4 August 2006

THE BEST OF NA RATOU MO TATOU – ANZAC DAY 2006

Presenters Judy Bailey and Wena Harawira remember ANZAC Day 2006 as one of the highlights of their broadcasting careers.

Judy Bailey and Wena Harawira

“People are still coming up to me and saying how much they loved the coverage,” Wena says. “It drew people in and made them think about who we are. It provided a chance for Māori and Pakeha to stand alongside one another in a very inclusive way.”

Now, in response to ongoing requests to repeat the broadcast, Māori Television is screening two one hour specials – THE BEST OF NA RATOU MO TATOU on Sunday August 13 and August 20 at 8.00 PM. The specials incorporate the stories and interviews that made us laugh and cry as well as the music from the “house concert” that ended the marathon broadcast. A special screening of the documentary MAORI BATTALION: MARCH TO VICTORY will also broadcast on Sunday August 20 at 9.00 PM.

The live ANZAC Day broadcast boosted Māori Television’s viewer numbers by more than 500 percent with almost every RSA in New Zealand tuning in to Māori Television between 6.00 am and 11.00 pm. The live coverage from Gisborne to Gallipoli contained nearly two hundred interviews with veterans from throughout New Zealand.

The broadcast also tapped into a growing interest in Anzac Day – especially from younger people who are turning up to modern dawn parades in increasing numbers. This resonated strongly with veterans – many of whom are nearing the end of their lives and seem increasingly willing to share their experiences.

“For many of the veterans we had on the show, this was the first time they’d ever told their stories,” Judy says. “For many younger viewers it brought home the reality of war.”

“They were such powerful stories. Remembering the dead is an important part of Māori culture, but this was a chance for all New Zealanders to come together and honour the men and women who served their country – and the whanau they came from,” Wena says. “It was very fitting that Māori Television should do this.”

“In ten years' time Anzac Day 2006 will be seen as a major turning point in our sense of national identity,” says Head of Programming at Māori Television Larry Parr.

The Best of Na Ratou Mo Tatou screens on Māori Television on Sunday August 13 and 20, 2006 at 8.00 PM.

In Brief
What: BEST OF NA RATOU MO TATOU – ANZAC DAY 2006
Where: Māori Television
When: Sunday August 13 and 20 at 8.00 PM
Web:www.maoritelevision.com

Viewers can call the helpline on 0800 MA TATOU (0800 628 2868) for advice on how to tune in to Māori Television. For more information, go to www.maoritelevision.com