Express Report gains NZ on Air support

Express Report has received $114,400 from New Zealand On Air towards 20 more episodes of the programme. This funding decision was announced on the basis of the programme been received national wide. TVNZ (who own Horizon TV) has agreed to repeat Express Report every Saturday morning at 12.15am on TV One.

The programme has been drawing an audience of about 10,000 in the Auckland region.

NZ on Air head Chris Prowse said the programme had met the body's requirements under the Broadcasting Act. "We have a statutory obligation to ensure that there are programmes available for minority groups. I think it would be hard to argue that the gay community is not such a group under the act.

As expected Rev Graham Capill, party leader Christian Heritage Party, attacked the funding decision as detrimental to the country, family life and young people. "I think its very irresponsible to be promoting these programmes using taxpayers' money."

Capill said recent publicity on homosexual marriage had shown that the population "is very much against that sort of life." NZ on Air should be funding programmes that were widely accepted in the community, he said. He continued by stating that he did not believe that gay and lesbians were a bona fide minority. It is a behaviour which people have chosen and therefore shouldn't be classified as a minority group in the way in which you would certain races."

NZ on Air currently provides funding to a number of New Zealand Television programmes including Praise Be and the NZ soap Shortland St.

Gay Marriage Caution Urged

Many gay and lesbian Christians were treating the question of gay same gender marriage with caution says Bill Edginton, gay community worker.

While he said that there would be general agreement for those who wanted marriage he feared that this would be regarded as the norm and those that weren't married would be pressured to be.

NZGLTA at Sydney

Express Report and Mainland TV

With the decision by Bays TV in Nelson not to screen Express Report negotiations have been underway to have Express Report screened on Mainland TVs Nelson channel. So issues need to be resolved between Horizon TV and Mainland but it is hoped that Express Report will be on air soon in the Nelson region. Meanwhile the decision by TVNZ to rescreen Express report means everyone in New Zealand can now view Express Report.

Gay TV and Radio

Television

Express Report every Monday 10.15pm on ATV, Capital City, Coast to Coast, Southern and CTV.

Shortland St, TV2, Monday to Friday 7pm.

Pets Win Prizes, TV2, Saturday 6.30pm.

Radio

A Day Without Art, Concert FM, Saturday 18 May 3.05pm A repeat of the NZ Radio Award winning programme created to commemorate World AIDS day last year.

Whenua!, National Radio, Sunday 19 May 4.06pm The second part of an adapted version of Mika's Kapai Kabaret is featured in this weeks Whenua programme.

Regular gay and lesbian shows

Auckland - G & T Show, 810AM Access Radio, Thursday 7 to 8am
Auckland - This Way Out, 810AM Access Radio, Saturday 11:40am
Auckland - In The Pink, 95BFM Student Radio, Sunday 8 to 9pm
Auckland - Girls Own Show, 95BFM Student Radio, Sunday 7 to 8pm
Hamilton - Different Strokes, Contact 89FM, Sunday 6 to 8pm
Wellington - Gay BC, 783AM Access Radio, Gay BC, Saturdays 11:15 - 12:15
Wellington - Reading Lesbian Writers, 783AM Access Radio,Saturdays, 1.00 - 1.15
Wellington - Lesbian Radio Programme, 783AM Access Radio,Sundays, 10 - 11 am
Wellington - Boy Trouble, 89FM Student Radio, Sunday 6-7pm
Top of the South - Dyke FM, 99.4FM Fresh FM, Sunday 10am
Top of the South - Gaytime FM, 99.4FM Fresh FM, Sunday 11am
Christchurch - RDU 98.3FM Student Radio, has no specific queer show but does have queer news, play queer artists and all the rest as part of their daily programme.
Christchurch - Outwaves, Plains, 96.9FM , Monday 8pm
Christchurch - Lesbians on Air, Plains 96.9FM Monday 9.30 - 10pm (note 9-9.30pm from 18th March)
Dunedin -Dykes on Mikes, 91FM Radio One, Tuesday 8pm
Dunedin -Tea with the Boys, 91FM Radio One, Sundays 9-10pm

Reviews

None this week

Events - Upcoming

Male Call till 16 June - Phone 0800-99-6969 a 40 minute phone survey for all men who have sex with men in New Zealand.

Nationwide Beacons of Hope Ceremonies - 19 May 1996 (See preview)

Auckland City Council Delegation - 16 May 1996, 6pm Ellerslie Memorial Hall (Phone the Pride Center 64-9-302-0590 for car pooling)
Auckland Gay Tramping Group - 12 May 1996
Auckland Candlelight Memorial at St Matthew in the City from 6.30pm, 19 May 1996.
Auckland Community Church - Every Sunday 8pm
Auckland Gay Bowling Association - Every Sunday 5pm
Team Auckland Runners - Every Sunday 10am
Team Auckland Swimmers - Every Tuesday and Thursday 8pm, Saturday 10am

Hamilton Candlelight Memorial at Eastern Suburbs Clubrooms in Fairfield at 7pm, 19 May 1996

New Plymouth Candlelight Memorial at Pukerua Park Kiosk from 7.30pm, 19 May 1996

Wellington Doods Dance - 25 May 1996
Wellington Lesbian Overland and Cafe Club - 26 May 1996
Wellington Lesbian Mountain Bike Riders - 19 May 1996
Wellington Lesbian Overland and Cafe Club - 12 May 1996
Wellington Out Takes Queer Film Festival - 10 to 22 May 1996
Wellington Candlelight Memorial St Mary of the Angels, Boulcoutt St at 6pm and another multicultural event at Civic Square at 6pm. Both join together with karakia and karanga. Speeches at 8.15pm and a further memorial event at 8.30pm, 19 May 1996.
Wellington Lesbian Library (LILAC) - Every Wednesday 6-8pm, Saturdays noon - 3pm

