October 20, 2019
TV3 woes opportunity for Māori Television to step up
A former TV3 staffer says the imminent demise of the channel could be an opportunity for Māori Television to take a more prominent role.
Owner Mediaworks have put its loss-making television arm up for sale, and if no buyer is found it could close.
Hineani Melbourne, who now chairs Māori screen guild Ngā Aho Whakaari, says despite always facing financial challenges the channel has been good for New Zealanders by providing competition and an alternate view to television New Zealand.
In its early days TV3 trained up a lot of young Māori as editors and camera or sound operators, when the state broadcaster was more likely to hire Māori as drivers, and it has continued to be more open to Māori voices.
"It’s given opportunity to programmes like The Hui which wouldn’t have got over the line at TVNZ until recently, maybe it will now, but there’s always that alternative. If Māori Television can step up, there is an opportunity there for Māori Television to be the broadcaster that New Zealand needs and that’s to give a different voice than TVNZ’s voice," Ms Melbourne says.
A number of Maori productions may be axed without TV3 as their primary or secondary broadcaster.
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