Māori Television attracts over 350,000 viewers!

Over 350,000 New Zealanders have watched Māori Television via UHF frequency.

Nielsen Media Research for Māori Television’s first 12 weeks on air indicate that 358,000 individuals aged five plus have watched Māori Television, with 233,000 (65%) of those viewers non-Māori and 125,000 (35%) Māori.

The figure of 125,000 indicates that 30% of the Māori population have watched via UHF. This is consistent with previous independent research of 600 Māori which indicates that 70% of Māori have watched Māori Television, with almost half of those (47%) watching via SKY Digital.

Māori Television CEO, Ani Waaka, said the solid Māori audience and the high level of interest from non-Māori provided a positive platform for the channel to build on.

“We have always viewed Māori Television as a channel with something to offer everyone, no matter who you are. And given that our primary objective is to normalise the use of te reo Māori within society as a whole, it is very satisfying that our non-Māori audience is there and is building,” said Ms Waaka.

“The early indications regarding our Māori audience are equally encouraging. We’re very aware that many of our Māori viewers are watching via SKY digital and that the UHF figures are not representative of the total Māori audience. That said, these ratings show that we are building a loyal Māori audience. We will work hard to retain them and to attract more,” she said.

Top 5 programmes for the Māori 5+ audience:

1. Marae DIY
2. Korero Mai
3. Kai Time on the Road
4. Nga Puna/Maumahara
5. Sunday Movie

Programmes Coming Up...

AROHA: MATAORA – Monday 28 June at 9.30 pm
Matiu and Wai are having problems. Ever since Matiu came back from his last SAS mission, he has been a different man - a broken man. He must wage a fight within himself that will make or break their loving marriage. Starring Rena Owen and Te Kauri Wihongi.

TE HAERENGA – Tuesday 29 June at 5.30 pm

Head out on tour with Māori music bands, performing arts groups, musicians, artists and protestors as they travel nationally and internationally. TE HAERENGA goes behind the scenes this week with Te Roopu Whaio Kapahaka as they travel from Whangarei to the Super 12 Kapahaka finals in Gisborne. Underfunded and about to unveil a radical new routine they are rank outsiders. Can they shock the kapahaka world and go all the way?

WILD SOUTH: INVADERS IN PARADISE – Wednesday 30 June at 7.00 pm

For millions of years New Zealand was a paradise — a lush green land that was home to many ancient plants and animals. But a thousand years ago the first invaders arrived, and the face of the country was changed forever.

APEKATHE – Wednesday 30 June at 9.30 pm

What is it like to be an Aboriginal person with white skin and why should fair skinned Aboriginals have to justify their Aboriginality? APEKATHE explores why fair skinned people say they are Aboriginal and why it is important for white Australia to be aware of the importance of Aboriginal identity.

HAWAIKI: RATA – Thursday 1 July at 9.30 pm

Rata was an ancient tupuna well known in the Pacific. A famous navigator throughout the Pacific, oral traditions about him abound on many islands. In Samoa he is known as Lata, in Hawai’i as Laka and in Tahiti, the Cook Islands and Aotearoa, as Rata. The cultural histories about this Pacific ancestor are related on HAWAIKI by historians, elders and cultural leaders from Samoa, Hawaii and Tahiti.

NGA PATITI MAOTA O TE KAINGA – Friday 2 July at 7.00 pm

Remember when Māori were exporting big bands to the world like The Quintikis, The Hi Fives and The Hi Marks? Their era may be over, but many of them are making a comeback on Māori Television’s golden oldies show NGA PATITI MAOTA O TE KAINGA. This week, Māori rockers Manu Harrison and Dennis Marsh talk about life and music.

TWO CARS ONE NIGHT - Saturday 3 July at 7.00 pm

Romeo and his brother, Ed, sit in the car waiting for their parents to come out of the pub. This is their world, a place inhabited by adults and alcohol. The night passes slowly until Romeo meets Polly, an eleven year old girl who is also waiting for her parents in a nearby car. This film by Taika Waititi won the best short film award at the 2004 Berlin Film Festival.

SHORT ENZ: THUNDERBOX – Sunday 4 July at 9.00 pm

Expelled from school for repeating one of his father's very down-to-earth philosophies in an English lesson, Thunderbox junior finds himself in the workforce and getting into trouble with the law.

BELONGING – Sunday 4 July at 9.30 pm

A young Cambodian woman returns to her homeland after living in Britain with her adopted parents. The Khmer Rouge have decimated her homelands but she finds strong connections to the people she meets.

Getting to Air

Our daily schedule is:

Tuning in to Māori Television

Viewers can tune in to Māori Television in five ways:

To receive Māori Television via the UHF frequency, viewers need to have a UHF aerial and be within the coverage area.

Via Satellite

If viewers are not within our UHF coverage area, they can access Māori Television via satellite by purchasing a satellite dish and receiver from their local television aerial installation service.

SKY Digital subscribers will find Māori Television on Channel 33 of their SKY remotes. They can tune in to Channel 33 now to catch highlights of programmes on Māori Television.

SKY UHF subscribers will find Māori Television on button 6 of their SKY remotes.

Via Saturn TV
If you receive Saturn TV, you can tune into Māori Television through channel button 33. Saturn Customers please: leave your decoders switched on to be able to receive this channel.

For More Information

Check our website www.maoritelevision.com or for guidance on how to tune-in call 0800 MA TATOU ( 0800 62 82868 )

Issue 18, 28 June - 4 July 2004