June 13, 2025 • 8 mins
Taskmaster NZ, The Traitors NZ, The Chase NZ – Kevin Milne is wondering if New Zealand has run out of ideas of our own.
Being inspired by the success of overseas productions is fine, he says, but we shouldn’t just be copying them outright.
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Speaker 1 (00:07):
You're listening to the Saturday Morning with Jack Teams podcast
from News Talks, that'd.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Be Steve says Jack. I agree with you. These skills
taught at school are not truly usually not usually used
for future professions, but are a filtration system determining an
individual's application levels for whatever they may choose to learn
in the future. Grant says Jack. Typically, most of what
we learn at school is not relevant to the career
(00:32):
that people end up working in. That's true, although you know,
sometimes it is, you know, and it's very hard to
decide at an early age what isn't isn't? I suppose
the difference with something like AI is it just seems
very comparable to me to a calculator, say, like, is it?
It's going to be here, The technology is going to
be here. It's going to be a big part of
everyday life. So are we not better just to embrace it?
(00:55):
You know, like if no one's learning like you know,
I use the long division example, what's the point in
learning long division when we all have calculators? What's the
point in learning to craft a perfect say when we
all have generative AI? Jack says Aaron. Probably your best
editorial of the year. How about that? Thank you ninety
two ninety two. If you want to send us a
missus jacket News Talks HEDB dot co dot nz is
(01:17):
the email address eighteen past nine, which means Kevin Milne
is with us this morning, Killer Kevin Curder Jack.
Speaker 3 (01:24):
Yes, I learned tea line two and and also typing.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
Oh yeah, there's a classic.
Speaker 3 (01:32):
And so they were. They were tough subjects to deal with. Really,
so could you do?
Speaker 2 (01:38):
Could you do eighty words a minute and tea line?
Speaker 3 (01:40):
Now? I don't think I will have to go to
my certificate and have a look at that again, but
because I think that might have been the past mark
as well. Yeah, and I did pass it, but I
can't remember going that quite that fast. Maybe it was
sixty was our past mat.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
I think eighty words a minute is slightly slower than
than I'm like, if I'm speaking right now, I'm probably
speaking slightly faster than eighty words a minute, but it's
only a little bit slower than than you know, so
you get the kind of the crux of everything, but
you're really working for eighty words a minute.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
Yeah, for sure. I think your point about learning to
learn is a good one. But I think, can't you
learn to learn with something that's actually going to progress
you in some way? And I immediately think of foreign
languages for example, Yeah, Maori, Maori? Why not learn to
learn learning Maori?
Speaker 2 (02:27):
Yeah, I mean you can learn to learn from all
manner of things. But language is another really good example.
Speaker 3 (02:32):
Right.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
There are lots of tools now that can translate language
in real time. So it's really to think that in
twenty years time, you know, foreign languages won't matter. And
yet I think we can still see the value, like
a broader value in learning those skills.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
Yeah. I thought they had quite a good example, but
you make you a good point. No, eventually that will go.
I can't think of anything really though. I can feel
sure that we're learning now that we're going to really need.
Speaker 2 (02:59):
Yeah, well you can't be sure of what we will need, right, Yeah,
I mean this is what I think. Basically, teaching the
the broader skills so that people are able to adapt
quickly in the future, that's what you want to try
and inspire in people, and so that people are resilient
when they're when they're experiencing change. That's what you want
to develop in people, and it sounds kind of nebulous,
(03:20):
but actually trying to work that out I think is
you know, should be the goal of education. Anyway, we're
taking the big issues this morning, Kevin, But you want
to talk something slightly more trivial. You want to talk TV.
Speaker 3 (03:31):
Yeah, well, not that trivial. I mean, I'm not liking
this trend in New Zealand to take shows like The
Chase or Grand Designs and copy them to make The
Chase New Zealand, Grand Designs New Zealand or all the
other shows that we've done it to have we no
ideas of our own anymore. A TV executive, if you
(03:51):
sustain his office of the early hours every night watching
overseas shows, once told me, Kevin, every good idea for
a new TV program has already been thought of. That's
why we keep an eye on the rest of the world.
