The start of Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori 2020 (Māori Language Week) has seen television channel Three change its name to Toru and current affairs programme The Project transform into Te Kaupapa.
The temporary name changes come with support from te reo Māori funding agency Te Māngai Pāho and are a part of Māori language week's theme of 'Kia Kaha te Reo Māori' - 'let's make the Maori language strong'.
Many of Toru/Three's news presenters and television personalities are backing the initiative, with Te Kaupapa/The Project host Kanoa Lloyd saying she was "so proud" to be a part of it.
"For Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori we are all giving it heaps and learning things we can carry with us into the future," Lloyd wrote on Instagram.
Meanwhile, Newshub Live at 6pm presenter Samantha Hayes said she was "stepping out of her comfort zone" by throwing herself into the challenge of giving everyday Te Reo a go on-air.
"It's all about getting involved and celebrating the Māori language," Hayes' co-host Mike McRoberts explained in a video announcing the change.
"It doesn't matter if you're fluent or new to the language, we would just love you to join us."
Toru/Three and Te Kaupapa/The Project both unveiled new branding in Te Reo on their social media channels to share the news.
Throughout the week, the Toru/Three Facebook and Instagram pages are sharing videos featuring McRoberts and Lloyd joined by other well-known Kiwis such as Antonia Prebble and Guy Williams offering examples of easy to use phrases such as "Kia pai te rā ki a koe" - "have a great day".
On the ThreeNow website, users can access whānau learning resources which cover a range of topics from how to order your coffee in Te Reo to how to cheer on a summer sports game using Māori.
