Te Mangai Paho And TVNZ Reach Agreement

Te Mangai Paho and TVNZ have reached an agreement over funding for the national broadcaster's three core Maori programmes Te Karere, Marae and Waka Huia.

The agreement secures the continuation of these long established programmes.

Te Mangai Paho Chief Executive John Bishara said today that the funding body valued Te Karere, Marae and Waka Huia, which had been on screen for 20, 15 and 20 years respectively.

"Te Mangai Paho appreciates that Te Karere, Marae and Waka Huia have been pioneering programmes in Maori broadcasting. They have a loyal following and are produced by dedicated and professional Maori broadcasters," Mr Bishara said.

Maori programmes on TVNZ had been funded by Te Mangai Paho on a calendar year basis but this would now be changed from July 2008 to a fiscal year.

He said Te Mangai Paho would provide funding for the three programmes for the first half of the 2008 calendar year and would also look to fund them for the July 2008 to June 2009 fiscal year.

"Te Mangai Paho is keen, subject to appropriate proposals being received from TVNZ, to maintain funding of these three programmes until at least June 2009. We are also open to continue these programmes after June 2009, subject to appropriate proposals being received from TVNZ."

TVNZ's Head of Television, Jeff Latch, today welcomed the agreement and thanked Te Mangai Paho for its positive attitude.

"This agreement gives TVNZ's Maori department some certainty for programme planning and staff retention," Mr Latch said.

"This decision by Te Mangai Paho will maintain the accessibility of Maori programmes to New Zealand audiences. As well as benefiting from the broad reach of TV ONE they will also be accessible to New Zealand audiences through re-screenings on Maori Television, TVNZ 6, TVNZ 7, TVNZ on-demand and tvnz.co.nz .

"TVNZ accepts Te Mangai Paho's concerns about increasing the access of Maori programmes and will review their timings on TV ONE in the first half of the 2008 calendar year. It's in our interests to grow the viewership of these programmes too".

ENDS

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