Maori Television announces new channel

From Maori Television Services:
Key features of the new channel include:

§ Broadcasts three hours per day, seven days per week, during prime time from 7.30 PM to 10.30 PM. On-air hours are expected to increase over time.

§ 100 per cent te reo Māori.

§ Advertising-free.

§ Schedule space available to iwi to provide iwi-specific information programmes. This is aimed at ensuring tribal dialects are broadcast and at profiling tribal activities and development.

§ Schedule will comprise up to 90 per cent local programmes.

§ 30 to 45 per cent of the schedule is new programmes.

§ A particular focus on new programmes for the older, fluent audience.

§ All new programmes will be subtitled for second play on the existing channel.

§ Local and international documentaries reversioned into te reo Māori.
Māori Television’s second channel, which is yet to be named, is expected to launch in the first quarter of 2008.

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From The New Zealand Herald:
"Maori Television is expected to announce today it is setting up a digital channel dedicated solely to te reo.

Sources said the service had been waiting to make the announcement after making a case for an exclusively Maori language second channel to Finance Minister Michael Cullen and Maori Affairs Minister Parekura Horomia.

It is understood the second channel would be transmitted on Freeview and there would be no decrease in Maori language content on the existing channel.

The announcement coincides with Maori Language Week. Mr Horomia is expected to deliver the news at the service's Newmarket base this afternoon.

A spokesperson for the minister would not comment yesterday. Maori Television Service (MTS) said it was not in a position to pre-empt any announcement.

However, the news will not come as a surprise to the industry.

In May the Government set aside an extra $23.1 million in funding over four years, adding to the existing $28 million budget."

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