The opening ceremony and opening match of the 2011 World Cup will screen live on both TVNZ and Maori TV, with live matches on four networks, if the Govt backed bid is successful.

NZ taxpayers will "not be paying over the odds" to see free-to-air 2011 Rugby World Cup games, John Key says.

Pita Sharples is defending a $6000 meeting he held with gang leaders, describing it as 'quiet diplomacy'.

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

Pita Sharples fears the International Rugby Board will reject the proposed three-way bid for the TV rights to the Rugby World Cup.

ACC Minister Nick Smith today described his comments about ACC suicide victims as an "unfortunate analogy".

Maori Television's bid for exclusive free-to-air rights to the Rugby World Cup has effectively been kneecapped by Prime Minister John Key.

Maori TV was pressured into changing its bid for the exclusive free-to-air rights to the Rugby World Cup to allow rival channels to piggy-back and show the games.

The Unauthenticated Diaries of Pita Sharples on the occasion of backing Maori TV's Rugby World Cup bid.

Pita Sharples says he will apologise to John Key for not discussing in detail Te Puni Kokiri's $3m deal to support Maori TV's Rugby World Cup bid.

John Key has rejected Maori Party suggestions that concern over the Maori TV bid for Rugby World Cup free-to-air coverage has racist undertones.

Maori TV will be expected to show Rugby World Cup matches to all NZ if it wins coverage rights, the Maori Affairs Minister says.

Maori TV's Rugby World Cup commentary would mainly be in English but 5 to 10 per cent will be peppered with Maori phrases.

Thousands will miss out on free live coverage of the Rugby World Cup if Maori TV's taxpayer-funded bid for the right to screen games succeeds.

Maori Affairs Minister Pita Sharples has given his blessing for taxpayer funds to support Maori TV's World Cup bid.