Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka.
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Minister of Māori Development Tama Potaka is urging Māori media companies to start funding themselves.
In the past month, Newshub announced the pending closure of its newsroom and TVNZ proposed axing two of its news shows and current affairs programmes, Sunday and Fair Go, along with two daily news bulletins.
Potaka said now was the time for Māori to start looking at how to fully fund and back themselves without the support of the Government.
“Generation 2000 [a self-funded programme] was a great example of iwi getting up organically and saying ‘We’re going to take a stand and start acting and we are going to do this off our own resources’, that’s what I call local tino rangatiratanga.”
Potaka said even though it had been challenging times for all broadcasters, he believed Māori broadcasters like Whakaata Māori could make positive change.
‘Legitimate platform’
“The mahi that Whakaata Māori and others are doing is a very legitimate platform for news and it gives a more indigenous flavour on how news is playing out.”
The broadcaster has recently transitioned from free-to-air broadcasting to digital-led content in hopes of engaging with a wider audience.
Potaka hopes that as the Minister of Māori Development he will help to persuade, engage and influence his colleagues on understanding the value te reo Māori has for the Government and the community.
“Te reo Māori me ōna tikanga is a fundamental part of this country’s DNA, past, present and future.”
He said it has taken Māori 50 years to retain the pace, cadence and rhythm of te reo Māori despite the obstacles.