What the the world's making now. As a program maker,
I found that depressing and actually wrong. Imagine if we
(04:14):
had taken that stance when Country Calendar was being created,
or Fair Go or some great kid shows like What
Now and Here's Andy. I'm not saying we shouldn't keep
an eye on what other countries are making, and even
maybe stealing some ideas. Fair Go, for example, was created
after some producers looked at the successful British consumers show
(04:37):
That's Life. But they didn't just go, let's contact the
BBC and by the rights to make That's Life news
even No, they went about making their own consumers show
fair Go, which was different and subsequently became even more
successful in New Zealand than That's Life was in the UK.
Country calendar. The dog Show, Absolute Kiwi classics were never
(04:59):
copies of some other countries program are we losing our
confidence to come up with shows that are you and
v originals? I accept there's one odd brilliant example, the
Casket Tears mm hmm.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
I totally agree Carts is brilliant television. But I suspect Kevin.
Although I absolutely agree and lament that we don't have
more New Zealand productions, I suspect at the core of
all this is an economic problem. I reckon I don't
have any inside running on this, despite my despite my
job with TV and ZEN. I reckon, at the end
(05:35):
of the day, they'll be saying, right, what's going to
cost us money, what's going to make us money? And
the truth is that making local content, especially if it's
you know, a brand new format that you're starting from scratch,
is really really expensive.
Speaker 3 (05:49):
Yes, no, totally except that, and I'm sure that is
the reason. Yeah, it's a it's a reason. Pert's why
we shouldn't be putting more money towards to a TV.
Speaker 2 (06:03):
Yeah, yeah, I mean it's a this this is the right.
It's you know, if you're to break down the different
the different stre you know, the different kind of streams
of content how they describe it in the TV business.
You know, you think about sport, you think about local content,
international content, and news. Local content is just preposterously expensive
to make because you still need to you know, you've
(06:25):
got to buy all of the cameras or hire the
cameras and the lights and all of that stuff. You've
got to be there, you've got to film and telly
and unlike other media forms, it's just preposterously expensive. And
so they're always saying, are we going to make our
money back? Sadly?
Speaker 3 (06:40):
Yeah, yeah, well that's right. So that's probably why they
go for programs that have already succeeded somewhere else. Although
to be very expensive or even so to make say
grand designs New Zeron. Yeah, I would have thought that
would still be a very expensive program to make. I
just say, why don't we look at Grand Designs written
and say, yes, you can make it a successful show out
(07:02):
of architecture and go out and make our own one.
Speaker 2 (07:05):
Yeah, no, I totally agree. Actually, do you know, I've
seen a couple of great shows. I mean, I love
Grand Designs honestly not my favorite shows, so don't get
me wrong there. But the company that make Grand Designs
also made the show called Designing Dreams. And if you're
into if you're into architecture and you're into design, I
strongly recommend you go and watch Designing Dreams. So it's
on it's on Neon, and it's hosted by matthew Ridge,
(07:27):
and you might go hang on a second matthew Ridge.
But matthew Ridge does an extraordinary job because he doesn't
intend to know everything, so he just goes in and
the concept of the show is that they go around
with the New Zealand architect and he gets the architect
to introduce him to some of their work and then
to show him their three favorite New Zealand houses by
other designers. And so there goes and visit those, so
(07:48):
there you go. Designing Dreams is my pick for you
this weekend, Kevin. That is fantastic New Zealand concept.
Speaker 3 (07:53):
Thank you fantastic.
Speaker 2 (07:55):
Thank you for your time this morning, Kevin, and thank
you for your feedback this morning. Jack says Mars, as
soon as you mentioned long division, my heart rate went up.
I broke out. Nicole sweat. Yeah, You're probably not the
only one there, sorry, Marz.
