Te Māngai Pāho

Te Māngai Pāho (Māori Broadcast Funding Agency) is a New Zealand Crown Entity responsible for promotion of Māori language and culture by providing funding for Māori language programming on radio, television and music. It has been in existence since 1989 under the legal name 'Te Reo Whakapuaki Irirangi' and is administered by the Ministry of Justice, but uses the name Te Māngai Pāho or TMP in all its public activities.^[1][2][3]

The organisation was established and is retained under the commitment of successive Governments to broadcasting rights under the Treaty of Waitangi, and recognises the Māori language as a taonga or treasure that must be actively protected and supported. It claims to be "dedicated to the sustained regeneration and promotion of Māori language and culture" through making wise investment decisions, contestable funding processes and the promotion of Māori music.^[4] It operates alongside general broadcasting funding body NZ On Air.

As the primary funding body of Māori media, the agency funds the operation of a national network of 21 iwi-run radio stations, that must each deliver eight hours of Māori language content each day. It also provides funding to Māori Television and sister channel Te Reo to produce local programming in-house and acquire local and overseas programmes that are likely to interest Māori audiences in particular.^[5]

Television

TV One, TV2, TV3, Prime TV and Sky TV programming is eligible for Te Māngai Pāho funding. The agency has previously funded bilingual content, outdoor broadcasts of Māori events, sports coverage with Māori language commentaries, Māori language children's programming, daily news and current affairs and other programmes.^[4]

TVNZ Māori and Pacific

Flagship daily Māori language news programme Te Karere began in 1983 and has been funded by Te Māngai Pāho since its inception in 1989. The programme covers news of national significance that relates to a specifically Māori audience. It is presented by Scotty Morrison and produced by Tini Molyneux and Tina Wickliffe, with senior reporter Hinerangi Goodman and substitute host Peata Melbourne. The programme broadcasts on TV One on 4pm, is repeated with subtitles at 1am and 5.30am the following day, and is available online through live streaming and on-demand services.

Until the end of 2014, the TVNZ Māori and Pacific department operated primarily to produce programmes that have received Te Māngai Pāho funding. Long-running bi-lingual current affairs programme Marae was one such programme. Presenters Scottie Morrison and Miriama Kamo introduced debates and panel discussions about Māori politics and longer-form stories about the Māori world. For most of its existence, the programme has been broadcast alongside English-subtitled Māori language documentary series Waka Huia, which was distributed around the world as an archival record of the Māori way of life.

Māori Television

Māori Television began broadcasting around New Zealand 28 March 2004 from a base in Newmarket, and makes a significant contribution to the revitalisation of the Māori language and culture through its programming. Its mission under legislation is to revitalise Maori language and culture through providing high-quality, cost-effective Māori television, in both Māori and English languages, in a way that informs, educates, and entertains a broad viewing audience and therefore enriches New Zealand's society, culture, and heritage.

The flagship Māori Television attracts 1.5 million viewers each month, half of all Māori aged five or more, and one third of all New Zealanders. Current affairs show Native Affairs, sports coverage and international films and documentaries are among the highest-rating programmes on the channel.^[6]

Te Reo is the company's second channel, launched 28 March 2008. Its contents is entirely in the Māori language with no advertising or subtitles, with many programmes being iwi-specific or geared towards fluent Māori language speakers. It also rebroadcasts or simulcasts many of Māori Television's Māori language programming, including daily news programme Te Kaea.^[7]

Radio

Te Māngai Pāho funds the operation of a network of bilingual English and Māori language radio stations targeting members of local iwi and the wider public through local frequencies and online streaming. It operates as Te Whakaruruhau o Nga Reo Irirangi Māori, the Iwi Radio Network, currently chaired by former Alliance MP Willie Jackson.

Programming on these stations includes national and local news coverage, music, educational programming, comedy, drama and programmes which teach the Māori language. These stations update listeners on iwi news and events, and promote Māori language and culture. Each station includes local shows, personalities and breakfast programmes.

Tahu FM, based in Christchurch, is also available on Sky digital 423.

References