Country Calendar - TVNZ series
A DigitalNZ Story by Zokoroa
Country Calendar since it first screened in 1966
Country Calendar, TVNZ, TV, Television, Farming, Agriculture
Country Calendar which first screened on TVNZ One on Sunday 6 March 1966 with presenter Fred Barnes is the longest-running series produced in NZ. Content has featured aspects of rural farming, forestry, and fishing. A delight to many viewers has been spoof episodes, which included fence-playing musical farmers and radio-controlled dogs. The weekly episodes were initially 15 minutes long; then increased to half an hour during the 1970s. Screening switched to Saturdays in the 1990s; then reverted back to 7pm on Sundays in 2017.
"Country Calendar" first screened on TVNZ 1 on Sunday, 6 March 1966
NZ On Screen
Concept of a round-up of news for farmers was conceived by Gilbert Stringer, NZBC Director-General
Stringer was the inaugural Director-General from 1962-1967
Tauranga City Libraries
The 15-minute weekly episodes were mainly market reports & interviews filmed in the studio & field reports up to 5 mins
Episodes increased to 30 minutes during 1970s & switched to Saturdays during 1990s and back to Sunday in 2017
Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage
First episode featured an apricot orchard in Central Otago
Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage
First presenter was Fred Barnes who appeared on screen smoking a pipe
Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage
Theme music since 1970s was the “Hillbilly child” by the British Alan Moorhouse Band
Radio New Zealand
Episodes & naming rights
Over the decades, episodes have featured aspects of rural farming, including high country musters, helicopter deer capture, orchards; forestry, and fishing. From 2013 the show has had 30 episodes per season, which was increased to 40 episodes in 2016. The show's naming rights sponsor since 1991 has been Hyundai New Zealand, with previous sponsors including the National Bank of New Zealand, AMP New Zealand, and Tux dog biscuits. "Country Calendar" has also received NZ On Air funding since 1991. (Source: Wikipedia: Country Calendar)
Mustering sheep
Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage
Country Calendar - Tim Wallis
NZ On Screen
Country Calendar - Cow World
NZ On Screen
Country Calendar - Cashmere
NZ On Screen
Country Calendar - The Grass is Greener
NZ On Screen
Country Calendar
NZ On Screen
Farming on the Chathams
Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage
D’Urville Island barge
Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage
Country Calendar - Blow by Blow (Godfrey Bowen)
NZ On Screen
Farm cadet scheme
Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage
Sharing agricultural knowledge
Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage
Country Calendar - Dave Saxton
NZ On Screen
Country Calendar - Ron Hintz
NZ On Screen
Country Calendar - Daggy and the Dickheads
NZ On Screen
Life in the rain
Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage
Country Calendar - A Bird in the Hand
NZ On Screen
Spoofs / satirical stories
A delight to many viewers has been spoof episodes, including the following stories:
1977: Playing music with a high-tensile wire fence
Musical fence
Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage
Radio-controlled dogs: Spoof writer Burton Silver poses as Dr Ross Duncan, inventor
Country calendar
Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage
1978: Rural clothing fashion designed by Garnet Nelson & modelled by farmers
Country Calendar - Rural Fashions
NZ On Screen
2016: Spinoff's Calum Henderson revisits five of the show’s famous spoofs
Throwback Thursday: Five of the best Country Calendar spoofs
The Spinoff
Controversy
2022: Sheep farming practices at Lake Hāwea Station in Central Otago resulted in controversy
What did Country Calendar do to make farmers so mad? An investigation
The Spinoff
One of the practices in the wool shed was to switch music from AC/DC to Vivaldi in an attempt to improve animal welfare
How a Country Calendar episode sparked a national debate.
National Library of New Zealand
RNZ also reported on the controversial sheep-caring practices
Country Calendar farmers caring for sheep upsetting for some
Radio New Zealand
Producers/Directors/Reporters
Over the decades, various people have been involved behind and in front of the camera. See NZ On Screen: Country Calendar - Background. The following interviews are available on DigitalNZ:
Interview (2011) with Frank Torley who narrated, directed, produced, & reported for more than 40 years until 2016
Frank Torley - On and off the farm...
NZ On Screen
Interview (2013) with Ray Waru who was a former producer/director
Ray Waru: Māori broadcasting pioneer...
NZ On Screen
Interview (2016) with John Terris who was a former director during Country Calendar's first season
John Terris: on the early days of New Zealand television...
NZ On Screen
Interview (2016) with presenter Frank Torley & producer Julian O'Brien who look back on 50 years of Country Calendar
50 years of Country Calendar
Radio New Zealand
Interview (2020) with director Kerryanne Evans
Kerryanne Evans on Country Calendar and television journalism
Radio New Zealand
Commemorative celebrations
50 year commemorations included Country Calendar exhibition opening at the Waikato Museum on 11 June 2016
50 years of Country Calendar
Radio New Zealand
Find out more & view selection of episodes:
NZ On Screen: Country Calendar, URL: https://www.nzonscreen.com/title/country-calendar-1966/series
Wikipedia: Country Calendar, URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Country_Calendar
YouTube: TVNZ: Hyundai Country Calendar, URL: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4P5HNnwRQI99b-Vdp88lsDtK7nUrHF_H
This DigitalNZ story was compiled in March 2024