2011 in New Zealand television

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This is a list of New Zealand television events and premieres that occurred in 2011, the 52nd year of continuous operation of television in New Zealand.

Events

• 6 February – Four begins airing. This network focuses on programming for children, with shows such as Sesame Street , Bob the Builder , Thomas and Friends , Peppa Pig , Barney & Friends and several Nickelodeon television shows including original Nicktoons such as Rugrats , Rocko's Modern Life , The Fairly OddParents! , Invader Zim , Hey Arnold! , and SpongeBob SquarePants during the day and a range of programmes aimed at audiences aged 18 to 49 in the evenings. The first programme to air on Four was The Simpsons episode Elementary School Musical.
• 7 February – New Zealand fantasy comedy-drama television series The Almighty Johnsons begins on TV3.
• 28 February – TVNZ 6 closes down. Some TVNZ 6 content, including Kidzone and Shortland Street: From the Beginning, are moved to sister channels TVNZ 7, TVNZ Heartland and TVNZ Kidzone24.
• 13 March – TVNZ U, a social channel aimed at 15 to 24 year olds, is launched.

Premieres

Domestic series

Domestic television series premieres on New Zealand television in 2011

Programme	Original airdate	Network	Ref
The Almighty Johnsons	7 February	TV3	[1]
Bigger, Better, Faster, Stronger	7 February	TV3	[2]
Drew and Shannon Live	7 February	Four
Four Live	7 February	Four
Firstline	7 March	TV3
Mana Mamau	7 July	Māori Television
Nothing Trivial	20 July	TV One
U Live	13 March	U
Underbelly NZ: Land of the Long Green Cloud	17 August	TV3	[3]

International series

International television series premieres on New Zealand television in 2011

Programme	Original airdate	Network	Country of origin	Ref
Power Rangers Samurai	2 July	Nickelodeon	United States
Bananas in Pyjamas (2011)	July 2011	Four	Australia
The Looney Tunes Show	2011	TV2	United States
Little Charley Bear	2011	TVNZ Kidzone 24	United Kingdom

Telemovies and miniseries

Domestic television telemovie and miniseries premieres on New Zealand television in 2011

Programme	Original airdate	Network	Ref

Documentaries

Domestic television documentary premieres on New Zealand television in 2011

Programme	Original airdate(s)	Network	Ref

Specials

Domestic television special premieres on New Zealand television in 2011

Programme	Original airdate(s)	Network(s)	Ref

Programming changes

Programmes changing networks

Criterion for inclusion in the following list is that New Zealand premiere episodes will air in New Zealand for the first time on the new network. This includes when a programme is moved from a free-to-air network's primary channel to a digital multi-channel, as well as when a programme moves between subscription television channels – provided the preceding criterion is met. Ended television series which change networks for repeat broadcasts are not included in the list.

Domestic television series which changed network affiliation in 2011

Programme	Date	New network	Previous network	Ref

International television programmes which changed channel/network in 2011

Programme	Date	New network	Previous network	Country of origin	Ref
The Simpsons	6 February	Four	TV3	United States
The Wild Thornberrys	7 February	Four	TV2	United States
Barney & Friends	7 February	Four	TV3	United States
Thomas and Friends	7 February	Four	TV3	United Kingdom
As Told by Ginger	7 February	Four	TV2	United States
The X's	7 February	Four	TV3	United States
El Tigre: The Adventures of Manny Rivera	7 February	Four	TV3	United States
Sesame Street	7 February	Four	TV3	United States
The Wiggles Show	7 February	Four	TV3	Australia
Hey Arnold!	7 February	Four	TV3	United States
Rugrats	7 February	Four	TV3	United States
Curious George	7 February	Four	TV3	United States

Free-to-air premieres

This is a list of programmes which made their premiere on New Zealand free-to-air television that had previously premiered on New Zealand subscription television. Programmes may still air on the original subscription television network.

Programme	Date	Free-to-air network	Subscription network(s)	Country of origin	Ref

Subscription premieres

This is a list of programmes which made their premiere on New Zealand subscription television that had previously premiered on New Zealand free-to-air television. Programmes may still air on the original free-to-air television network.

International television series that premiered on New Zealand free-to-air television in 2011

Programme	Date	Free-to-air network	Subscription network(s)	Country of origin	Ref

Programmes returning in 2011

Returning programmes on New Zealand television in 2011

Programme	Return date	Network	Original run	Ref

Milestone episodes in 2011

Domestic television series which have reached a milestone in 2011

Show	Network	Episode #	Episode title	Episode air date	Source

Programmes ending in 2011

Domestic programmes ending on New Zealand television in 2011

Programme	End date	Network	Start date	Ref

Channels

Launches:

• 1 March: Sky Arena

Deaths

Date	Name	Age	Notability	Source

References

1. "National TV • NZ On Air". Nzonair.govt.nz. Archived from the original on 2 May 2015. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
2. "Danger men aim to take science further". The New Zealand Herald . Retrieved 18 January 2015.
3. "New Platinum Fund TV projects announced". Archived from the original on 19 February 2014. Retrieved 30 December 2014.