Māori Television has announced that it is to launch a second channel in 2008.

Māori Television Chief Executive Jim Mather announced today that the new channel would broadcast in 100 per cent te reo Māori, initially during the prime time hours of 7.30 PM to 10.30 PM. It would transmit via the Freeview platform.

Mr Mather said the aim of the second channel was to better meet the needs of fluent Māori speakers, Māori language learners and to enable New Zealanders to have full immersion Māori language households. It provided greater opportunity for Māori Television to more effectively fulfill its statutory objectives, particularly in regard to increasing the promotion of language and culture.

“Fulfilling our statutory function of promoting te reo Māori me nga tikanga Māori in both the Māori and English languages, and appealing to a broad viewing audience, remains a high priority for the organisation,” Mr Mather said. “However, the advent of a second channel will ensure that the core constituents of Māori Television continue to have their Māori language expectations enhanced, without adversely impacting on the broad audience that the current channel has developed.”

He said the second channel would be programmed to complement the existing channel. Its launch would not change the programming schedule, operation or reo Māori content on the existing channel which had “proven to be a very successful formula with audience numbers continuing to grow”. The existing channel would also undergo further development with the addition of almost 500 additional hours of broadcast in the 2007-2008 year.

“Being a multi-channel broadcaster reinforces Māori Television’s development and progression, and further embeds Māori Television as a permanent feature of the New Zealand broadcasting landscape,” Mr Mather said. “We look forward to continuing to provide public service programming that meets the needs of both our Māori and non-Māori audiences, acknowledges the unique and integral place of Māori culture as part of the wider New Zealand culture, and promotes a sense of nationhood for us all.”

Key features of the new channel include:

§          Broadcasts three hours per day, seven days per week, during prime time from 7.30 PM to 10.30 PM. On-air hours are expected to increase over time.

§          100 per cent te reo Māori.

§          Advertising-free.

§          Schedule space available to iwi to provide iwi-specific information programmes. This is aimed at ensuring tribal dialects are broadcast and at profiling tribal activities and development.

§          Schedule will comprise up to 90 per cent local programmes.

§          30 to 45 per cent of the schedule is new programmes.

§          A particular focus on new programmes for the older, fluent audience.

§          All new programmes will be subtitled for second play on the existing channel.

§          Local and international documentaries reversioned into te reo Māori.