Maori Television on air with broadcast of opening karakia

1.00pm

After 10 months of preparation, the Maori Television Service is on the air.


New Zealand's first national Maori channel started its official broadcast at six o'clock this morning.


A karakia was transmitted live as hundreds of people were welcomed onto the station's base in Auckland's Newmarket.


Guests included Prime Minister Helen Clark, Maori Affairs Minister Parekura Horomia and Dr Pita Sharples.


The Maori Television Service is being billed as a channel for Maori and pakeha with programmes and news in both languages.


Maori Congress member Tu Williams was integral in the fight to get the station to air.


He says it has been a long hard slog but the rewards are worth it.

Even National's Gerry Brownlee could not find anything bad to say about the launch of the service.


The opposition Maori Affairs spokesman says there is no question about the professionalism of the station.


He says it is a tribute to those who have been fighting for it for years.


But Mr Brownlee is still a bit unsure about the need for the station.


He questions whether it will protect te reo or make a difference to New Zealand's multiculturalism.


The fight for recognition of te reo has been fraught with obstacles since it was classified as a taonga by the Waitangi Tribunal in 1986.

Even after the Crown publicly accepted in 1991 that it had an obligation to use radio and television to preserve the Maori language, progress has been painstakingly slow as political reluctance and in-house problems have stymied attempts to get a television channel up and running.

Among the most notorious setbacks was the appointment of Canadian John Davy, who was hired as the first chief executive, only to be jailed after the Herald revealed he had falsified his CV. Chairman Derek Fox took over the role but left last year amid sexual harassment allegations.

But the controversy took a back seat this morning as the service made its first official transmission.

Television viewers with access to the UHF frequency (within the coverage area), satellite or Sky will be able to view Maori Television until 10.30pm.

- Newstalk ZB and Herald Staff