New Zealand’s Shortland Street gets social boost from TikTok in tandem with TVNZ relaunch

TikTok will co-stream the first episode of returning NZ drama Shortland Street

New Zealand’s longest-running domestic drama series, Shortland Street, will return to TVNZ this month in tandem with a network-first drama content partnership with TikTok, which will stream the first episode at the same time.

Shortland Street: New Blood returns after a production hiatus and a government funded reprieve, with a new three night per week format airing on TVNZ 2 and TVNZ+.

The TikTok partnership represents the first time TVNZ will screen local drama content on TikTok, having previously only streamed a live local music celebration on the social media platform.

The TikTok broadcast will feature additional content including a live Q&A and reactions from the cast in a split-screen live stream set up.

The live TikTok screening is supported by a multi-channelled promotional campaign across radio, digital, out of home, on air and social platforms in a bid to attract wider and younger audiences to the iconic programme.

Produced by South Pacific Pictures and adapted from a Grundy TV format, the series had been running on TVNZ since 1992.

Following operational cuts at the TVNZ last year, government screen funding agency NZ On Air contributed NZ$3m (US$1.8m) to support continued production, while the eligibility criteria for the New Zealand Screen Production Rebate (NZSPR) for locally made content with strong cultural value was tweaked to include the series.

Earlier in the week, STV Player announced that it had picked up the new series of Shortland Street, which now returns to UK audiences after an absence from broadcasts since 2010.