The provision of Māori language services

The ability of people to use and develop their Māori language skills depends not just on their desire to do so, but also on the availability of opportunities to access the Māori language. This section of the report looks at provision of the Māori language in Te Tairāwhiti/Tākitimu, and opportunities to learn the language.

Media sources of Māori language

Māori-medium radio and television

The HML 2006 Survey gathered information on Māori-medium radio and television. The survey findings show that access to Māori radio in Te Tairāwhiti/Tākitimu is very high, with around 89% of Māori adults in the region having access to a Māori radio station. With the establishment of the Māori Television Service in 2004 and free digitally-based television in 2006, all New Zealand households (with the right receivers) can receive Māori language television. Data from the HML 2006 Survey found that these services are popular, with an estimated 66% of Māori (with access) listening to Māori radio, and 76% of Māori viewing Māori television programming.