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On February 15, 1980, Television One and South Pacific Television were dissolved and became Television One and Television Two, under the newly formed Broadcasting Corporation of New Zealand (BCNZ). Both channels started broadcasting under the new entity the next day, 16/02/1980.

Top Half was Television New Zealand's northern regional news broadcast, broadcast on TV One. It covered an area from Turangi in the south to North Cape. The first programme was broadcast on 16/02/1980 and finished nine years later at the end of 1989. The original regional programme was Town and Around, (1966 to 1973) followed by This Day in Auckland. From April 1989 Top Half was broadcast on TV2 to accommodate the new Holmes programme.

  • 1Dramatic introduction in the St James Theatre, Auckland, to the best of the Top Half regional stories for 1983.

    • Start 0 : 00 : 00
    • Finish 00 : 01 : 32
    • Duration 01 : 32
    Locations
    • Auckland, New Zealand (Auckland)
    Live Broadcast
    • No
    Commercials
    • No
  • 2Tim Shadbolt, the concrete contractor who became Mayor, worked through several election issues, like the new Daimler car bought before he was elected; being sued by the council over several allegations; and scepticism about his competence.

    • Start 00 : 01 : 32
    • Finish 00 : 04 : 52
    • Duration 03 : 20
    Reporters
    • Roger Price (Reporter, Television New Zealand)
    Speakers
    • Tim Shadbolt (Mayor of Waitemata)
    • Tony Covic (Ex Mayor of Waitemata)
    Locations
    • Auckland, New Zealand (Auckland)
    Live Broadcast
    • No
    Commercials
    • No
  • 3De Brett's Hotel holds 'Dole Day Afternoons' where the unemployed can hear local bands for $2.

    • Start 00 : 04 : 52
    • Finish 00 : 06 : 17
    • Duration 01 : 25
    Reporters
    • Alison Carter (Reporter, Television New Zealand)
    Contributors
    • Peking Man (Band)
    Locations
    • Auckland, New Zealand (Auckland)
    Live Broadcast
    • No
    Commercials
    • No
  • 4Small Corners, which did stories on small and remote places, was a big success this year and Waihi Bay, Lake Taupo, was a favourite.

    • Start 00 : 06 : 17
    • Finish 00 : 13 : 33
    • Duration 07 : 16
    Reporters
    • Chas Toogood (Reporter, Television New Zealand)
    Locations
    • Waihi Bay, Lake Taupo, Turangi, Waikato, undefined
    Live Broadcast
    • No
    Commercials
    • Yes
  • 5Auckland's new striptease club has men stripping and women paying to see the action.

    • Start 00 : 13 : 33
    • Finish 00 : 15 : 02
    • Duration 01 : 29
    Reporters
    • Marcia Fleming (Reporter, Television New Zealand)
    Speakers
    • voxpop (Voxpop)
    Locations
    • Auckland, New Zealand (Auckland)
    Live Broadcast
    • No
    Commercials
    • No
  • 6A man on a unicycle wearing a papier mâché egg is not a usual sight on New Zealand roads but Whitianga commune member Brodie Andrews is practising for a ride from North Cape to parliament next year as part of his election campaign.

    • Start 00 : 15 : 02
    • Finish 00 : 15 : 44
    • Duration 00 : 42
    Reporters
    • Alex Dempsey (Reporter, Television New Zealand)
    Locations
    • Whitianga, New Zealand (Waikato)
    Live Broadcast
    • No
    Commercials
    • No
  • 7Miss Tuipare takes a swim every day with her tiny cignet and the small swan is something of a local celebrity.

    • Start 00 : 15 : 44
    • Finish 00 : 17 : 21
    • Duration 01 : 37
    Reporters
    • Liz Lysaght (Reporter, Television New Zealand)
    Contributors
    • School pupils (Lake Rotoma School)
    Locations
    • Rotorua, New Zealand (Bay of Plenty)
    Live Broadcast
    • No
    Commercials
    • No
  • 8Teenagers Natalie Young and Shane Fife from Cambridge are prize winning ballroom dancers and are practising in an orchard packing shed.

