Maori Television Rocks the Ratings – Again!

PUBLICITY RELEASE
WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 5 2007

Maori Television Rocks the Ratings – Again!

Maori Television has recorded its highest ratings ever thanks to the thousands of viewers who tuned into New Zealand’s national indigenous broadcaster during August.

The past month is now the channel’s best ratings to date with a monthly cumulative audience of 767,000 unique viewers – beating the April record of 722,000.

Over the past six months, an average monthly cumulative audience of more than 695,000 unique viewers have tuned into Maori Television – an increase of more than 100 per cent from its first six months on air in 2004.

The latest figures represent one in five New Zealanders aged 5+ (one in four aged 40+) and almost one in two Maori aged 5+ tuning in to the channel.

Maori Television chief executive Jim Mather says the station continues to attract a rapidly growing and increasingly broad audience across all ages, genders and ethnicities.

The schedule comprises at least 80 per cent locally made programming – in both Maori and English – covering a range of genre including arts, culture, film, sports, music, New Zealand’s environment and history, and issues of relevance to all New Zealanders.

Highlights in August included live coverage of the Waikato coronation commemorations of Kingi Tuheitia; a three-game test series between basketball rivals New Zealand and Australia; and the boxing comeback of David ‘The Tuaman’ Tua.

“More than two thirds of our audience are non-Maori who are looking for local programming such as Kai Time on the Road, Kete Aronui and Ask Your Auntie, many New Zealand movies and documentaries, and the diverse range of international movies and documentaries that normally would not get air-time on the main commercial networks.

“We are making solid progress as a public service broadcaster providing quality New Zealand television that informs, educates and entertains, and we’ve begun to see the potential of Maori Television as a bridge to promote understanding between Maori and all other New Zealanders.”

Highlights in September include live coverage of a second fight by Tua in the USA (Saturday September 8 at 1.00 PM); the NZ Squash Championships and the final of the NZ Rugby League Premiership (Sunday September 9 at 11.00 AM and 2.00 PM); and the grand final of the karaoke talent competition HOMAI TE PAKIPAKI (Friday September 14 at 8.00 PM).

Viewers can call the helpline on 0800 MA TATOU (0800 628 2868) for advice on how to tune in to Maori Television or go to www.maoritelevision.com for more information. Maori Television is available on channel 5 on Freeview; channel 19 on Sky Digital and channel 6 on Sky UHF; and free-to-air on UHF or using a satellite dish and receiver.

ENDS

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