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National | Broadcasting

Māori Broadcasting sector to undergo review

The Māori Broadcasting sector will undergo a policy review under Te Puni Kōkiri to ensure its entities and organisations are responsive to the changing digital media environment.

“I want the Māori media sector to transition well to a digital, multi-platform environment, focussed on the creation and distribution of quality Te Reo Māori content that delivers for all New Zealanders," Māori Development Minister Nanaia Mahuta says.

The review titled 'Māori Media Sector Shift’ will assess publicly funded Māori broadcasting entities Te Māngai Pāho, the Māori Television Service and Te Whakaruruhau o Ngā Reo Irirangi Māori (and related iwi radio stations).

Minister Mahuta says “new and advancing technology has disrupted the broadcasting environment as we knew it. We need to ensure that Māori broadcasting is future proofed and fit for purpose as we move further into the digital age.”

The review will consider options on the funding, delivery, retention and access to Te Reo and tikanga Māori programming content, and alignment to Public Broadcasting.

Mahuta says while a range of public service imperatives exist for public funding and broadcasters in New Zealand, the Māori broadcasting sector primarily exists to contribute to the promotion and retention of Te Reo and tikanga Māori.

“For that reason we need a specific focus on the Māori media space to instil a robust system that can tackle future challenges and enable the ongoing delivery of gains for our language and culture,” she says.

This will also feed in to the review of Te Ture mō Te Reo Māori 2016, which is due to take place in 2019.

The last review of Māori broadcasting was undertaken by the Ministry of Commerce in 1998, and focussed only on iwi radio broadcasting.