May 23, 2023
Minister backs Māori broadcasting
Broadcasting Minister Willie Jackson says Māori radio and television are treaty obligations, so they won’t be measured by audience share.
Māori ministers are heading around the country to spell out some of what’s in Budget 2023 for Māori.
Mr Jackson told a hui at Ngā Whare Waatea yesterday the $51 million dollars for Māori broadcasting over the next two years will allow
Māori tell more of their stories because they matter.
While some of the putea is for new media and digital transformation, the existing platforms will continue to be supported.
“There’s an obligation and that was what the Te Reo Maori Claim was all about and it was ruled by the Privy Council our language had be met through broadcasting. That’s why iwi radio was established, that’s why tv was established. I don’t buy the arguments no one’s listening or no one’s watching. We deserve the opportunity,” Mr Jackson says.
The funding includes $20 million for media content that reflects our reo and culture; $10 million for media content that reflects Māori stories and perspectives for receptive audiences, $12 million for the continuation of iwi media and $9 million for media training.