Speaker 1 (08:06):
For more from Saturday Morning with Jack Tame, listen live
to Newstalks EDB from nine am Saturday, or follow the
podcast on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Saturday Morning with Jack Teams podcast
from News Talks, that'd.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Be Steve says Jack. I agree with you. These skills
taught at school are not truly usually not usually used
for future professions, but are a filtration system determining an
individual's application levels for whatever they may choose to learn
in the future. Grant says Jack. Typically, most of what
we learn at school is not relevant to the career
(00:32):
that people end up working in. That's true, although you know,
sometimes it is, you know, and it's very hard to
decide at an early age what isn't isn't? I suppose
the difference with something like AI is it just seems
very comparable to me to a calculator, say, like, is it?
It's going to be here, The technology is going to
be here. It's going to be a big part of
everyday life. So are we not better just to embrace it?
(00:55):
You know, like if no one's learning like you know,
I use the long division example, what's the point in
learning long division when we all have calculators? What's the
point in learning to craft a perfect say when we
all have generative AI? Jack says Aaron. Probably your best
editorial of the year. How about that? Thank you ninety
two ninety two. If you want to send us a
missus jacket News Talks HEDB dot co dot nz is
(01:17):
the email address eighteen past nine, which means Kevin Milne
is with us this morning, Killer Kevin Curder Jack.
Speaker 3 (01:24):
Yes, I learned tea line two and and also typing.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
Oh yeah, there's a classic.
Speaker 3 (01:32):
And so they were. They were tough subjects to deal with. Really,
so could you do?
Speaker 2 (01:38):
Could you do eighty words a minute and tea line?
Speaker 3 (01:40):
Now? I don't think I will have to go to
my certificate and have a look at that again, but
because I think that might have been the past mark
as well. Yeah, and I did pass it, but I
can't remember going that quite that fast. Maybe it was
sixty was our past mat.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
I think eighty words a minute is slightly slower than
than I'm like, if I'm speaking right now, I'm probably
speaking slightly faster than eighty words a minute, but it's
only a little bit slower than than you know, so
you get the kind of the crux of everything, but
you're really working for eighty words a minute.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
Yeah, for sure. I think your point about learning to
learn is a good one. But I think, can't you
learn to learn with something that's actually going to progress
you in some way? And I immediately think of foreign
languages for example, Yeah, Maori, Maori? Why not learn to
learn learning Maori?
Speaker 2 (02:27):
Yeah, I mean you can learn to learn from all
manner of things. But language is another really good example.
Speaker 3 (02:32):
Right.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
There are lots of tools now that can translate language
in real time. So it's really to think that in
twenty years time, you know, foreign languages won't matter. And
yet I think we can still see the value, like
a broader value in learning those skills.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
Yeah. I thought they had quite a good example, but
you make you a good point. No, eventually that will go.
I can't think of anything really though. I can feel
sure that we're learning now that we're going to really need.
Speaker 2 (02:59):
Yeah, well you can't be sure of what we will need, right, Yeah,
I mean this is what I think. Basically, teaching the
the broader skills so that people are able to adapt
quickly in the future, that's what you want to try
and inspire in people, and so that people are resilient
when they're when they're experiencing change. That's what you want
to develop in people, and it sounds kind of nebulous,
(03:20):
but actually trying to work that out I think is
you know, should be the goal of education. Anyway, we're
taking the big issues this morning, Kevin, But you want
to talk something slightly more trivial. You want to talk TV.
Speaker 3 (03:31):
Yeah, well, not that trivial. I mean, I'm not liking
this trend in New Zealand to take shows like The
Chase or Grand Designs and copy them to make The
Chase New Zealand, Grand Designs New Zealand or all the
other shows that we've done it to have we no
ideas of our own anymore. A TV executive, if you
(03:51):
sustain his office of the early hours every night watching
overseas shows, once told me, Kevin, every good idea for
a new TV program has already been thought of. That's
why we keep an eye on the rest of the world.
