More cash for Maori TV

The Maori Television Service has been given nearly $2.5 million more towards programming, says the funding agency Te Mangai Paho.

The money - more than $2.35 million - from the latest funding round would go towards 13 programmes for the new channel, said agency chief executive Trevor Moeke.

The programmes included Maori cooking shows, a comedy/karaoke-style talent show, a documentary about prophet Tahupotiki Wiremu Ratana and a sports show.

"When we make our funding decisions we look for the programmes that we know viewers are going to watch."

The productions aimed to inform and entertain viewers.

Te Mangai Paho was responsible for ensuring that Maori Television had a good range of programmes to air when it began broadcasting, said Mr Moeke.

A Maori Television spokesman said no start date had been decided, but "people seem to be working towards starting about June 2003".

The channel had been expected to go to air last July.

- NZPA

Herald feature: Maori TV