Video Games

Rip It Up, Issue 244, 1 December 1997, Page 33

Video Games

Andrew Penman reckons Salmonella Dub and his Curious artists are missing out on video funding because they don’t come from Auckland. But it’s not where you come from that counts when NZ On Air is allocating music video grants, Andrew. And it’s not what label you’re on - indie or major, Curious or Virgin - doesn’t matter to us. What counts is the airplay potential of the music. Is the vid going to get decent airplay on television - not token play but heaps of it — and thereby contribute to the overall goal of more New Zealand music on air? That’s the question we ask. A vid that doesn’t get seen is no use as far as we’re concerned, wherever the band comes from, whatever the record company. It’s not much use to us and it’s not much use to the record company of the band either Your place of birth doesn’t come into it. Your hometown doesn’t come into it. Your record company connections don’t come into it. It’s the airplay merits of the music. With music videos, we’re clear that we’re in the airplay business. We’re not in the regional development business or the social welfare business or the talent development business.

We’re not into making artistic judgements or genre value judgements. Basically, if it’s New Zealand music and it’s going to get lots of airplay, then we’re interested. Brendan Smyth, NZ On Air, Wellington.