Fair Go

Fair Go is a New Zealand consumer affairs television programme hosted by Pippa Wetzell and Hadyn Jones. First aired in 1977, it is New Zealand's second longest-running local programme (after Country Calendar). It is also highest-rated programmes, frequently placed high in the New Zealand TV Guide list of most viewed programmes.

Not to be confused with the colloquial expression used in New Zealand and Australian culture.

Fair Go
Created byBrian Edwards
Presented byPippa Wetzell
Hadyn Jones
Country of originNew Zealand
Production
Executive producerMary-Jane Aggett
Camera setupMulti-camera
Running time30 minutes (with advertisements)
Release
Original networkTVNZ 1
Original release7 April 1977 (1977-04-07) –
present

Fair Go features a mixture of investigative journalism and consumer affairs stories, based on the motto: "If you've been ripped off, short-changed or given the runaround and nobody wants to know...we do!"

Fair Go also held the annual Fair Go Ad Awards, in which the best and worst advertisements on New Zealand television are announced, and a competition to find the best 30-second video by New Zealand students is held.

Current reporters for the show, along with the two hosts, are Alistar Kata, Kaitlin Ruddock, Gill Higgins and Garth Bray.[1]

Kevin Milne ONZM had worked on Fair Go from 1984 until 2010.[2]

History

Fair Go began in 1977, the creation of presenter Brian Edwards and producer Peter Morritt.[3] At the time it was seen as breaking new ground. It would not simply deal with consumer issues, it would investigate complaints from viewers and if those complaints were justified, it would name names. The biggest fear at the time was that the programme would attract huge lawsuits. Lawyers were hired to check every word on the script and the fears turned out to be groundless.

The other novel factor in the show was the high personality profile of its presenters and reporters. Other more recent high-profile presenters include Kevin Milne, Kerre McIvor (née Woodham), Carol Hirschfeld, Rosalie Nelson, Liane Clarke, Greg Boyed and Simon Mercep.

When Fair Go began it was shown in two 10- to 12-week seasons each year. But with the popularity of the show, and the huge number of complaints sent into the programme, it was decided in 1993 to produce one long season which would run for almost the entire year.

As the show matured, the complaints it dealt with involved higher stakes. Fair Go's biggest cash settlement was for over $350,000. There have been several other settlements involving six figure sums. However, the show will go into battle for as little as one cent (and has), if the issue behind the dispute is an interesting one. Fair Go has always considered entertainment and humour as suitable partners for its more investigative work.

Previous presenters and reporters
  • Mary-Jane Aggett (now an executive producer of Fair Go)
  • Philip Alpers
  • Martyn Bates
  • Greg Boyed
  • Warwick Burke
  • Anna Burns-Francis
  • Judy Callingham
  • John Campbell (broadcaster)
  • Matt Chisholm[4]
  • Liane Clarke
  • Pete Cronshaw
  • Sharon Crosbie
  • Mark Crysell
  • Brett Dumbleton
  • Brian Edwards
  • Judith Fyfe
  • Mark Hannan
  • Gordon Harcourt
  • Spencer Jolly
  • Kim Hill
  • Carol Hirschfeld
  • Sandra Kailahi
  • Brodie Kane
  • Anna Kenna
  • Lisa Manning
  • Hugo Manson
  • Alison Mau
  • Gillian McGregor
  • Kerre McIvor
  • Eleisha McNeill
  • Simon Mercep
  • Libby Middlebrook
  • Amanda Millar
  • Kevin Milne
  • Rosalie Nelson
  • Alison Parr
  • Sean Plunket
  • Ruwani Perera
  • Manorma Ram
  • Raewyn Rasch
  • Anna Thomas[5]
  • Naomi Trigg
  • Phil Vine
  • Simon Walker
  • Hannah Wallis (now a producer of Fair Go)
  • Kim Webby
  • Vicki Wilkinson-Baker
  • Barry Wilson
  • Erica Wood

Awards

In 1997, Fair Go was awarded a Bravo award by the New Zealand Skeptics for "poking a little of their irrepressible fun at alleged psychics providing lucky lotto numbers."[6]

References
  1. https://www.tvnz.co.nz/shows/fair-go/the-team
  2. "Kevin Milne | NZ On Screen".
  3. "Fair Go | Series | Television | NZ On Screen".
  4. "Surviving depression: Matt Chisholm's brave decision to quit TV". Stuff.co.nz. 15 October 2019. Retrieved 15 October 2019.
  5. Grant, Frances (27 March 2002). "Crusading for the little guy". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 5 April 2022.
  6. "Bravo Awards". New Zealand Skeptics. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
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