November 29, 2018
Independent news critcal for cultural well being
Outgoing Māori Television chief executive Keith Ikin has spoken out against a push by the Māori broadcast funding agency to consolidate Māori news services.
Mr Ikin has stepped down after 18 months on the job, much of which was spent dealing with moving the organisation’s headquarters to south Auckland and attempting to deal with its structural underfunding.
He says the service has done well with little for so long politicians have got complacent, as Māori are expected to get by with less than their mainstream counterparts.
Te Māngai Pāho’s response of a single news hub was seen as closing down independent Māori voices in the media.
"The independent Māori voice is critical for the survival of our people in terms of language and culture and in terms of our cultural well being. This Government talks about well being as the core focus in the Budget and so it is in that context we are arguing the case around well being because well being starts with people having confidence in who they are and in their own identity and in their cultural well being," Mr Ikin says.
He will have more time to work with Ngāti Maniapoto, where he is deputy chair.
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