August 26, 2018
Te Atiawa keen on secure future for Te Upoko
A Te Atiawa elder says the iwi is keen for Radio Te Ūpoko o te Ika to continue long term, but there needs to be more discussion on the best way to achieve that.
A hui last week of Wellington iwi and the station unanimously decided the 31-year-old station should continue to use the 1161 AM frequency, which the crown in May assigned to Te Atiawa and Ngāti Toa.
After the hui Te Māngai Pāho released its funding for the current financial year, but there are still no guarantees what will happen after next June.
Kura Moeahu says iwi are looking at the relationship between Te Upoko and their own Te Atiawa Toa FM.
"I believe both stations should maintain their own autonomy. What that would look like we don’t know yet. The iwi and our relatonship with Te Ūpoko o Te Iwi is vital because it is the matua body of te reo irirangi and we need to be seen supporting it," he says.
Mr Moeahu says Te Aitawa has taken a hammering over the controversy but it never had any intention to stop Te Ūpoko broadcasting.
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