Funding rounds & dates Rātaka tuku pūtea

Diverse Content

Te Māngai Pāho provides contestable, mixed-platform funding for producers and creators to create a diverse range of Māori content.

Ngā tūāpapa rerekē is our way of describing the wide variety of content we fund across linear television, online and digital platforms, web series and apps. Previously described as ‘diverse content’, all mixed-platform initiatives support Māori language and culture outcomes.

The majority of Te Māngai Pāho funding is contestable, mixed-platform funding, and is available to producers and creators to create a diverse range of Māori content, such as Special Projects, Tamariki & Rangatahi, Innovation, NZ on Air Co-Fund, General Audience and News & Current Affairs.

Te Māngai Pāho and NZ On Air Reo Māori Content co-fund

Te Māngai Pāho and NZ On Air are joining forces once again to fund high-quality, Scripted and Non-Fiction reo Māori content for a broad audience.

Research into the funding of Māori content has revealed that 71% of public funding for Māori film and television content goes toward Non-Fiction production. In an attempt to redress this imbalance, the priority of this round will be high-quality, Scripted reo Māori content. Non-Fiction content applications are welcome but will need to be extra convincing to succeed.

The content we are looking to support is Aotearoa-centric, engaging, and compelling. It will also positively impact on New Zealanders’ attitudes toward te reo Māori by giving the audience an experience of the language that is inclusive and within their reach.

Applications should include evidence that the project is ready for production such as a complete pilot script, season outline and/or character arcs. Scripts must contain 30% or more te reo Māori. Projects must have an eligible, established local free-to-air (FTA) digital platform attached.

Timeline:

Monday 4 December 2023 - RFP Published

Monday 11 December 2023 - Applications Open

Wednesday 13 December 2023 - Online Info Session

Thursday 15 February 2024 - Applications Close

Friday 19 April 2024 - Decisions Notified

Special Projects

Te Māngai Pāho seeks full proposals for the creation of receptive (30 - 70% te reo Māori) and fluent (70% - 100% te reo Māori) content and campaigns that continue promoting important kaupapa Māori in 2023 for Aotearoa audiences to distribute via platforms with marketing and distribution support, or platforms that have an established audience with a distribution plan attached.

We are looking to fund innovative kaupapa and campaigns across multiple platforms that focus on Te Wiki o te reo Māori, as well as Matariki 2023, but are open to other kaupapa content creators may think are important to audiences this year. We expect to see all kaupapa continue to champion the use te reo and tikanga Māori in innovative, accessible ways on screen to help change attitudes and behaviours across Aotearoa

Read the RFP here.

General Audiences

This contestable funding opportunity will support quality factual and scripted content made for diverse and multiple digital platforms including linear pouaka whakaata, OnDemand, online viewing as well as limited Podcast funding streamed through major platforms in this financial year. Both new and returning series are eligible to apply.

Read the RFP here.

Timeline:

Friday 31 March 2023: Round opens

Friday 28 April 2023: Deadline for stage 1 proposals

12 May 2023: Decision letters distributed, and successful shortlist for full proposals (Stage 2) notified.

26 May 2023: Deadline for full proposals

16 June: Decision letters distributed

Tamariki & Rangatahi

This contestable fund seeks to support the creation of content for tamariki and rangatahi audiences that engage the target audience on multiple platforms: including but not limited to; linear television; OnDemand; and online viewing.

News & Current Affairs

Since its inception, Te Māngai Pāho has supported quality Māori journalism made by Māori about Māori issues, and interests. Te Māngai Pāho understands the important role it plays in creating space for our content, perspective, and reo on matters deemed of local, national and international relevance and importance.

Māori journalism provides a plurality of voices and addresses the potential for imbalance in our political landscape, especially in respect of that demand te reo Māori and Māori perspectives are heard and considered. To ensure Māori journalistic capability within the sector, Te Māngai Pāho is committed to continuing its tautoko for the production and distribution of Māori news and current affairs.

Innovation Round

This contestable funding opportunity will tautoko content and campaigns for Aotearoa audiences to distribute via new and emerging platforms with marketing and distribution support, or platforms that have an established hunga mātakitaki with a distribution plan attached.

This round looks to fund innovative content and genres we haven’t yet explored across multiple platforms that champion te reo and tikanga Māori, that use te reo and tikanga Māori in innovative, accessible ways on screen to help change attitudes and behaviours across Aotearoa.

Read the RFP here.

Content Development Round

In a continued effort to serve New Zealand audiences by engaging Māori content, we are always on the lookout for fresh, innovative kaupapa with te reo Māori outcomes. We believe the considered development of that content is fundamental to the quality of content and ensure the use of te reo Māori is of the highest standard. We are looking for innovative and engaging Māori storytelling that will connect with audiences.

This development funding round seeks to provide applicants with the opportunity to create written and/or visual materials and/or strategies to improve the quality and use of te reo Māori within projects. Ultimately it will also enable content creators to make strong bids for production pūtea tautoko in the very competitive funding environment.