PUBLICITY RELEASE
FRIDAY NOVEMBER 10 2006

Award-Winning Anzac Day Is The People’s Choice

Maori Television has won its first TV Guide Best on the Box People’s Choice award for its ANZAC Day special.

The all-day broadcast in April won the Best Documentary category, beating five other nominations including musician Dave Dobbyn’s One Night in Matata and newsreader Simon Dallow’s What Lies Beneath documentaries.

The TV Guide awards are unique in New Zealand in that they are voted for by the viewers. This year, more than 240,000 votes were made by 10,000 people.

Maori Television chief executive Jim Mather received an engraved glass trophy on behalf of the ANZAC Day team from TV Guide editor Julie Eley in a ceremony at Maori Television in Auckland this week.

“I speak on behalf of everyone at Maori Television when I say thank you to all the viewers who have supported the channel and voted for us,” he says.

“The ANZAC Day broadcast was a team effort and this important award means a lot to those involved because it recognises the hard work and dedication that made this very special project happen.”

Co-presented by Wena Harawira and Judy Bailey, the ANZAC Day special was among 15 nominations for Maori Television shows and people in the awards – a record number of nominations, rising from six last year.

TV Guide editor Julie Eley says the win is well-deserved and describes Maori Television’s ANZAC Day coverage as ‘innovative television.’

“Given the importance of ANZAC Day to our national identity, this type of broadcast was long overdue and it was fantastic to see Maori Television recognise this and take the initiative.

“Scoring Judy Bailey as co-presenter with Wena Harawira was a major coup.”

Wena and Judy will reunite to present another special all-day broadcast to commemorate ANZAC Day 2007 on Maori Television.

ENDS

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