Island in the stream

A new show casts itself on social media platforms to attract rangatahi.

- RUSSELL BROWN

A parliamentary inquiry is scrutinising social media harms at the same time as a private member's bill to ban social media for under-16s has been pulled from the ballot. And a recent poll suggests a ban is likely to find favour with parents.

So it's an interesting time to launch Kupu X, a rangatahi show that leans into social media to the extent that not only is its protagonist a popular TikTok streamer, it will also be marketed on TikTok.

"It's kind of impossible to ignore social media as a form of entertainment," says series director Angela Cudd. "And whether bans are in place or not, young people are going to gravitate towards it. Statistically, it's where they watch their content. So we want people to watch our show and hopefully enjoy it."