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Television New Zealand’s Maori and Pacific programmes department has had its last Christmas bash, with some of the broadcasters who have contributed over the years coming back to mark its achievements … and to raise question about what will happen once programmes like Marae, Waka Huia and Tagata Pacifika are outsourced.
Te Karere presenter Scotty Morrison, whose programme is the only one to stay in-house, says Chief Executive Kevin Kenrick reassured the gathering that TVNZ was still committed to screening the programmes.
But Mr Morrison says the impact of the change came home to him during cultural performances by the TVNZ kapa haka and a Pasifika dance group.
"I was thinking this is what TVNZ is giving away. They are giving away their cultural heart really. If there is any big event they are hosting, they will not be able to call on the Maori And Pacific Programmes' kapa haka team and the Pacific Island performers to do some performances and support those kinds of internal events, and also some of the external events," he says
Scotty Morrison says TVNZ could struggle in future to match the coverage it was able to provide of events like the tangi of the Maori queen or the Tongan king.
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