Paul Lewis: Nothing wrong with Maori TV ambition

Maori TV bosses must be hugging themselves. In a trice, they have cast themselves as major players in New Zealand sports broadcasting and could hold telling cards in two prime events - David Tua's next fight or fights and the free-to-air coverage of the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

The National government have only themselves to blame over the World Cup. Their hands-off, commercially-based broadcasting policy has seen them poked in the eye by the same stick they used to ward off previous criticism of TV coverage of that event.

The Maori TV bid provoked some hilarious and sad responses - and not just from the rednecks who came stumbling out of the bush, waving their Bibles and bemoaning how the brown people are taking over.

It was the politicians as well, the extremists on both sides and those folk who find paranoia and see doom in all things Maori - clubbing the idea to death because of the notion that taxpayer funding was being used to kidnap the Cup by the crafty Maori.

Pardon? TVNZ has had taxpayer money in squillions poured into it over the years and what has it got us? To answer that, read Brian Rudman's recent column in the NZ Herald - an eloquent tracking of the evolution of TVNZ from a community broadcaster to a commercially-driven, corporate beast bringing us mind-numbing gems, some imported, that call to mind the Bruce Springsteen song, 57 Channels (as in "57 channels and nuthin' on ...").

Maori TV didn't have 100 per cent coverage across the country, they howled. Neither did Prime TV, another leading contender about whom no complaints were raised.

Maori TV didn't have the expertise, they cried. Hogwash. The free-to-air supplier will take Sky's "host broadcaster" pictures, supplied by the likes of the inestimable Gavin Service and which is pretty much the best coverage of rugby in the world. They will add their own commentary team and probably one or more "unilateral cameras" to provide their own pictures of sideline events and to showcase their frontpeople.

No, the squealing extremists on both sides of the equation were laughable. Many said Maori TV should stick to its charter of promoting the language and things Maori and shouldn't get involved with the country's birthright of rugby.

Why the hell not? Surely there is nothing wrong with Maori TV muscling up to the Pakeha world and competing. There is nothing in law that says Maori TV can't succeed in the wider spectrum of broadcasting.

If it's protection of a culture you are talking about, what better way to highlight to the kids on the street, in the gangs, in the pubs and in an endless trudge down NoHope St that their people are taking care of their own future and there might be a role for them in it?

Good luck to them, I say, and, even if it doesn't work out, it's still a grand way to stop those inclined to pat the brown people on the head; letting them get on with their little TV channel and their little language many don't care a kumara about.

To those upset about a small amount of Maori language in the commentary, what would you rather have - that or Murray Mexted?

If the government is feeling like Maori TV has stuck one up them, they did present rather a large target. TVNZ have been so hit by the recession and successive years of paying dividends to the very governments that have denied them previous levels of state funding that they pulled out of the race to broadcast the 2010 Commonwealth Games - because they couldn't afford it.

The government has backed off from anti-siphoning measures which would see certain key sporting events enshrined in free-to-air TV; and not whisked off to paying customers by the likes of Sky.

Maori TV had contractural rights to Tua's last fight but stepped aside to allow the Tua-Cameron juggernaut to proceed. In return, they negotiated rights to Tua's next three fights for a paltry sum. Now Tua is hot property and those fights are worth much more. That's good business, isn't it?

Three things could happen now - the boxing promoters may buy Maori TV out (but it will cost them more); Tua will fight three quick fights in New Zealand against lesser opposition; or he will head offshore.

All three options carry benefits for the punters, Maori and Pakeha.