Māori Television says getting rid of its news and current affairs programmes will result in more stories for viewers.

The channel is scrapping news programme Te Kaea, as well as Native Affairs, Kawekōrero, and Rereātea in favour of a new single content brand.

Deputy chief executive Shane Taurima says the shift comes from a comprehensive review of the media landscape and its audience’s desire to get news and current affairs coverage as they happen.

While there will still be an evening news broadcast, the material will be published as it is made to an online hub.

That will break the straightjacket of normal television scheduling.

"Being able to use our online platform in addition to television gives us a lot more flexibility to be able to get out into our communities and cover all our wonderful Māori events and hui, to send out some of our team, our reporters and presenters, to actually be going live for our local events, and there is no schedule in the road of that to inhibit when we can stop and start," Mr Taurima says.

Existing reporting staff will be trained in other functions, such as filming and editing, and new staff will be taken on.

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