What the the world's making now. As a program maker,
I found that depressing and actually wrong. Imagine if we
(04:14):
had taken that stance when Country Calendar was being created,
or Fair Go or some great kid shows like What
Now and Here's Andy. I'm not saying we shouldn't keep
an eye on what other countries are making, and even
maybe stealing some ideas. Fair Go, for example, was created
after some producers looked at the successful British consumers show
(04:37):
That's Life. But they didn't just go, let's contact the
BBC and by the rights to make That's Life news
even No, they went about making their own consumers show
fair Go, which was different and subsequently became even more
successful in New Zealand than That's Life was in the UK.
Country calendar. The dog Show, Absolute Kiwi classics were never
(04:59):
copies of some other countries program are we losing our
confidence to come up with shows that are you and
v originals? I accept there's one odd brilliant example, the
Casket Tears mm hmm.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
I totally agree Carts is brilliant television. But I suspect Kevin.
Although I absolutely agree and lament that we don't have
more New Zealand productions, I suspect at the core of
all this is an economic problem. I reckon I don't
have any inside running on this, despite my despite my
job with TV and ZEN. I reckon, at the end
(05:35):
of the day, they'll be saying, right, what's going to
cost us money, what's going to make us money? And
the truth is that making local content, especially if it's
you know, a brand new format that you're starting from scratch,
is really really expensive.
Speaker 3 (05:49):
Yes, no, totally except that, and I'm sure that is
the reason. Yeah, it's a it's a reason. Pert's why
we shouldn't be putting more money towards to a TV.
Speaker 2 (06:03):
Yeah, yeah, I mean it's a this this is the right.
It's you know, if you're to break down the different
the different stre you know, the different kind of streams
of content how they describe it in the TV business.
You know, you think about sport, you think about local content,
international content, and news. Local content is just preposterously expensive
to make because you still need to you know, you've
(06:25):
got to buy all of the cameras or hire the
cameras and the lights and all of that stuff. You've
got to be there, you've got to film and telly
and unlike other media forms, it's just preposterously expensive. And
so they're always saying, are we going to make our
money back? Sadly?
Speaker 3 (06:40):
Yeah, yeah, well that's right. So that's probably why they
go for programs that have already succeeded somewhere else. Although
to be very expensive or even so to make say
grand designs New Zeron. Yeah, I would have thought that
would still be a very expensive program to make. I
just say, why don't we look at Grand Designs written
and say, yes, you can make it a successful show out
(07:02):
of architecture and go out and make our own one.
Speaker 2 (07:05):
Yeah, no, I totally agree. Actually, do you know, I've
seen a couple of great shows. I mean, I love
Grand Designs honestly not my favorite shows, so don't get
me wrong there. But the company that make Grand Designs
also made the show called Designing Dreams. And if you're
into if you're into architecture and you're into design, I
strongly recommend you go and watch Designing Dreams. So it's
on it's on Neon, and it's hosted by matthew Ridge,
(07:27):
and you might go hang on a second matthew Ridge.
But matthew Ridge does an extraordinary job because he doesn't
intend to know everything, so he just goes in and
the concept of the show is that they go around
with the New Zealand architect and he gets the architect
to introduce him to some of their work and then
to show him their three favorite New Zealand houses by
other designers. And so there goes and visit those, so
(07:48):
there you go. Designing Dreams is my pick for you
this weekend, Kevin. That is fantastic New Zealand concept.
Speaker 3 (07:53):
Thank you fantastic.
Speaker 2 (07:55):
Thank you for your time this morning, Kevin, and thank
you for your feedback this morning. Jack says Mars, as
soon as you mentioned long division, my heart rate went up.
I broke out. Nicole sweat. Yeah, You're probably not the
only one there, sorry, Marz.
Speaker 1 (08:06):
For more from Saturday Morning with Jack Tame, listen live
to Newstalks EDB from nine am Saturday, or follow the
podcast on iHeartRadio.
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