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National | Broadcasting

Memorial held for veteran Maori broadcaster Marama Martin

Veteran broadcaster Marama Martin (nee Koea) of Te Ati Awa decent has been farewelled by whānau and friends in a private service in Nelson.

Mrs Martin passed away last week and is recognised as the first Māori face to appear on New Zealand Television.  She is credited for establishing a presence for women and Māori in NZ broadcasting.

Although her first love was in teaching, Mrs Martin began her career in broadcasting in the early 1960s beginning her career at the NZ Broadcasting Corporation.

She was the first person to be seen on colour TV in New Zealand in October 1973 and she was also at the helm in 1975 and had the last word on the final night of broadcast for NZBC.

Mrs Martin continued her broadcasting career in radio before returning full circle to her first love of teaching when she joined the Correspondence school in 1978.

She retired from broadcasting in the late 1980s.