Since 2005, South Australia’s City of Salisbury and t.a.v productions’ television series Out of the Ordinary© has reached over a million viewers and reported on more than 100 stories of human and community endeavour from across South Australia.
Shown in prime time on Channel 9, ‘Out of the Ordinary’ celebrates stories on ordinary people that are contributing to South Australia’s prosperity. Securing consistently high ratings, the current series has already attracted more than 250,000 viewers in the highly competitive Saturday evening 5.30 timeslot.
The category winner for Innovation in the Commonwealth Government’s Department of Infrastructure 2007 National Awards for Local Government, the program has just completed its fourth series.
Based on a concept developed by Richard Watson, then Marketing Manager for the City of Salisbury, ‘Out of the Ordinary’ resulted from a unique partnership between the City of Salisbury, which owns the rights to the concept, and Channel 9 with t.a.v productions, which has complete editorial control.
The program invites viewers to think more about their State and the positive changes that are happening every day throughout South Australia’s diverse communities. It has toured the State, visiting more than
25 metropolitan and country communities, taking viewers into libraries, schools, volunteer groups, youth programs, environmental projects and small businesses to reveal enterprising and often heartwarming ways in which communities work together.
The City of Salisbury is not aware of any other comparable series that has been produced in Australia to celebrate community life and the achievements of ordinary people.
The program demonstrates the viability of a locally produced and presented series that captures the diversity of community life against a backdrop of Local Government.
“Australians by nature love stories about people who are quiet achievers – the Aussie battlers and the local heroes,” said Stephen Hains, City Manager at the City of Salisbury.
“Yet, these Aussie favourites often miss out on mainstream media coverage.
“It has been difficult for Local Government to secure a prominent foothold into influential media. More often than not media is critical of the performance of Local Government.
“But ‘Out of the Ordinary’ is all about local people, local places, local stories and Local Government. It is an innovative local initiative that has the potential to eventually reach a national audience and contribute to better understanding of the role of Local Government in building better communities.”
For further information contact the City of Salisbury on (08) 8406 8222.
