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A SLAM DUNK FOR MAORI TELEVISION

MONDAY SEPTEMBER 14 2009

With everything from hip hop to shoe reviews, celebrity challenges and high-octane sports commentary, Maori Television’s new basketball show promises to be as fast-paced as the game itself.

JAM SESSION, premiering on Saturday October 10 at 5.00 PM, is an action-packed in-house show designed to complement the channel’s coverage of the NZ Breakers and the Australian National Basketball League in the 2009-2010 championship season.

Produced and presented by Maori Television’s leading bilingual sports commentator Te Arahi Maipi, JAM SESSION has all the trimmings of a traditional sports programme, but it also offers a distinctive rangatahi edge.

“We have lots of shows for older viewers, so we want to entice a younger audience,” says Maipi, who will be joined in the studio each week by Breakers assistant coach Judd Flavell.

“It’s got all the nuts and bolts of basketball in there, but it will be entertaining and informative at the same time.”

In addition to providing the relevant game information and quick-fire interviews with players, JAM SESSION breaks the mould by setting game reviews to the latest hip hop clips, and offering magazine-style reviews of the latest basketball shoes on the market.

Breakers guard and former Tall Black Paul Henare prepares an edgy basketball tutorial aimed at getting young fans to practise their skills, while a celebrity challenge has high-profile fans taking to the court to see if they can hack it against the professionals.

JAM SESSION goes hand in hand with Maori Television’s stellar line up of basketball coverage this season.

NZ Breakers’ Thursday night home games will be broadcast from the North Shore Events Centre from September 24.

Maori Television will show games at 9.30 PM for the first five weeks, until sports entertainment show HYUNDAI CODE finishes its season. The broadcast time moves to 8.30 PM from October 29.

The NZ Breakers games will also play live on Te Reo, in POITUKOHU NBL, with tip-off at 7.00 PM.

In the weeks when the NZ Breakers do not have home games, Maori Television will screen other games from the league and NZ Breakers away games as a priority.

All games will be available through the on-demand service on the Maori Television website for up to one week after each game, as well as a ‘Play of the Day’ highlight.

Maori Television will also screen a full replay of each game on the Saturday following the Thursday night game.  The home game schedule is as follows:

DATE                 VENUE   VISITORS

 MĀORI  TELEVISION 

TE  REO  
 24 Sept 09  NSEC  Cairns  9.30pm  7.00pm
 08 Oct 09  NSEC  Melbourne    9.30pm  7.00pm
 22 Oct 09  NSEC  Townsville  9.30pm  7.00pm
 29 Oct 09  NSEC  Adelaide  8.30pm  7.00pm
 05 Nov 09  NSEC  Gold Coast  8.30pm  7.00pm
 12 Nov 09  NSEC  Perth  8.30pm  7.00pm
 26 Nov 09  NSEC  Cairns  8.30pm  7.00pm
 03 Dec 09  NSEC  Wollongong     8.30pm  7.00pm
 10 Dec 09  NSEC  Perth  8.30pm  7.00pm
 17 Dec 09  NSEC  Townsville  8.30pm  7.00pm 
 14 Jan 09  NSEC  Melbourne  8.30pm  7.00pm
 21 Jan 09  NSEC  Adelaide  8.30pm  7.00pm
 04 Feb 09  NSEC  Wollongong  8.30pm  7.00pm
 11 Feb 09  NSEC  Gold Coast  8.30pm  7.00pm

In addition, NBL BASKETBALL will screen on Maori Television on Sundays at 2.00 PM from October 4, featuring the best action from the Australian league.

Tune into Maori Television for the best on-court action and be entertained with a JAM SESSION, starting Saturday October10 at 5.00 PM.

For images, interviews, review tapes or further information, contact:

Merilee Andrews

Kaiwhakaputa (Publicist)

Maori Television
DDI: +64 9 539 7092
Mob: 021 274 0495
EML: merilee.andrews@maoritelevision.com

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR JAM SESSION

Year:              2009
Censor:          General Exhibition (G)
Duration:        20 x 26 minute sports review-preview show
Language:      English and Maori (20 per cent)

PO Box 113-017, Newmarket, Auckland 1149, New Zealand
9-15 Davis Crescent, Newmarket, Auckland 1023, New Zealand
http://www.maoritelevision.com/