ANZAC Coverage For All New Zealanders

PUBLICITY RELEASE
SATURDAY APRIL 19 2008

ANZAC Coverage For All New Zealanders - On Maori Television

New Zealanders from throughout the country - as well as the world - are featured in Maori Television's marathon broadcast A TATOU TAONGA: ANZAC DAY 2008 this Friday April 25.

For the third year in a row, New Zealand's national indigenous broadcaster is devoting its entire 18-hour schedule to coverage of key ANZAC memorial ceremonies at home and overseas as well as veteran interviews, documentary premieres, studio discussions and speeches, short films, special stories and songs.

AUCKLAND, DUNEDIN, MAHIA (EAST COAST) & TURANGI: Coverage of the dawn services from these locations begins at 5.55 AM when Maori Television presenter Julian Wilcox and Stephen Clarke of the Royal New Zealand Returned and Services' Association report live from the Cenotaph at the Auckland War Memorial Museum.

GALLIPOLI, TURKEY: Judy Bailey and Kim Webby report live from Gallipoli from 6.35 AM. The Australia and New Zealand dawn service at ANZAC Cove broadcasts live at 2.25 PM where Bailey officiates as the Master of Ceremonies. At 7.15 PM, Webby reports live from Gallipoli with an update on events while singer-songwriter Whirimako Black - who will be participating in the Chunuk Bair service later that evening - is interviewed. Then, live and uninterrupted coverage of the New Zealand service at Chunuk Bair begins at 9.30 PM with Bailey again in an official MC role.

DUNEDIN & POTAKA (EAST COAST): The Prisoners of War studio discussion (7.30 AM) features two families, one moving story and the diary that unites them.

TIMOR-LESTE: Kim Webby directs and produces a new documentary, shot on location in Timor-Leste and screening at 8.00 AM. Timor-Leste: From Kiwi Lines explores the work of the New Zealand Defence Forces based in Dili, providing an insight into the reality of life for them and the people of Timor-Leste in 2008.

PACIFIC: Studio guests look at recent events in the Pacific region and debate New Zealand's current strategy and defence contribution at 8.30 AM. They include Andrew Ladley from Victoria University's Institute of Policy Studies who is now the senior expert mediator in the newly created standby team of mediation experts at the United Nations; and Auckland University associate professor of political studies Stephen Hoadley.

TAIHAPE: Local war hero Porokoru Patapu (John) Pohe, the first Maori pilot of the NZRAF and a leader of air crews in the skies over Europe during World War II, is featured in the television premiere of an extraordinary documentary, Turangaarere (9.00 AM).

POLAND: The powerful story of Polish refugee children - as told by two of the hundreds who migrated here some five decades ago - and a look at the country they left behind is the focus of The Polish Connection (10.00 AM).

NATIONWIDE: From The Attic (10.30 AM) uncovers the stories, mysteries and meaning behind the ANZAC taonga or treasures so many Kiwis have stashed 'in the attic' and includes a fascinating tale of a lost locket. Our ANZAC (1.00 PM) explores the different ways Kiwis pay tribute to the memories of those who have served and includes a 'show and tell' in the studio with Auckland Museum curator of history, Rose Young, as well as veterans from around the country. The marae, Ngati Tumatauenga, at Waiouru is featured in this segment.

AUSTRALIA: Maori Television goes in search of an Aussie perspective on ANZAC Day when Putting the 'A' into ANZAC (11.00 AM). What does it mean to them and how is it commemorated across the ditch? Live and exclusive coverage of the Sydney ANZAC Day march and a no-holds barred studio discussion.

CHINA: Now based at China's Shantou University, Southland-born Pulitzer Prize-winning war correspondent Peter Arnett returns home to deliver this year's ANZAC Address (12.00 PM).

PALMERSTON NORTH: New Zealand military historian Glyn Harper makes the trip from Massey University to the Maori Television studio to provide a beginner's guide to the key moments of the Western Front. Plus the inspirational story of a young man, Patrick Bronte, dedicated to recording the stories of veterans in his own community.

ROTORUA & BELGIUM: Taonga puoro player Horomona Horo is featured in Path to Passchendaele at 3.45 PM - another new documentary which follows his journey to Belgium in October last year to attend New Zealand's 90th commemorations of Passchendaele.

CHRISTCHURCH, AUCKLAND, HUNTLY, CAMBRIDGE, THAMES & WHANGAPAROA: Kiwi survivors of the RAF's Bomber Command in World War II - some who have now passed on - are interviewed as part of the stunning feature documentary Night After Night screening at 5.45 PM. They talk about the impact this experience continues to have on their lives today - not only in New Zealand but also in Germany, Britain, Belgium and Canada.

FRANCE: The highlights package of the day at 7.15 PM includes coverage of the one-off Villers-Bretonneux Memorial Service in France, marking 90 years since the ANZACs forced German troops from the village in an historic battle.

INVERCARGILL, ROTORUA, NELSON & AUCKLAND: The Homai Te Pakipaki ANZAC Special at 8.00 PM features talented performers from throughout the country who will share their ANZAC music - songs with a personal significance and connection to ANZAC Day - with a live studio audience as well as the viewers at home.

AUCKLAND, WANGANUI, DUNEDIN & GISBORNE: The winning entries of Maori Television's inaugural ANZAC Short Film Competition sponsored by Te Puni Kokiri will be unveiled by filmmakers Ainsley Gardiner and Tearepa Kahi with studio guests, the winning filmmakers - in the ANZAC Short Film Festival at 9.00 PM.

BULLS: A memorial at Flock House is dedicated to Bess - one of the thousands of horses sent from New Zealand to serve in both World Wars.

WELLINGTON: Historians from Ministry for Culture and Heritage share insights on everything from memorials to disease; plus Karori knitting group Café Knitters who participated in Wellington-based artist Kinglsey Baird's provactive artwork Diary Dagboek, now buried in the fields of Flanders, Belgium; and a story on the continuing legacy of Gallipoli for the students and teachers at Wellington College.

WAIRARAPA: Learn about a special memorial inside Lake Ferry pub; and the story of Japanese prisoners of war held in Featherston.

Viewers can e-mail their feedback to anzacday@maoritelevision.com during the 18-hour broadcast A TATOU TAONGA: ANZAC DAY 2008 this Friday April 25 or watch the coverage live on the website www.maoritelevision.com. Text ANZAC to 3553 (text messages cost 20c each) to book your 5.45 AM wake-up text on ANZAC Day.

Ends

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