    • Start 00 : 17 : 21
    • Finish 00 : 18 : 55
    • Duration 01 : 34
    Reporters
    • Liz Lysaght (Reporter, Television New Zealand)
    Locations
    • Cambridge, New Zealand (Waikato)
    Live Broadcast
    • No
    Commercials
    • Yes
  • 9The Hollywood Cinema in Avondale, Auckland, has a restored Wurlitzer organ which was used to provide a soundtrack for silent films. It was in the Regent cinema, and after five years of restoration it is making a comeback.

    • Start 00 : 21 : 23
    • Finish 00 : 23 : 53
    • Duration 02 : 30
    Reporters
    • Alex Dempsey (Reporter, Television New Zealand)
    Speakers
    • Brett Morris (Organist)
    Locations
    • Avondale, New Zealand (Auckland)
    Live Broadcast
    • No
    Commercials
    • No
  • 10The Aunties entertain toddlers at day care centres, but they were all unemployed actors.

    • Start 00 : 23 : 53
    • Finish 00 : 25 : 10
    • Duration 01 : 17
    Reporters
    • Raf Irving (Reporter, Television New Zealand)
    Contributors
    • The Aunties (Entertainers)
    Locations
    • Auckland, New Zealand (Auckland)
    Live Broadcast
    • No
    Commercials
    • No
  • 11Chas Toogood takes on Rowan Aitkinson

    • Start 00 : 25 : 10
    • Finish 00 : 27 : 48
    • Duration 02 : 38
    Reporters
    • Chas Toogood (Reporter, Television New Zealand)
    Speakers
    • Rowan Atkinson (Actor)
    Locations
    • Auckland, New Zealand (Auckland)
    Live Broadcast
    • No
    Commercials
    • No
Primary Title
  • Top Half
Secondary Title
  • The Best of 1983
Date Broadcast
  • Saturday 20 April 2013
Start Time
  • 04 : 00
Finish Time
  • 04 : 30
Duration
  • 30:00
Channel
  • TVNZ Heartland
Broadcaster
  • Sky Network Television
Programme Description
  • Top Half was Television New Zealand's northern regional news broadcast, broadcast on TV One. It covered an area from Turangi in the south to North Cape. The first programme was broadcast on 16/02/1980 and finished nine years later at the end of 1989. The original regional programme was Town and Around, (1966 to 1973) followed by This Day in Auckland. From April 1989 Top Half was broadcast on TV2 to accommodate the new Holmes programme.
Episode Description
  • On February 15, 1980, Television One and South Pacific Television were dissolved and became Television One and Television Two, under the newly formed Broadcasting Corporation of New Zealand (BCNZ). Both channels started broadcasting under the new entity the next day, 16/02/1980.
Classification
  • Not Classified
Owning Collection
  • Chapman Archive
Broadcast Platform
  • Television
Languages
  • English
Captions
Live Broadcast
  • No
Rights Statement
  • Made for the University of Auckland's educational use as permitted by the Screenrights Licensing Agreement.
Notes
  • Recording is ex Heartland Channel, 2013.
Genres
  • Current affairs
Hosts
  • Judy Bailey (Host)
  • John Hawkesby (Host)
Reporters
  • Alex Dempsey (Reporter, Television New Zealand)
  • Alison Carter (Reporter, Television New Zealand)
  • Chas Toogood (Reporter, Television New Zealand)
  • Liz Lysaght (Reporter, Television New Zealand)
  • Marcia Fleming (Reporter, Television New Zealand)
  • Raf Irving (Reporter, Television New Zealand)
  • Roger Price (Reporter, Television New Zealand)
Speakers
  • Brett Morris (Organist)
  • Rowan Atkinson (Actor)
  • Tim Shadbolt (Mayor of Waitemata)
  • Tony Covic (Ex Mayor of Waitemata)
  • voxpop (Voxpop)
Locations
  • Auckland, New Zealand (Auckland)
  • Waihi Bay, Lake Taupo, Turangi, Waikato, undefined
  • Whitianga, New Zealand (Waikato)
  • Rotorua, New Zealand (Bay of Plenty)
  • Cambridge, New Zealand (Waikato)
  • Avondale, New Zealand (Auckland)
Contributors
  • Peking Man (Band)
  • School pupils (Lake Rotoma School)
  • The Aunties (Entertainers)