Nelson Spectrum - Every Thursday 7.30pm
Nelson Candlelight Memorial will begin at 7pm from Nelson Cathedral, 19 May 1996

Christchurch Ascent - 16 May 1996
Christchurch Candlelight Memorial starts at St Michaels and All Angels at 6.30pm or slighlty later at the Bridge of Remembrance, 19 May 1996

Dunedin lesbian indoor cricket team - Every Sunday
Dunedin Queerspace - Every Thursday
Dunedin Beyond the Closet - 13 May 1996

Events - Previews

Beacons of Hope

Two concurrent events kick off this year's Beacons of Hope in Wellington: an interdenominational church service at St Mary's of the Angels, and a multicultural memorial in Civic Square, both at 6pm. After a candlelight parade makes its way from the church to Frank Kitts Lagoon MC Pauline Gillespie will introduce speakers, songs, and lastly the beacons. As the flaming torches surround the water, you get the chance to call out the names of those who have died of Aids in what is always a powerful and moving ceremony; a spectacular fire sculpture in the lagoon and massed singing caps it all off. Says organiser Rachael Rachael, "It's an opportunity for the people of Wellington to both mourn and celebrate the lives of those lost to Aids while supporting those living with HIV/Aids."

Beacons of Hope, 6pm, Sun May 19 (rain day May 20)

Out Takes 96

Wellington's second queer film festival brings to our screens an abundance of films ranging far and wide across interests, identities and genres. Out Takes 96 - at the Paramount and City Cinema from May 10-22 - is twice the size of last year's festival, with 12 features and six programmes of shorts.

First up is a benefit screening (for the Awhina Centre) of the "very sweet" comedy 'Tokyo Cowboy', the tale of a Japanese man who leaves Tokyo for Canada to pursue dreams of cowboyhood with his lesbian childhood penpal .

Other features include Bruce LaBruce's 'Hustler White', an odyssey through the sleaze and porn of Santa Monica Boulevard, and 'Fiction and Other Truths', a "beautifully crafted" documentary about novelist/activist Jane Rule, author of Desert of the Heart. 'Shinjuku Boys' documents the Japanese phenomenon of onnabes, women who live as men. Onnabes work in nightclubs where they play host to the female clients, acting as 'the perfect man'.

Uncompromising Australian movie 'Only the Brave' explores the stark world of two young Greek-Australian women; eye-opening documentary 'Not Angels, but Angels' reveals humour and despair in the lives of young rent boys in Prague. 'Costa Brava' is a whimsical Spanish comedy about two women's budding relationship; 'Postcards from America' takes a "violent, beautiful and often deeply disturbing" look at sex, desire and being gay in the 90s.

A group of HIV-positive men do a Robin Hood act in response to unethical drug company behaviour in 'Red Ribbon Blues'; 'Thin Ice' brings together lesbians, ice skating, white lies and seduction. 'The Legend of Fong Sai Yuk' is a fabulously funny action film from Hong Kong, with legendary martial arts hero Fong Sai Yuk and his even more legendary mother; 'World and Time Enough' is a quirky story of two gay men and their search for identity. And finally, 1992 Playgirl centrefold Dirk Shafer, once presented as 'the ideal man for all women,' examines image, exploitation and visibility in 'Man of the Year'.

There's also an extensive programme of short films, including a high-camp doll wedding in 'A Few Good Ken' and a formal Jewish lesbian one in 'Chicks in White Satin' (see the two mothers-of-the-brides waltz together!); San Francisco's lesbian SM community documented in 'BloodSisters'; a Maori-Pakeha love affair in colonial times in Stewart Main's 'Twilight of the God's; and fashion journeys from checked shirts to lipstick to leather in 'Framing Lesbian Fashion'.

Gay Switchboards and information lines

AIDS Hotline - Auckland +64-9-3580099 Toll free 0800-802-437 24 Hours
Whangarei Gay Help - +64-9-437-7620, Tuesday and Thursday 7 to 9.30pm
Auckland Gayline - +64-9-303-3584 10am to 10pm weekdays, 2pm to 10pm weekends.
Hamilton Gayline - +64-7-854-9631, Wednesday 8 to 10pm
Rotorua Gayline - +64-7-348-3598, Tuesday 7 to 9pm
Napier Gayline - +64-6-835-7482, 5pm to 8am.
Palmerston North - +64-6-358-5378 24 hour answerservice.
Wellington Switchboard - +64-4-385-0674, 7.30pm to 10pm
Wellington Lesbian Line - +64-4-389-8082 Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday 7.30 to 10pm.
Greymouth/Reefton Gayline - +64-3-768-4366, Wednesday to Friday 6 to 9pm.
Westport Gayline - +64-3-789-6027, Friday 7-8.30pm
Hokitika Gayline - +64-3-755-6270, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday 7-10pm
Christchurch Gayline - +64-3-379-4796 Mondays 8-9pm, Saturday 7.30 to 10pm
Christchurch Gay Information line - +64-3-379-3990 24 hour recorded service.
Dunedin Gayline - +64-3-477-2077 24 hour recorded service. Answered on Wednesday 5.30 to 7.30pm, Friday 7.30 to 10.30pm
Dunedin Lesbian Line - +64-3-477-2077 24 hour recorded service. Answered on Tuesday 5.30 to 7.30pm

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