Major changes are afoot in Whakaata Māori’s senior leadership as the organisation seeks to downsize in the face of major funding decreases, with the kaiurungi | executive level to be reduced from seven to four.
Funding for content across the business is also to be reduced at the same time, with its second television channel to be taken off-air.
In a company-wide hui this morning, kaihautū | chief executive Shane Taurima told kaihoe (staff):
- the organisation’s senior leadership will be reduced from seven to four.
- there will be reduced investment in content, focusing on fewer, more “high-impact” projects.
- bringing forward a plan to move Te Reo channel to an online-only platform from March 2025.
- A comprehensive review of capital expenditure, and optimising facilities, maintenance and support services, with contracts to be renegotiated will continue.
The review, and subsequent job cuts, have been triggered by what Taurima called a $10.3m funding decrease over the next two financial years, representing more than 20 per cent of the company’s funding, as time-locked funding from the Labour government runs out.
He said the funding decrease, if left unaddressed, would “render Whakaata Māori insolvent”, and called the changes “crucial” for Whakaata Māori’s future resilience.
Senior leadership changes
The current executive team, which reports directly to Taurima, is set to be reduced from seven to four, with multiple ranga | departments condensed as well.
Two new roles have been created - director of people, reo and culture, and director of content and engagement.
These roles will be filled by current chief of staff Hiria Pointon in an interim capacity, and Maria Barlow, the director of content, respectively.
Andrew McNaughton continues in his capacity as director of technology, and Sumeet Bhanot retains his directorship of the finance department.
The two new roles represent a condensation of previous kaiurungi roles.
Maramena Roderick, who led audience engagement, departed the business earlier this week while Hinurewa Poutu (director of reo) and Blake Ihimaera (director of news) remain on to assist with the transition.
Te Reo channel off-air
The review also accelerated plans to take the Te Reo channel off-air, which has been brought forward to March 2025.
The channel will continue to exist in an online-only format, but sparked concerns among kaihoe in the meeting.
It is the only linear television channel in Aotearoa that broadcasts in te reo Māori 100 per cent of the time.
Taurima said it was too early to say whether the proportion of reo Māori content on the primary Whakaata Māori channel would increase as a result but characterised the cost savings as “significant”.
More job cuts to come
Taurima warned that harder days were still ahead, with more job cuts to be proposed at other levels of the business by the end of September.
He said the kaiurungi wanted to “lead by example”, and said where other businesses might leave the executive level to last, they collectively agreed cuts to their level should be made first.
Cuts would be proposed by the end of September, with a feedback period to follow, before implementation in October.
Taurima said he empathised with kaihoe given the timing, when concerns were raised around how close the job cuts would be to Christmas.
“In addition to changes at the leadership level, Whakaata Māori will be undertaking a broader organisational realignment. This process will involve a careful review of the entire organisational structure to identify further efficiencies and ensure alignment with the strategic vision,” the organisation said in a statement this morning.
Funding troubles
Taurima echoed an earlier meeting in July, where he spoke of financial headwinds and shared details of the review, which has now been completed.
Labour’s Willie Jackson, the former broadcasting minister, criticised the move early last month, telling Waatea News Whakaata Māori was crying poor too early.
“I wasn’t in a position to give them funding forever but while I was minister I was making sure I gave funding out,” Jackson told Waatea.
They should be pushing this minister, Tama Potaka, to fund them over the next two years. They’re sort of preempting the government – it’s a bit unusual what I’m hearing from them.”
Meanwhile, Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka has laid the blame for the funding decrease at the feet of the last Labour government, and shot down notions it was National’s fault.
“The funding for Whakaata Māori is well-known; some of that funding is time-limited, and it was set up that way by the previous government.”
Today, Taurima said “shifting government policies” were the cause of the funding changes.
The coalition government has yet to announce any new funding for Whakaata Māori.
Te Ao Māori News is a news service operated by Whakaata Māori.