Maori Television Audience Ratings - Increase across all age groups

"The fact that every age grouping for both the general (all people) and Maori populations is increasing tells us that we are on the right track to continue to build our audience numbers. We know we have a long way to go but we're delighted with the start we have made so far." Ani WaakaMaori Television Audience Ratings - Increase across all age groups

"The fact that every age grouping for both the general (all people) and Maori populations is increasing tells us that we are on the right track to continue to build our audience numbers. We know we have a long way to go but we're delighted with the start we have made so far." Ani WaakaMaori Television's first release of ratings figures in June this year showed that 358,000 individual viewers had watched the channel over 12 weeks. Latest figures show that over the 10 weeks since then 493,000 viewers have tuned in, an increase of 38% over a shorter timeframe.

Maori viewing overall has shown steady growth of 17% to 142,000, to represent 35% of the Maori population.

The channel's non-Maori audience has also continued to grow. Now at 351,000, the non-Maori audience represents 71% of the total Maori Television audience.

Maori Television acting Chief Executive Ani Waaka said the continuing growth in audience numbers was very encouraging.

"The biggest challenge for every new television station is to get people tuning in. These latest results show steady growth in viewer numbers right across the population, and that indicates we're meeting our ratings objective to build audience," she said.

Each age grouping for the All People (general population) and Maori viewing sectors has increased. Stand-out growth areas are the All People 5-19 years at 97% growth and almost doubling to 124,000; All People 5-39 years, which has increased by 57% to 289,000 viewers; and Maori 40+ with a 30% increase to 66,000.

Figures released in June included only those viewers watching via the UHF platform. These latest figures now include viewers watching via both the UHF platform and Sky digital.

Ani Waaka said the updated statistics demonstrated a growing interest in Maori Television despite it being a niche channel. She said the new figures showing the significant interest of the 5-19 year age group was especially good news, noting that the increase coincided with the last school holidays.

"It is particularly satisfying for us to know that the young people of Aotearoa New Zealand like what they see. A key aim of ours is to appeal to this age group who, we believe, are the sector of society that is most open to accepting the Maori language and culture as enriching elements of New Zealand life," said Ms Waaka.

"The fact that every age grouping for both the general (All People) and Maori populations is increasing tells us that we are on the right track to continue to build our audience numbers. We know we have a long way to go but we're delighted with the start we have made so far."
For more information please contact:

SONYA HAGGIE
Maori Television
Ph 09 539 7007 or 021 94 6633