Feltex awards

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33753, 28 January 1975, Page 4

Feltex awards

Many new judges . have been chosen . for the five panels which will make the preliminary selections for this year’s Feltex television awards. The 15 judges will . meet in panels of three early riext month to select the best programme of 1974 in each of five categories. As in the past, these category winners will be rescreened on N.Z.B.C. television so that last year’s outstanding programme can be chosen by an academy comprised of 200 people from the television and film industries and the general public. This, and other awards, will be presented during a live telecast from Auckland late in March. The five panels which will make the preliminary selections are:— Light entertainment.—Ray Colombus, entertainer and music critic; Joe Musaphia, playwright and columnist for the “Dominion,” Wellington; Barry Shaw, the television critic for the “Auckland Star.” News and current affairs.— Marcia Russell, former editor of “Thursday:” Alex Veysey, a feature writer for the “Dominion:” David Exel, a current affairs broadcaster. Drama and art. —Graeme McFarland, assistant producer at the National Film Unit, who has recently returned from seven years overseas; Mike Nicolaidi, freelance writer and journalist; Mervyn Thompson, director of Downstage. Specialty.—Tom Scott, a 'feature writer for the I “Listener;” Roger Hall, a j television critic and play- | wright; Jim McFarlane. {veteran broadcaster and former manager of WNTVI. Documentary.-—Ron Bowie, who has produced many award-winning films for the National Film Unit; Shirley Maddock, a documentary producer and author; Shona McFarlane, who has been involved in the arts in Dunedin for many years. The Writers’ Award, which

was introduced for the first time last year, has now become part of the awards programme. The selection this year will be made by lan Cross, editor of the “Listener;” Witi Ihimaera, author and this year’s holder of the 1975 Robert Bums Fellowship for literature; and Hamish Keith, writer, critic and broadcaster.