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May 18, 2018
Funding squeeze threatens Maori Television objectives
Waatea Team
Posted On May 18, 2018
Maori Television could struggle to live up to its mandate to provide Maori language content without a significant boost in funds.
That’s the message service heads gave the Maori affairs select committee this week at its annual financial review.
Chief executive Keith Ikin says its main funder Te Mangai Paho hasn’t had a funding increase for a decade, and Maori Television has the same budget for in-house content as when it started 14 years ago.
That failure to adjust for the impact of inflation is costing the organisation about $400,000 a year.
"It is now getting close to the point where you have a conversation around your viability as an organisation to be able to deliver on the legislative expectations and to be able deliver on crown policy, as a Maori language broadcaster, to support the crown's objectives around te reo Maori," Mr Ikin says.
Maori Television is talking with Ministers and other agencies about putting a strong case forward for the next Budget.
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