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Across Aotearoa, Māori media is evolving rapidly. From TV channels to iwi radio, from linear broadcasts to digital streams – the way Māori stories are told and consumed is shifting. But with that shift comes uncertainty, struggle, and a profound reckoning about how best to keep te reo, tikanga and kaupapa Māori alive in media.
Recent years have seen major restructuring among Māori media outlets:
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Whakaata Māori (formerly Māori Television) has restructured significantly – cutting its daily television news bulletin and shifting its news operation Te Ao Māori News exclusively to digital.
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The dedicated Māori-language TV channel Te Reo moved off over-the-air broadcasting in 2025 and now operates as an online streaming channel through MĀORI+.
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Meanwhile, Māori media funding is under stress: agencies such as Te Māngai Pāho have had to restructure, which has placed long-running shows under pressure, forcing some to reduce output or re-imagine their format.
These changes reflect broader shifts in how people consume media – online, on demand, across platforms. But for Māori media, the shift is also about maintaining relevance, identity, and connection with rangatahi, whānau, and Māori globally.
Journalists and producers in Māori media say it’s a difficult time – but also one with purpose. As one recent editorial analysis put it: giving airtime to diverse Māori voices – including those challenging mainstream thinking, or Māori-to-Māori debate – is crucial to the media’s role.
One long-time commitment remains: to ensure Māori perspectives are heard on issues affecting our whānau, the whenua, and our future. But with tighter resources, outlets say they must balance tradition and innovation – maintaining quality journalism while adapting to new formats and audiences.
The pressures facing Māori media are many:
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Even before recent cuts, Māori media had significantly lower budgets compared with mainstream outlets – limiting how much content could be produced, and how often.
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The shift to digital-first can make access uneven: not all whānau or communities have reliable internet or devices, which risks marginalising some voices or viewers.
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Engaging younger generations – rangatahi – is difficult. As one media-studies expert recently observed: news content often fails to resonate with youth, who expect different formats, storytelling, and interactivity.
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There’s also the constant tension between editorial independence and community expectation: Māori media outlets are often walking a tight line between representing whānau concerns and providing critical, sometimes controversial, commentary – a role some critics resist.
Even in the face of uncertainty, Māori media continues to adapt and innovate:
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Whakaata Māori’s move to digital with MĀORI+ shows a willingness to evolve with the times – potentially reaching wider audiences, including Kiwi Māori living overseas.
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New content – including reo immersion blocks for tamariki, kaupapa Māori programming, and creative re-imaginings of global stories in te reo – help keep language and culture alive in contemporary formats.
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Māori media’s role remains as important as ever: to tell stories that mainstream media won’t, to amplify Māori voices, to hold power accountable, and to nurture identity, connection and belonging across generations.
For Māori listeners, viewers, and creators – this moment is both precarious and full of opportunity. If we act:
We can support outlets that prioritise Māori language, culture, and perspectives – by tuning in, sharing content, and participating in kōrero. We can advocate for sustainable funding for Māori media, so outlets don’t keep working under constant threat of cuts. We can support and build new formats – rangatahi-driven media, digital storytelling, podcasts, social media channels – imagining a modern Māori media landscape that’s alive, vibrant, and accessible to all whānau.
Māori media has always been more than just news. It has been a waka for our stories, our language, our identity. As the media environment changes – so too must we; but the mission remains the same: to ensure Māori voices continue to be heard, today, tomorrow, and for generations to come.
