Avalon, New Zealand
Encyclopedia
Avalon, a suburb
of Lower Hutt
in New Zealand
, formed as a private residential development in the 1970s on land formerly occupied by market
-garden
s on the left (eastern) bank
of the Hutt River
. It features mostly California
-inspired designed houses, often split-level, with 3 or 4 bedroom
s.
ers as the early centre of the country's nation-wide television broadcasting production, particularly with the opening of the purpose-built http://www.avalonstudios.co.nz/ in 1975. Given that New Zealand started regular public television-broadcasting for the first time in 1960, and instituted networked television
in 1973 with only a single (and State-owned) channel
available to viewers, the sole provider of television-broadcasting acquired a monopoly position of immense influence within the New Zealand mass media
, and the name "Avalon" summarised and expressed that clout for many years.
Television New Zealand
inherited the Avalon real-estate and maintains some functions from Avalon, even though its corporate centre now operates in Auckland
. Avalon has continued to produce television-show
s such as Good Morning and the New Zealand Lotteries Commission's live Lotto
draw.
However, in 2011 TVNZ announced that it would be selling off the site for good by 2013, and shifting its remaining shows to Auckland, thus consolidating the broadcaster's Auckland focus. According to Wellington-based TV personalities, the northward drift began in 1980 with the formation of TVNZ, and the subsequent relocation of the TV One newsroom and headquarters to Auckland under then Prime Minister Robert Muldoon
.
Avalon also became the focus of New Zealand film
-production (through and building on the National Film Unit
), which Peter Jackson
bought in the late 1990s and incorporated into his Park Road Post
facility.
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
of Lower Hutt
Lower Hutt
Lower Hutt is a city in the Wellington region of New Zealand. Its council has adopted the name Hutt City Council, but neither the New Zealand Geographic Board nor the Local Government Act recognise the name Hutt City. This alternative name can lead to confusion, as there are two cities in the...
in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, formed as a private residential development in the 1970s on land formerly occupied by market
Market
A market is one of many varieties of systems, institutions, procedures, social relations and infrastructures whereby parties engage in exchange. While parties may exchange goods and services by barter, most markets rely on sellers offering their goods or services in exchange for money from buyers...
-garden
Garden
A garden is a planned space, usually outdoors, set aside for the display, cultivation, and enjoyment of plants and other forms of nature. The garden can incorporate both natural and man-made materials. The most common form today is known as a residential garden, but the term garden has...
s on the left (eastern) bank
Bank
A bank is a financial institution that serves as a financial intermediary. The term "bank" may refer to one of several related types of entities:...
of the Hutt River
Hutt River, New Zealand
thumb|300px|The Hutt River looking downstream.The Hutt River flows through the southern North Island of New Zealand...
. It features mostly California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
-inspired designed houses, often split-level, with 3 or 4 bedroom
Bedroom
A bedroom is a private room where people usually sleep for the night or relax during the day.About one third of our lives are spent sleeping and most of the time we are asleep, we are sleeping in a bedroom. To be considered a bedroom the room needs to have bed. Bedrooms can range from really simple...
s.
Avalon Studios
Avalon came to the attention of most New ZealandNew Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
ers as the early centre of the country's nation-wide television broadcasting production, particularly with the opening of the purpose-built http://www.avalonstudios.co.nz/ in 1975. Given that New Zealand started regular public television-broadcasting for the first time in 1960, and instituted networked television
Television network
A television network is a telecommunications network for distribution of television program content, whereby a central operation provides programming to many television stations or pay TV providers. Until the mid-1980s, television programming in most countries of the world was dominated by a small...
in 1973 with only a single (and State-owned) channel
Television channel
A television channel is a physical or virtual channel over which a television station or television network is distributed. For example, in North America, "channel 2" refers to the broadcast or cable band of 54 to 60 MHz, with carrier frequencies of 55.25 MHz for NTSC analog video and...
available to viewers, the sole provider of television-broadcasting acquired a monopoly position of immense influence within the New Zealand mass media
Media in New Zealand
The media of New Zealand include television stations, radio stations, newspapers, magazines, films and websites. Mostly foreign-owned media conglomerates MediaWorks New Zealand, Australian Provincial Newspapers, The Radio Network, Sky Network Television and Fairfax New Zealand dominate this media...
, and the name "Avalon" summarised and expressed that clout for many years.
Television New Zealand
Television New Zealand
Television New Zealand, more commonly referred to, and stylized as TVNZ, is a government-owned corporation television network broadcasting in New Zealand and parts of the Pacific. It operates TV1, TV2, TVNZ7, TVNZ Heartland, TVNZ U and new media services....
inherited the Avalon real-estate and maintains some functions from Avalon, even though its corporate centre now operates in Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
. Avalon has continued to produce television-show
Television program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
s such as Good Morning and the New Zealand Lotteries Commission's live Lotto
Lotto
Lotto can refer to the following:* Lottery, a form of gambling; lottery refers to a collection of games, while certain specific games have Lotto or Loto as the name....
draw.
However, in 2011 TVNZ announced that it would be selling off the site for good by 2013, and shifting its remaining shows to Auckland, thus consolidating the broadcaster's Auckland focus. According to Wellington-based TV personalities, the northward drift began in 1980 with the formation of TVNZ, and the subsequent relocation of the TV One newsroom and headquarters to Auckland under then Prime Minister Robert Muldoon
Robert Muldoon
Sir Robert David "Rob" Muldoon, GCMG, CH served as the 31st Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1975 to 1984, as leader of the governing National Party. Muldoon had been a prominent member of the National party and MP for the Tamaki electorate for some years prior to becoming leader of the party...
.
Avalon also became the focus of New Zealand film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
-production (through and building on the National Film Unit
National Film Unit
The National Film Unit was a state-owned film production organisation in New Zealand. Founded in 1941, it mostly produced newsreels, documentaries and promotional films about New Zealand, and for many years was the only significant film production facility in the country...
), which Peter Jackson
Peter Jackson
Sir Peter Robert Jackson, KNZM is a New Zealand film director, producer, actor, and screenwriter, known for his The Lord of the Rings film trilogy , adapted from the novel by J. R. R...
bought in the late 1990s and incorporated into his Park Road Post
Park Road Post
Park Road Post is a 10,200 m² motion picture post production facility, located in Miramar, New Zealand, a suburb of Wellington. Formerly the state-owned National Film Unit, the new facility was renamed Park Road Post upon completion in 2005...
facility.