Whakaata Māori: Major changes afoot amid funding cuts

New Zealand's Māori Television, Whakaata Māori, is now challenged by an evolving media landscape that demands decisive action, its kaihautū/chief executive Shane Taurima says, amid sweeping cuts proposed at the broadcaster.

Taurima's concerns come as the media organisation seeks to cut a quarter of its costs.

Photo/Whakaata Māori

Earlier this year, it was announced that Whakaata Māori was facing a significant funding cut of about 20 per cent over the next two years.

Taurima (Rongomaiwahine, Ngāti Kahungunu) has told staff that if unaddressed, the cuts could render Whakaata Maori insolvent.

The cuts are the consequence of the previous government's time-limited funding expiring, critics say.

Whakaata Māori CEO Shane Taurima says the cuts are crucial. Photo/Whakaata Māori

The Coalition confirmed the job cuts at the television station late last month.

While there were no specifics given on how many jobs would go, the government said it was an operational decision.

In a statement, Taurima said the cuts were a crucial step in addressing financial challenges over the "coming years".

Whakaata Māori's last annual report revealed there were 170 staff on the payroll.

"The proposal will enable us to continue sharing authentic Māori stories that revitalise te reo me ngā tikanga Māori across digital platforms, ensuring they thrive for future generations in Aotearoa and globally," Taurima said.

Union members held a hui at a marae on Thursday to discuss their future at the broadcaster.

E tū Union spokesperson Alvy Tata told Pacific Mornings' William Terite that members looked at any legalities that could be taken to the Waitangi Tribunal.

"It's a Māori entity based under the entity," Tata said. "We had a good turnout. We had people who put books to paper. A lot of support in terms of supporting our Whakaata members at Māori Television.

"We're taking a campaign against what's happening there. It's very sad. People don't go to work at Whakaata Māori because they're going to make huge amounts of money. They go there so that they can express and bring these stories to the world and showcase their Maori.

"It's also uplifting our rangatahi who are coming into that sector, that industry, to make a career," Tata said.

Te Pāti Māori has criticised the staffing and content cuts, saying the coalition is to blame.

In a statement, the party’s broadcasting spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, singled out Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka's decision as a "colossal failure".

Ferris says a senior Māori minister has turned his back on te reo Māori.

"Any move that reduces the prominence, visibility, and audibility of Te Reo Māori is an attack on future generations. This is his failure, for our people, and our kids.”

The government’s decision to cut funding to Māori Television is another devastating attack on Māori, Public Service Association (PSA) Te Kaihautū Māori Janice Panoho says.

Te Pāti Māori's Tākuta Ferris, Green Party's Hūhana Lyndon, and Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka. Photo/supplied

"This is yet another breach of Article 2 of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, which protects our taonga tuku iho, including the language and cultural heritage of Māori," Panoho says.

"This attack on indigenous broadcasting is an affront to our people and part of an ongoing attack on Māori. We must oppose this government’s agenda to exploit race as a political tool to undermine Te Reo Māori and eliminate Māori news and programmes.

"Despite the pleas in Parliament yesterday by former Māori Development Minister Willie Jackson, who urged the government to invest in Whakaata Māori, there has been no indication that this coalition government intends to step in and provide the necessary support.

"This is a direct attack on the future of Te Reo Māori and the Māori voice in media. Māori will not stand by while our language and our identity are diminished. The Government must be held accountable for their actions and their disregard for the commitments of Te Tiriti o Waitangi," Panoho says.

The Green Party has also called out the government for allowing Whakaata Māori to effectively collapse into a shell of its former self.

“When the Government is spending $2.9 billion on tax cuts for landlords, it can surely afford to adequately fund a broadcaster which plays such a critical national role,” Greens spokesperson for Māori Development, Hūhana Lyndon, said.

“Whakaata Māori was established two decades ago as a result of Waitangi Tribunal claims highlighting the Crown's obligations under the Treaty to actively protect and promote Māori language and culture.

"Unfortunately, this Government has failed its duty to uphold a basic level of ongoing funding to ensure the broadcaster continues to serve this important role.

E tū Union spokesperson Alvy Tata says members met on Thursday to discuss their future at Whakaata Māori. Photo/supplied

“We only need to look at the resurgent use of Te Reo across the country over recent years, as well as a greater understanding of Te Ao Māori among younger generations, to see that Whakaata Māori has been a success, especially as it continues to attract a broader audience, helping foster unity."

That success was achieved although the broadcaster hasn’t received a substantive funding increase since 2008, Lyndon said.

“What we see here with Whakaata Māori resorting to job and programming cuts is a case of the Government hanging the broadcaster out to dry because the coalition parties are hostile to Māori culture.

“It’s another instance of the Government ignoring the Tribunal. It is shirking on its commitment to Aotearoa’s Indigenous public broadcaster.

“The Minister of Māori Development Tama Potaka can keep laying the blame for the funding shortfall at the previous Government’s feet, but the reality is he is letting funding for Whakaata Māori expire, although he has the opportunity to rectify the situation right now.

“E ai ki te kōrero nā Tā James Hēnare ‘Ko te reo te mauri o te mana Māori (as James Hēnare said, the language is the life force of mana Māori). We would ensure Whakaata Māori has adequate funding to be able to remain independent, financially secure, and continue broadcasting quality Māori media that promotes the best of Māori creativity,” Lyndon said.