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May 20, 2022
Media merger funding creates high Māori expectations
Adam Gifford
Posted On May 20, 2022
Download AudioThe head of funding agency Te Māngai Pāho says the Budget boost for Māori broadcasting is welcome, even though it’s less than the sector was hoping for.
Māori Television will get an extra $4 million a year over the next two years, and Te Māngai Pāho has another $32 million over the same period for innovative new Māori content for online and emerging platforms.
It will also support the creation of te reo Māori content and content that gives voice to Māori perspectives and continue its funding of iwi media.
Chief executive Larry Parr says the publicly-funded media sector has been under review for several years, and the results of that are starting to land, with the merger of Radio New Zealand and TVNZ and Radio New Zealand demanding the most attention and funding.
“The new beast is a big beast and the $327 odd million it has been allocated over a number of years is a lot of money so if over the next two or three years we don’t see a move to equitable funding for the Maori sector, then people will be not happy,” he says.
Mr Parr says Māori media should have nothing to fear from the merger and it should throw up some opportunities.
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