June 22, 2015
Maori Television ranks thin out
The exodus of senior journalists from Maori Television is continuing with Native Affairs reporter Jodi Ihaka heading to parliament to be Labour’s senior communications advisor Maori.
She will help Labour leader Andrew Little as well as members of the party’s Maori caucus.
She says she loved her time at Maori Television and has nothing but respect for the Maori journalists on Te Kaea and Native Affairs.
Semi Ramas Holland, who worked for the channel almost since its inception as a political reporter and more recently for Native Affairs, is also leaving to take up a position at the Whakatane iwi radio station Sun FM.
But the shifts come just after Native Affairs presenter Mihirangi Forbes announced she was quitting the programme to join Radio New Zealand as its Maori correspondent.
Her departure sparked allegations of editorial interference in the current affairs programme by management over a fresh report on the Kohanga Reo National Trust, which went to air a week after it was originally scheduled.
There were also allegations that have been vehemently denied that Maori Development Minister Te Ururoa Flavell or his communications advisor were involved in scrapping a planned Native Affairs debate on the Whanau Ora policy.
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