Andrew Dickens Afternoons

TVNZ's new streaming service has one key aim: to increase the amount of Kiwi content available to kids. Chris Schulz and Karl Puschmann investigate.Ask Amie Mills why Kiwi kids need to see themselves on TV, and she'll pause, apologise for pausing, then say this: "I lose words when I think about how important it is."Mills, the children's commissioner for TVNZ, explains her loss of words with a shocking piece of research: "We've had some fascinating conversations with teachers. They're astounded by how many children are turning up to school aged 5 with American accents."Kiwi kids starting school with American accents? What gives? How does this happen? By watching too many American TV shows via American streaming services, that's how.Heihei hopes to change all that. The NZ On Air-funded online streaming service launches next week with the express aim of increasing the amount of New Zealand-orientated content available to kids.It's ad-free, features shows that use New Zealand people, place names and te reo, and u