NEW ZEALAND: Maori TV climax for language advocates

Broadcasting history will be made in New Zealand tomorrow when Maori Television finally goes to air

Pacific Media Watch
Saturday, March 27, 2004

By Renee Kiriona

AUCKLAND (NZ Herald/Pacific Media Watch): Broadcasting history will be made in New Zealand tomorrow when Maori Television finally goes to air.

What started out as a struggle by Maori language advocacy groups in the 1960s will come to fruition at dawn.

Thousands of people are expected to walk through the station's headquarters at Newmarket following its launch ceremony at dawn, which will be televised.

The saga of Maori television has made headlines for more than a decade.

First there was Aotearoa Television Network, which ran only for a few months in 1997 before closing because of mismanagement.

Director Tuku Morgan hit headlines for a spending spree that included a pair of $89 underpants.

Maori Television might have faced a similar fate when first chief executive Canadian John Davy was sacked in 2002 for lying in his CV.

Six months later, the next chief executive, Derek Fox, left amid sexual harassment allegations.

But on Sunday all that controversy will be laid to rest. At least, that is the hope of those who have been working behind the scenes.

The station has capped its spending on programmes at $40,000 an hour - NZ on Air funded shows get $66,000 for the same time. So far it has 1000 hours, or 13 weeks' worth of programmes, in the bank.

But up to three years has gone into making the programmes by more than 20 independent filmmakers, including one belonging to Morgan.

While not on the billings for Sunday, viewers can soon exect to see the 10 programmes his company, Astraeus NZ, has made about Hawaiiki - the mystical homeland of Maori,

Korero Mai, a programme which teaches Maori language by way of an ongoing soap opera, is also dubbed to appeal to viewers.

Produced by the Auckland-based Cinco Cine, the series consists of a drama which tells the story of the daily lives and loves of five young people.

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Date Posted: 3/27/2004