Television channel Three owner Discovery will launch two new channels in March and plans to increase the volume of locally-produced entertainment shows it screens by 70 per cent.
Glen Kyne, general manager of Discovery in New Zealand and Australia, said the business had performed well and the “major investment” in local content meant Three would be screening a record amount of local content.
“Three has never had this volume of local production on the channel ever,” he said.
A channel aimed at the 40- to 54-year-old demographic, Gusto, will offer shows including “best of British drama, the odd game show and some intelligent movies”, Kyne said.
Another, Rush, will screen “high energy shows” across the “survival and adventure” genres. Shows included Wheeler Dealers, Man vs. Wild, Street Outlaws and Treehouse Masters.
The local productions named by Discovery on Wednesday are all in the reality genre, but Kyne said it had other work in the pipeline.
