September 09, 2022
Māori broadcasting plays catch up
A Māori media figure who was part of the advisory group for the Maori media sector review says the three-year plan approved by Cabinet is a chance to set up the sector for the next 25 years.
The plan will shift responsibility for funding Maori Television Whakaata Maori to Te Puni Kokiri, create new avenues for funding Maori content in English, and encourage partnerships with mainstream broadcasters including the merged TVNZ and Radio New Zealand.
Former journalist and communications advisor Jason Ake says there is also a need to update the legislation for Maori Television and Maori radio.
“The platforms have changed. The way in which we consume not just news but our stories by us, for us has morphed into a whole range of digital platforms. That wasn’t envisaged at the outset of those two very, very important pieces of legislation,” he says.
Mr Ake says the sector is in a fight to retain talented broadcasters when government agencies and even private businesses ae paying big money for Maori speakers.