Friday, 12 October 2007

Te Puni Kōkiri (Ministry of Māori Development) is supporting a significant Māori Broadcasting and e-Media hui in Wellington today to explore the future direction of Māori broadcasting and electronic media (e-Media).

Between 40-50 key Māori broadcasting, e-Media, and language revitalisation stakeholders are participating in the hui, which will discuss how the Government and Māori can work together to further Māori broadcasting interests now and into the future. 

Te Puni Kōkiri Chief Executive Leith Comer says the Government has invested significantly in recent times in a range of digital strategies and initiatives to maximise opportunities arising from the convergence of telecommunications, broadcasting and internet platforms. These include the Digital Strategy and Digital Content Strategy, and supporting the FreeView digital television platform.

“To support Māori engagement with opportunities for promoting the language and culture and participation in the innovation economy, Te Puni Kōkiri has developed a Māori Broadcasting and e-Media Outcomes Framework,” says Mr Comer.

“Its two overarching objectives are to promote the use of the Māori language through broadcasting and e-Media; and to reflect and promote Māori culture, by facilitating opportunities for Māori to tell their own stories.”

He says proposed changes to the Broadcasting Act will allow broadcasting funding agencies to fund content integral to digital radio and television platforms. In addition, Budget 2007 saw an increase to Māori Television Service funding of $23 million over the next four years to support their plan to move to digital television. A second Māori Television Service channel is expected to be launched in early 2008. 

“The digital future offers unprecedented opportunities to encourage Māori creativity and innovation, for Māori stories and storytellers to reach global audiences, and for greater connectedness within Māori communities,” says Mr Comer.