March 10, 2015
Haka censorship a serious breach
A former senior Maori journalist says Maori Television was wrong to censor a haka critical of current affairs programme Native Affairs.
The haka by Tainui group Te Iti Kahurangi was edited from highlights coverage of Te Matatini.
Jason Ake, who now runs media strategy company Native Voice, says the group had every right to use the competition to criticise the programme’s investigation of financial dealings at the Kohanga Reo National Trust.
"From a personal point of view I don't agree with the haka and the sentiments expressed within the haka but what I think has occurred here is Maori Television has taken a hammer to stamp out what is essentially somebody's right to freedom of expression and that is a serious, serious, serious faux pas in the world of broadcasting in my view," he says.
Mr Ake says questions needed to be asked about the terms of the broadcast agreement Te Matatini had with Maori Television.
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