The Lowdown

For the British TV series, see The Lowdown (TV series).

The Lowdown is a New Zealand website developed by the New Zealand Ministry of Health's National Depression Initiative (NDI). The website launched on 3 December 2007.

Mission

The Lowdown aims to help young New Zealanders understand and recover from depression.[1] It does this through online support services and testimonials from New Zealand celebrities.[2]

Features

The user can choose from one of four celebrity navigators who tell users how to use the website. There is also a "go alone" option.

Information and Help

The website has depression-related fact sheets and contact lists, as well as online self-tests.

Stories

The Lowdown has video of New Zealand celebrities and musicians talking about how they or someone they know made it through depression. Users can also add their own stories by submitting video or text.

Chat

Users can chat together in a style similar to a bulletin board.

Multimedia

Users can listen to streaming songs from contributing musicians.

Interface

The website uses flash built on ActionScript 3. It uses the Sandy 3D engine.[3]

List of celebrities contributing to The Lowdown

Musicians

Name Band
Boh Runga Stellar*
P-Money DJ
Scribe Rapper
Dave Gibson Elemeno P
Brad Carter Steriogram
Young Sid Rapper
Awa and Junior Nesian Mystik
Paul Roper The Mint Chicks
Joel Little Goodnight Nurse
Gareth Stake & Angelo Munro The Bleeders
Jason Kerrison Opshop
Julia Deans Fur Patrol
Tau Manukia Spacifix
Tim Arnold Pluto
Francis Kora Kora
Sam & Jessie Smith Streetwise Scarlet
Andrew Morrison False Start
Jon Austin 48 May
Victoria Girling-Butcher Lucid 3
Ben Read 8 Foot Sativa
Savage Deceptikonz

TV and Radio

Name Occupation
Aidee Walker Outrageous Fortune Actress
Antonia Prebble Outrageous Fortune Actress
Nisha Madhan Shortland Street Actress
Lee Donoghue Shortland Street Actor
Kimberley Crossman Shortland Street Actress
Jaquie Brown Television Presenter
Sonia Gray Television Presenter
Jane Yee Television Presenter
Phil Bostwick C4 Presenter
Dayna Vawdrey Studio 2 Presenter
Tamati Coffey Breakfast Presenter
Bill & Ben Pulp Sport Presenters
Mike Puru The Edge DJ

Other

Name Occupation
Tofiga Fepulea'i The Laughing Samoans Member
Ma'a Nonu Ex All Black
Lisa Li Miss Chinese NZ
Adrian Hailwood Fashion Designer

References

  1. ^ "CYMRC home". Child and Youth Mortality Review Committee. Retrieved 4 January 2008.
  2. ^ "Depression site for teens launched". The New Zealand Herald. 6 December 2007. Retrieved 4 January 2008.
  3. ^ "The Lowdown website - Sandy 3 and lowRa". dev.webbymx.net. Retrieved 4 January 2008.
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