Jobs go as Māori TV struggles with costs and direction

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JOE GALLAGHER INTERVIEW CLICK HERE

Māori Television has announced job cuts as it deals with budget difficulties and a changing media landscape.

It has also announced the departure of its head of news and current affairs, Maramena Roderick, although her resignation was not part of the so called strategic refresh.

About 19 positions will go, including five that are currently empty, and volunteers have been sought to take redundancy.

E Tū organiser Joe Gallagher, who has been supporting union members, says the cost of moving the organisations’s headquarters from Newmarket to East Tamaki and the decision to scrap plans for a second studio have contributed to the crisis.

This brings into question the commercial decisions made by the previous chief executive and board under previous chair Dame Georgina te Heuheu.

"It created quite an upheaval and came at a considerable cost and ultimately people are now facing the consequences of those costs. They will not like me saying that but ultimately that is the reality of the situation they’re in," Mr Gallagher says.
 

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