster’s locked off the same ultra-primetime slot to launch a series on both of its flagship networks.
Presumably, it thought the initiative a novel way of connecting with fans of the original Popstars in the ’90s, who now would fit the older TVNZ 1 demographic, while introducing the concept to a new generation on the younger-skewing TVNZ 2.
TVNZ 2 also will repeat each night’s broadcast the following day at 11.05am.
The new Popstars is a TVNZ 2 partnership with Screentime New Zealand and Warner Music New Zealand.
One of the original show’s fans, New York based Grammy Award winning singer Kimbra Lee Johnson, will be the head judge on a panel that includes Nathan King and Vince Harder.
The first week’s episodes will cover auditions at The Civic Theatre in Auckland and The Isaac Theatre Royal in Christchurch.
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March 31, 2021 at 9:14 am
I get the whole idea of road blocking a programme but I doubt it’s gonna’ work for TVNZ. They did it in Australia and with X Factor NZ on Three & the old FOUR. This move just annoys viewers. TVNZ is better off making a bid for MAFS in 2022 or making a local version which Three has discontinued to try and arrest their 7.30 ratings.
What a ridiculous idea, it’s just going to make people head for Disney+ or Netflix, it also shows how badly TVNZ are doing 🙂
The awful promos with our intrepid trio facing a wall of crappy speakers is more than enough. When I saw the word “simulcast” in the headline it brought back memories of the ’80s before stereo TV sound when programmes like Radio With Pictures would simulcast the audio through local FM radio stations.