0/5

Returning: Shortland Street

Shortland Street will begin on Arena next month, 15 weeks behind New Zealand.

2013-01-10_1045New Zealand soap Shortland Street will begin on Arena next month.

The 20 year medical soap, NZ’s longest running drama, has previously been on Australian television before, including 7TWO and even the ABC.

Arena will pick up at episode 5111, which is 15 weeks behind NZ.

As the discussion about NZ content on Australian screens, especially during summer, widens in this case it isn’t being run for local content quota. Foxtel is subject to a different set of criteria which is that “drama” channels must spend 10% of their annual budgets on locally scripted content.

One of the highest-rating programs on New Zealand television, Shortland Street is a serial medical drama; an engaging and entertaining mix of medical crisis, human drama, romance and suspense.

Set in the high-pressure environment of an inner city district hospital, Shortland Street follows the day to day romances and professional dilemmas of a team of caring professionals, committed to their patients, and to each other.

Shortland Street first premiered on 25 May 1992 and last year celebrated its 20th Anniversary, which also marked the screening of the 5000th episode.

5.00pm AEDT weeknights from Monday February 4.

7 Responses

  1. As far as I know 7Two will continue to screen it after the Tennis. Arena was due to commence airing SS on December 3rd at 6.30pm and even ran promos advertising this, however they pushed it back to January, and now February.

  2. I remember even SBS ran Shortland Street in its very early days. I think they ran it over summer in the hope of attracting some H&A/Neighbours fans while those shows were in recess. Was fairly short-lived from what I recall.

  3. David, do you know if the 2011 episodes will continue screening on 7TWO after the tennis? I think they usually take a break this time of year but I’m not sure if this affects Seven’s rights to the show.

  4. The airings on 7Two were around 18 months behind, so there is a huge gap of story lines not being shown. Unless it is still going to be on 7Two, perhaps Arena would have been wise to air it from where 7Two left off and maybe even in double episodes?

Leave a Reply