1996 in New Zealand television

• 2 February – After a long absence, the popular Australian children's television series Johnson and Friends returns to New Zealand television with the series now airing on TV One.
• 1 March – New Zealand children's television show produced in Dunedin Squirt debuts on TV3. It later moved to TV2 in 1999.
• 11 March – The third series of Johnson and Friends is shown for the first time in New Zealand as it goes to air on TV One (The third series itself was also filmed in New Zealand at Avalon Studios in Avalon).
• 15 July – New Zealand soap opera City Life premieres on TV2.
• TV One adopted new sans serif logo, replacing the Friz Quadranta has been in use since 1987.
• The 1996 Summer Olympics were held in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, where New Zealand won 3 gold medals, 2 silver medals, and 1 bronze medal.

This is a list of programs which made their premiere on a New Zealand television network that had previously premiered on another New Zealand television network. The networks involved in the switch of allegiances are predominantly both free-to-air networks or both subscription television networks. Programs that have their free-to-air/subscription television premiere, after previously premiering on the opposite platform (free-to air to subscription/subscription to free-to air) are not included. In some cases, programs may still air on the original television network. This occurs predominantly with programs shared between subscription television networks.

International

Program	New network(s)	Previous network(s)	Date
Johnson and Friends	TV One	TV2	2 February
Beakman's World	TV One	TV2	15 February
Noddy and Father Christmas	TV2	TV One	1996
Mole's Christmas	TV One	TV2	1996

• No information on television shows this year.

• Wheel of Fortune (TV2) (1991–1996)