This 2014 documentary celebrates Māori Television’s first decade. It begins by backgrounding campaigns that led to the channel (despite many naysayers). Interviews with key figures convey the channel's kaupapa – preserving the past and te reo, while eyeing the future. A wide-ranging survey of innovative programming showcases the positive depictions of Māoridom, from fresh Waitangi, Anzac Day, basketball and 2011 Rugby World Cup coverage, to Te Ao Māori takes on genres like current affairs and reality TV (eg Native Affairs, Homai Te Pakipaki, Kai Time on the Road, Code, and more).

After years of protest, agitation, and court hearings, the Māori Television Service finally launched on 28 March 2004. This is the first 30 minutes that went to air. Presented by Julian Wilcox and Rongomaianiwaniwa Milroy, the transmission begins with a traditional montage of Aotearoa scenic wonder (with a twist of tangata whenua); the launch proper opens with a dawn ceremony at Māori Television's Newmarket offices, featuring MPs and other dignitaries. Wilcox also gives background information on the channel and outlines upcoming programming highlights.

Māori Television has staked such a claim on Anzac Day coverage that the two have almost become synonymous. The channel began its all-day Anzac coverage with an extended, award-winning broadcast in 2006. Māori Television increased mainstream media interest in its Anzac coverage by cleverly enlisting longtime TVNZ newsreader Judy Bailey to co-host with Wena Harawira. This opening 30 minutes includes the 2006 studio welcome, and live coverage of the 67th annual Auckland Dawn Parade, with narrators Tainui Stephens and historian Stephen Clarke.

Polyfest, the annual secondary schools' Māori and Pacific Island cultural festival, attracts around 90,000 people and 9000 performers from 64 schools to Manukau Sports Bowl. The 2017 Māori Television coverage, hosted by Sonny Ngatai, showcased every kapa haka performance over 50 30 minute slots. This episode features former winners and 2016 runners-up Ngā Puna o Waiōrea (Western Springs College), who perform routines including poi and haka. Puawai Taiapa (Pūkana) and social media stars Cougar Boys and Chardé Heremaia (Memoirs of a Māori) interview rangatahi.

Television talent show franchises like Got Talent and X Factor won huge global popularity in the first two decades of the 21st Century. In 2016 the format got an Aotearoa twist with this Māori Television series: each contestant’s routine had to include kapa haka. Hosted by Kimo Houltham, this first episode sees Norris Studios (jazz ballet), Mana Wairua (contemporary), and Sovreign (hip hop) compete to see who has "haka flair". Manu Wairua’s World War II-inspired act and Sovreign’s rākau (Māori weaponry) skills saw the judges send them to the quarter finals.

The very last grand final of Homai Te Pakipaki sees ten finalists from across the motu come together to sing their hearts out, with the hope of taking home a $20,000 cash prize (plus phone package). Broadcast live, the raw talent karaoke contest is hosted by Brent Mio and 2008 series winner Pikiteora Mura-Hita, with help from Pakipaki veteran Te Hamua Nikora. The winner is decided by whānau, iwi and the viewers at home via text vote. The guests include 2014 winner Lee Stuart, band Sons of Zion and IDentity Dance Company. There are also short clips of past show highlights.

The first Matariki awards recognise Māori achievers across everything from sport, to academia, to business. The audience pay special tribute to Scotty Morrison, the IronMāori team, and All Black Nehe Milner-Skudder. Nominated for the Waipuna-ā-Rangi Award for excellence in art and entertainment are Stan Walker, Cliff Curtis and artist Lisa Reihana; one of the trio will later score the night's supreme award. Musical guests Ria Hall and The Modern Māori Quartet combine to enliven 'Ten Guitars'. The awards were presented on behalf of Te Puni Kōkiri and Māori Television. 

This Māori Television documentary pays tribute to the nearly 20,000 Kiwis who fought against the Japanese in the Pacific during WWll. Using interviews with soldiers, locals and historians, director Iulia Leilua tells stories of bravery and brutality in New Caledonia, the Solomon Islands, Tonga, Fiji and Papua New Guinea. Seaman Jack Harold recalls helping sink a Japanese submarine at Guadalcanal, while former Papua New Guinea Governor-General Sir Paulias Matane shares childhood memories of living in fear. New Zealanders fought in the Pacific for two years. 

Māori Television’s award-winning news and current affairs show took its bold name from a colonial government department. This 2017 episode profiles four non-conformists: Mongrel Mob boss Rex Timu’s war on P; Raihania Tipoki's waka protest against East Coast oil surveying; Taranaki mother Tina Tupe's preparations for her own tangi; and globetrotting screenwriter David Seidler. Seidler makes an annual trip to a Tarawera cabin – he has a Kiwi son to a Māori woman – and talks about his Oscar-winning movie The King’s Speech, and his admiration for kapa haka.

This Te Ao Māori take on Hunger Games follows bushman Owen Boynton as he straps on his bow and travels across Aotearoa, to explore traditional hunting techniques and skills, and the kaupapa behind them. In this first episode Tūhoe-bred Boynton returns to his Waimana hometown to pay his respects to the forest, and hunt with whānau to provide kai for their community. On the riverbed the dogs round up a couple of deer, and he gets an anatomy lesson from his uncle. Toa Hunter-Gatherer was produced by Julian Arahanga and Awa Films for Māori Television.