John Barnett: Former South Pacific Pictures managing director on the uncertain future of Shortland Street

Speculation's flying around about the future of Shortland Street.  

The prime-time soap opera's lost its head writer to the UK and other staff have reportedly been told to find new jobs.  

TVNZ hasn't confirmed the show will return next year.  

Former South Pacific Pictures managing director John Barnett says the show scaled back its set and storylines when it transitioned from five days to three days a week. 

He told Heather du Plessis-Allan it's also been tough to attract audiences with changes in viewing habits. 

Barnett says in the meantime, going to three days a week hasn't been nearly as profitable. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
Area.

Speaker 2 (00:01):
There's speculation tonight that Shortland Street might not be coming
back next year.

Speaker 1 (00:04):
Now.

Speaker 2 (00:05):
Shortland Street has lost its head writer, Jessica Joy would
to the UK, and we understand other staff have also
been told to find new jobs too. So we asked
TV and Z today if Shorty Street will return next year.
They wouldn't confirm that it would. They would only say
it's not canceled and we are working through plans for
what twenty twenty six might look like now. John Barnett
owns South Pacific Pictures, which is the company that makes
Shortland Street for TV and own it for twenty five years.

Speaker 1 (00:27):
And is with us. Now, Hey John, Hi, how are you.

Speaker 2 (00:30):
I'm very well, thank you. Do you think it's back
next year?

Speaker 1 (00:34):
Well, I don't know. I mean if TV and said so,
I'm not sure. I guess the decisions there is. It'll
be a shame if it isn't, But there don't appear
to be assurances at the state if you okay.

Speaker 2 (00:51):
So what we've also heard is that contract staff contracts
run out at the end of June. Have you also
heard this?

Speaker 1 (00:58):
Yes, I think that people who were on staff have
been advised that they would be contractors going forward as
opposed to continuous staff because you know, the show was
a five day a week, fifty week a year production,

(01:22):
so people were actually they were employees of the company,
and I think that the change that tvm Z made
with going three days a week on air meant that
there wasn't fifty weeks production required, and so people have

(01:43):
been contracted, which is more usual in the screen industry.

Speaker 2 (01:48):
Flexible, is it possible? One way of looking at it is.
One way of speculating is that this is all over
and it's not coming back. But an alternative is that
the end of the contracts mean that they are able
to let the staff go scale back from a five
day a week show two or three day a week
or two day a week show for the future. Which
of the two is more likely?

Speaker 1 (02:10):
Well, certainly I think the summary is right, but as
to whether it was three or two, I don't know.
I mean, they've had to make changes in the way
that they've presented the show as they've moved to three days,
and more of it takes place inside the hospital and
less of it is about the life of New Zealand,
which is what engaged people. But viewing habits have changed

(02:33):
so much and audiences have changed, and the demands on
the audience to come in at seven o'clock every night
are quite tough. In the meantime, you can see that
actually going to three days a week has not been
nearly as profitable for TV two as being on as

(02:55):
I must see every night, five nights a week.

Speaker 2 (02:58):
Okay, So if I had to ask you to put
my money on the fact it comes back next year,
what would you do?

Speaker 1 (03:04):
I look the other way, I think at the moment.

Speaker 2 (03:07):
Okay, John, thank you. I appreciate your time this John Bennett,
film and television producer. Obviously you Sawn the company that
made Shorten Street. For more from Hither Duplessy Allen Drive,
listen live to news talks it'd be from four pm weekdays,
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