April 20, 2016
Maori TV champion of local content
Maori Television is leading the pack with screening of New Zealand content
NZ on Air says over the past year local content made up 82 per cent of its prime time hours, compared with 51 per cent for TV One and 50 per cent at TV3.
It broadcast 555 hours of documentaries, the most of any of the six broadcasters surveyed by the broadcast funding agency, and it also doubled the amount of drama and comedy on offer.
This included first-run programmes such as My Country Song, Find Me a Maori Bride and Te Matatini Festival.
There were also 127 hours of rugby league, including free to air Vodafone Warriors matches.
Chief executive Paora Maxwell says the service prides itself on producing quality shows that tell stories from a uniquely Aotearoa perspective, and the look, feel and entertainment factor of programmes helped grow the number and regularity of Maori Television viewers.
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