June 12, 2020
Iwi radio head upbeat at media sector plan
An iwi radio leader says she feels more confident about Māori Broadcasting Minister Nanaia Mahuta’s Māori media shift review after a briefing from the Minister.
Executive members from Māori radio umbrella group Te Whakaruruhau and Māori Television met with Ms Mahuta by Zoom after this week’s release of the discussion document, which was light on detail as to what may be coming next.
Erana Reedy from Radio Ngāti Porou says she went into the hui with a sense of doom and gloom and came feeling more positive.
But she says iwi broadcasters still want more clarity about the collaboration the crown is seeking, the role of iwi given that some have invested heavily in their radio stations, and what extra funding could be available.
"She’s told us initially to look at how we're funded and how we can better utilise the dollar we currently get to achieve our goals but she still wants the best sector operating so nothing is off the table and the beauty of it is we get the opportunity to co-design what we think will work," Ms Reedy says.
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