Great Southern Television

Great Southern Television
IndustryFilm and Television Creation, Financing and Production. Studio Facilities.
Founded2002 (2002)
Headquarters
Key people
Philip Smith (CEO); Vicky Maples (CFO); Kathleen Anderson (Head of Drama); Adrian Stevanon (Head of Factual); Cass Donaldson (Head of Production)
ProductsFilm, drama, factual, reality, comedy, entertainment and documentary
OwnerPhilip Smith, Leanne Malcolm
Websitegreatsouthern.tv

Great Southern Television (GSTV) is a film and television production company based in Auckland, New Zealand.

The company operates both scripted and unscripted departments and in 2023 has series with several major international broadcasters and streamers, including Netflix, the BBC, AMC (USA) and HBO Max.

Domestically it has series on TVNZ, TV3 (Warner Bros. Discovery) and Sky, and in Australia its work is broadcast on SBS, Foxtel and Channel 7.

The GSTV drama department has produced 13 drama series and two feature films, and in 2023 has three dramas in full production including Friends Like Her (Discovery, Fifth Season); Brokenbacks (Sky, Hattrick) and Noob (Sky, Oble). It runs a development slate of 12 drama projects and has a team of five drama specialists.

The GSTV factual department has recently produced the adventure reality series Tracked for Discovery and HBO Max, and also makes the multi award-winning series the Casketeers (TVNZ, Netflix, SBS). It runs a slate of 20 development projects and has team of four factual executives.

The company also produces current affairs, making the acclaimed weekly Maori Current Affairs show, The Hui, for TV3 (Warner Bros Discovery).

Since launching in 2002, the company has produced 46 factual series, 13 drama series, 10 comedy series, two feature films and two short films, winning 103 local and international television awards.

The company has full service studios in Mt Eden, Auckland, and provides international drama production services.

GSTV was launched in 2002 by former journalist Philip Smith, and retailer Sir David Levene. The company is now fully owned by Smith.

It is represented by CAA.