cast ing ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 0 , ▁and ▁instit uted ▁network ed ▁television ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 9 ▁with ▁only ▁a ▁single ▁( and ▁State - owned ) ▁channel ▁available ▁to ▁view ers , ▁the ▁sole ▁provider ▁of ▁television - bro ad cast ing ▁acquired ▁a ▁mon opol y ▁position ▁of ▁immense ▁influence ▁within ▁the ▁New ▁Zealand ▁mass ▁media , ▁and ▁the ▁name ▁" A val on " ▁summar ised ▁and ▁expressed ▁that ▁cl out ▁for ▁many ▁years . ▁ ▁A val on ▁also ▁became ▁the ▁focus ▁of ▁New ▁Zealand ▁film - production ▁- ▁through ▁and ▁building ▁on ▁the ▁National ▁Film ▁Unit , ▁which ▁Peter ▁Jackson ▁bought ▁in ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 9 0 s ▁and ▁incorpor ated ▁into ▁his ▁Park ▁Road ▁Post ▁facility . ▁A val on ▁was ▁the ▁film ing ▁location ▁for ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 2 ▁television ▁show ▁ 1 0 0 ▁H ours . ▁ ▁Television ▁New ▁Zealand ▁( f ounded ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 0 ) ▁inherited ▁the ▁A val on ▁real - est ate ▁and ▁continued ▁to ▁operate ▁some ▁functions ▁from ▁A val on , ▁even ▁though ▁its ▁activities ▁mostly ▁moved ▁to ▁A uck land ▁in ▁the ▁course ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 0 s . ▁A val on ▁produced ▁ ▁television - sh ows ▁such ▁as ▁Good ▁Mor ning ▁and ▁the ▁New ▁Zealand ▁Lot ter ies ▁Commission ' s ▁live ▁L otto ▁draw . ▁ ▁However , ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁TV N