March 05, 2015
Pukana and Pakeha for first time
Maori Television’s award winning children’s show Pukana intends to slip in some English language in a bid to widen its audience.
The show is kicking off its 16th season with three new presenters to appear alongside Pikiteora Mura-Hita.
They are Georgia Ihimaera, Nathaniel Howe and Raniera Blake.
Co-producer Alecia Haua says Pukana now has the freedom to weave in a small amount of English naturally and subtly into the Monday programme.
She says it will allow the show to grow its audience base and hopefully excite enough of its non-fluent audience into taking the next step into learning Te Reo.
Pukana screens on Maori Television on Mondays, Tuesday and Wednesdays at 5pm.
Episodes of Pukana with English subtitles are rebroadcast on TV Four on the weekends.
Ms Haua says while Pukana’s primary audience is aged 8-12, that range is expanding as its original fans grow up.
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