KEY POINTS:
Popular Maori Television show Ask Your Auntie has been cancelled for the 2008 season - and its demise has got one of its stars riled up.
But it's a programming decision based on increasing te reo Maori content on the channel, MTS said.
From the banal to the serious, the show offers advice on life's problems and first screened in 2005.
Often described as "top rating" by the channel in promotional material, in a statement yesterday MTS said the 6.30pm programme attracted an average daily cumulative audience of 2100 viewers for the six months to November 30.
A Christmas episode was filmed on Wednesday and a day later the cast was told the contract would not be renewed for the programme, which costs about a $1 million to produce for a year's worth of shows.
Auntie Mabel Wharekawa-Burt, who often has the other panellists in fits of laughter with her no-nonsense advice and big chuckle, can't believe the show has ended.
In a stinging email sent to supporters, Mrs Wharekawa-Burt said somehow the show did not fit the station's direction.
"Marketing must feel strongly that they know what iwi need as they seem to be of the opinion there will be no reaction."
It was a show that would be missed by many, she said.
"We have had strong reactions from Maori and mainstream social and mental health agencies for whom we are so often the first point of call and referral of clients."
The email goes on to say if people were unhappy they should contact the station or Greenstone Pictures which produces the programme.
Mrs Wharekawa-Burt did not return phone calls yesterday, but producer Kim Muriwai said the team was unhappy at not being able to farewell their audience in their last show.
Ms Muriwai said the programme received about 500 calls a month to the free call number.
While there had always been lighter letters, there had been many calls from people in dire need of help, from those who had been raped to those who felt suicidal. It was sad the format would not be there for those people, she said.
However, host Ella Henry was more philosophical about the decision. She said it was made for economic reasons.
"I've been around the traps; shows get cancelled, that's the reality of TV.
The change in scheduling apparently wasn't initiated by the marketing department.
In a written statement, MTS said the decision was part of a review which will see 100 per cent te reo Maori programmes broadcast between 4pm and 8pm on weekdays.
That would complement next year's launch of the station's full immersion channel which would broadcast between 8pm to 11pm.
That meant the agony show had to move, but the the programme did not fit within the schedule from 8pm onwards, and accordingly the station hasn't commissioned it for 2008.
The statement said CEO Jim Mather reserved the right for MTS to adjust its schedule as required in order to achieve its language objectives. MTS was committed to increasing its te reo programming to 60 per cent on it's existing channel.
Other panellists have included Hinewehi Mohi, Aroha Hathaway, Vanessa Rare, Veeshayne Patuwai, Kath Akuhata-Brown, Christina Asher, Whetu Fala, Ngawai Herewini and Rachel House.
