Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Full time, prime time te reo not effective yet - Maori TV boss

Updated at 8:27 pm on 3 July 2012

Maori Television says it has no current plans to fill its evening prime-time schedules with wall to wall full immersion Maori language programmes.

Set up in 2004 to help promote and revitalise Te Reo Maori, the channel boosted its te reo content on July 1, by showing 5 hours of language tuition programmes during the day.

Chief executive, Jim Mather, says broadcasting in te reo is not an effective strategy, because not everyone can speak Maori.

He says 85% of Maori Television viewers are not fluent in the language.

Mr Mather says the channel has to broadcast to all New Zealanders.

Maori Television appeals to people with different levels of language proficiency, and uses a swimming analogy, saying learners start off in the beginners pool, not the deep end.

Mr Mather says the organisation's second channel called Te Reo which was launched in early 2008, broadcasts all its programmes in Maori.

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