Indie broadcasting commission NZ On Air is looking to carve out a space on YouTube that  spotlights New Zealand-made content for tamariki (the Maori word for children).

As outlined in an RFP it issued on July 24, the organization is looking to work with an outside partner interested in launching and running two aggregate channels on YouTube featuring locally produced content for preschoolers and six- to 10-year-olds.

NZ On Air plans to invest somewhere in the range of US$59,000 to US$89,000 in this initiative annually, and companies with experience in homegrown kids content can submit a proposal through its online portal by August 16. 

“Research shows that our tamariki audiences are more likely to watch overseas-based services, particularly YouTube, than local channels and streamers,” the agency explained in its RFP, adding that parents and caregivers are also turning to YouTube Kids as a trusted source of age-appropriate content. “There is an opportunity to create a hub [that makes] it easier for whānau (extended family in Maori) to find and enjoy local tamariki content on the platform they already use.”

Putting together a large catalogue of domestic content for this initiative should give a leg-up to creators who are facing discoverability challenges related to YouTube’s algorithm. And NZ On Air also notes that producers who contribute programming to the channels (which will be available on YouTube Kids and YouTube) can opt into advertising to generate revenue that will come back to them.

Featured imaged: Kiri & Lou, a preschool series produced by New Zealand-based studio Stretchy with the support of NZ On Air.