March 30, 2023
Whakaata Māori birthday reflections
A camera operator who has been with Whakaata Māori since it started says it has been an honour and a privilege to work for the Māori channel.
Ethan Smith is one of only six workers who have been with Māori Television since it began 19 years ago this week.
He says because it has to create Māori content rather than filling its schedules with overseas programmes, it has had to be creative and make programmes at a fraction of the cost of other broadcasters.
“That’s a testament to our ingenuity and hard work and skills and actually coming together as Māori communities do, like on the marae we do the same thing and unfortunately sometimes we burn our people out because we ask so much of them and people give so much because they are so keen to help the cause and sometimes it can be detrimental but at the same time we keep at it,” he says.
Mr Smith says Whakaata Māori has been a great supportive learning environment for many Māori in the industry.