By Maori, About Maori, For Everybody

MEDIACOM-RELEASE-NZ-ON-AIR

By Maori, about Maori, for everybody - a new series of documentaries will screen on TVOne, thanks to funding from NZ On Air.

"Maori producers will be encouraged to submit documentary proposals for the seven programme documentary strand on themes of significance to them, and that they know well. Proposals on whanau, work and social situations, for example, could all be submitted for the series," according to NZ On Air Chief Executive, Jo Tyndall.

"Although New Zealanders have a hunger for information programmes, very few have been by or about Maori. The upcoming series is a great development," Ms Tyndall said.

This is a fresh opportunity for innovative stories to be told that allow us to reflect on what is special about being a New Zealander.

"With the help of TVNZ, Maori creative teams will be able to explore topics of interest to them and from their unique perspective.

"In spite of the wide interest the documentaries are sure to attract, documentary programming in general is relatively expensive to make, and is therefore a genre that would not be commercially viable without NZ On Air's assistance," said Ms Tyndall.

Jude Anaru is to be the Executive Producer for the series. Tainui Stevens will act as a consultant.

NZ On Air has allocated $336,000 for the production of seven half-hour Maori documentary programmes.

ENDS

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