NZ On Air and Te Māngai Pāho have teamed up to create a $4m factual co-fund, designed to support high-quality, prime-time Māori language content that will appeal to a broad audience.
The funding agencies are seeking innovative factual proposals in 20-30% Te Reo Māori that will engage sizeable audiences in an informative and inclusive way, as well as present a wide range of diverse Māori perspectives.
The co-fund intends to support between 4-6 factual screen projects that will hopefully become a taonga to future generations of New Zealanders.
NZ On Air and Te Māngai Pāho are committed to supporting the Māori media sector and collectively improving the outcomes of Maihi Karauna, the Crown's strategy for Māori language revitalisation. This includes ensuring that New Zealanders value Te Reo Māori as a crucial part of national identity.
Previous Māori language content funded by both NZ On Air and Te Māngai Pāho include series such as The Hui, Ahikāroa 2, and the soon-to-be-launched Colonial Combat 2 (for TVNZ OnDemand and Māori Television).
“NZ On Air is delighted to be collaborating with Te Māngai Pāho to support the creation of original and engaging Te Reo Māori projects for broad New Zealand audiences,” said NZ On Air Chief Executive Jane Wrightson.
“We’re particularly excited by the potential this co-fund has to celebrate and normalise the use of Te Reo Māori in prime-time, as well as to explore distinctly Māori perspectives that may not otherwise be heard” she continued.
Larry Parr, Kaihautū of Te Māngai Pāho added, “Te Māngai Pāho and Irirangi te Motu (NZ On Air) already work together to fund a number of individual projects, however this co-fund is a welcome step to work in true partnership."
“It demonstrates the commitment of both organisations to be more closely aligned and reflects the growing need for more Māori language content across all audiences,” he said.
Applications are now open via Te Māngai Pāho’s online application portal Te Pūahatanga and will close 5pm Wednesday October 2nd.
The full application details of the co-fund are available here.
Media contact:
NZ On Air
Sophie Howard
802 8302 (805)
Te Māngai Pāho
Holly Bennett
021 843 454