Maori TV set to lose out over opening ceremony

Maori Affairs Minister Pita Sharples. Photo / Martin Sykes

Maori Television has again lost out, as the chance to broadcast the 2011 Rugby World Cup is kicked back and forth between channels.

Tomorrow, the Cabinet will consider a draft proposal jointly submitted by Maori Television, Television New Zealand and TV3 for the cup, after tense talks between the channels.

Highly-placed sources said the channel had failed to secure its "bottom-line" demand: rights to broadcast the opening ceremony and the first cup match between the All Blacks and Tonga.

Trevor Mallard, Labour MP and former Minister for the Rugby World Cup, said the result would be a stinging defeat for both the Maori Party and Maori Television.

The disclosure came as the Maori Party yesterday held its annual general meeting in Auckland where it asked "well-heeled" supporters to contribute to its goal of winning 18 seats by 2017.

The party's supporters were jubilant after Prime Minister John Key ended a farcical stand-off between the three broadcasters by promising that Maori Television would "lead" the free-to-air broadcast bid.

That jubilation may be dissipated today by the discovery that Maori Television's leadership is in name only; another channel will lead off with the first World Cup broadcasts.

The right to broadcast the opening ceremony and first All Black match is regarded as key to securing viewers through the rest of the tournament.

Maori Television had looked to have the ball in hand after Maori development ministry Te Puni Kokiri provided $3 million towards its broadcast rights bid. But the National Government stepped in, allowing TVNZ and TV3 back into the game.

A spokeswoman for the Prime Minister acknowledged the intervention had tested the bond between National and the Maori Party: "The process hasn't been ideal and things could have been handled better."

Trevor Mallard said losing the opening ceremony and first All Black game made a mockery of Maori Television's "lead bidder" status: "If you don't get your pick of games, what's the point of being the lead bidder?"

Murray McCully, Minister for the Rugby World Cup, batted off criticisms that the broadcasting wrangle had occurred because he was distracted by duties as Foreign Affairs Minister.

"It's not a case of taking my eye off the ball, but rather not being able to get my hands on it often enough."

Maori Affairs Minister Pita Sharples, Maori TV, TV3 and TVNZ declined to comment.

The ride to the Rugby World Cup hit new bumps last week when Martin Snedden, head of the Rugby World Cup 2011 organising team, said the event would lose $10 million more than expected - bringing the expected loss to $39.3 million.

Taxpayers will underwrite two-thirds of the loss, with the New Zealand Rugby Union absorbing the remainder.