NZ On Air And Te Māngai Pāho Co-fund Six Bilingual Factual Projects For Broad Aotearoa Audiences

NZ On Air and Te Māngai Pāho have once again joined forces to fund $4m worth of entertaining Factual Māori language content for broad Aotearoa audiences.

Three returning and three new series have been funded, ranging from popular titles such as Match Fit and Origins, to intriguing new series such as The Drawing Board and He Waka Eke Noa.

Recent co-fund rounds have seen the two agencies commit a total of $4m to nine projects, including four episodes in a new supernatural anthology series, and five premium bilingual projects that will see varying levels of te reo Māori used across a wide variety of programme genres.

In 2022 one of Aotearoa’s oldest and most prestigious schools Hato Tīpene (St Stephens College) is due to re-open its doors to students after a 22-year-hiatus. Hato Tīpene – A Legacy Reborn will document the restoration and re-opening of St Stephens, as well as explore the school’s significant history and impact.

The Drawing Board will examine modern Māori architecture, from ambitious multi-million-dollar projects to award-winning residential designs, to prefabricated housing initiatives.

The new six-part series He Waka Eke Noa will document the mammoth task of building a waka taua and examine the evolution of cultural identity in contemporary Aotearoa.

The award-winning bilingual podcast series Taringa is set to connect even more audiences to te ao Māori in a fun and relaxed way every week.

Returning after a breakthrough first season, Match Fit 2 will follow a team of former All Blacks as they confront their own personal health issues in preparation for a final grudge match against familiar old foes.

Also returning for a second season, Origins 2 will follow Scotty Morrison as he uncovers the latest research around scientific, cultural, and spiritual connections to his whakapapa from around the Pacific and beyond.

“NZ On Air is thrilled that a continued collaboration with our sister agency Te Māngai Pāho has produced such a bounty of meaningful and entertaining Factual content” said NZ On Air Chief Executive Cameron Harland.

“It’s a privilege to fund these six incredible projects that will highlight the strong value of te reo Māori to wide audiences across the motu, as well as amplify a range of distinct voices, perspectives and experiences” he continued.

“Our collaboration with NZ On Air provides our content creators with opportunities they might not otherwise get,” says Kaihautū of Te Māngai Pāho, Larry Parr.

“We are delighted to be able to, once again, work with our colleagues at NZ On Air to support this slate of diverse and entertaining Māori content” he added.

Funding details

Hato Tīpene – A Legacy Reborn, 1 x 52 mins, Te Imurangi for Māori Television, E-Tāngata and Re:, up to $242,762

He Waka Eke Noa, 6 x 10 mins, Aotearoa Media Collective for RNZ, up to $194,550

Match Fit 2, 5 x 44 mins + 1 x 66 mins, Pango Productions for Three, up to $1,871,830 plus a platform contribution reduction of $286,000

Origins 2, 2 x 43 mins, Scottie Douglas Productions for TVNZ, up to $1,061,490 plus a platform contribution reduction of $113,446

Taringa Podcast, 52 x 43 mins, Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, up to $250,304

The Drawing Board, 8 x 25 mins, Faultline Films for Māori Television and NZ Herald, up to $642,650

© Scoop Media