Whakaata Māori kaihautū / chief executive Shane Taurima has called the legislation governing Whakaata Māori “not fit for purpose” this morning.
Appearing before Parliament’s Māori Affairs committee alongside toihau / chair Jamie Tuuta, Taurima said it made no mention of any digital platforms or any new or emerging technologies.
That came in response to a question from National MP David MacLeod, who asked if the organsation felt “limited” by the legislation that governed it.
“In short, it’s not fit for purpose, and that was also our submission to the sector review,” Taurima said.
That report, released in September 2022, acknowledged longstanding funding inequities between Māori media and the wider mainstream media.
In today’s hearing, which also served as Whakaata Māori‘s annual review, Tuuta said on average, for every dollar spent on an hour of mainstream broadcasting, 30c was spent on the Māori broadcasting equivalent.
No digital strategy remit
Speaking on the September 2022 sector review, Taurima said, “One of the actions that were meant to have taken shape from that review, was a review of our [legislation]. Unfortunately, that was not completed, and is still outstanding.”
Taurima pointed to one example, saying the organisation had no mention of its digital delivery priorities or strategy, or indeed any wider emerging technology.
The Māori Television Service Act did not feature the word ‘digital’ when it was first signed into law in May 2003.
The word was added to the act in 2013 and now appears six times, though five of its appearances relate to digital terrestrial television networks, while the sixth is in how the act defines a digital terrestrial television network.
The words “internet”, “online”, “web” and “stream” make no appearances.
Streaming service - but no funding for it
Taurima said the organisation was “not funded” to deliver content to a digital audience, with Tuuta adding the legislation “is about linear [television] hours and outcomes”.
That’s despite the creation of the Māori+ streaming service, which hosts a range of content created by Whakaata Māori as well as content funded by Te Māngai Pāho.
The act also required Whakaata Māori to deliver a statement of intent (SOI), outlining its plans for the subsequent three to five years, on an annual basis, while other entities were only required to deliver a SOI triennially.
“Quite resource-consuming, and adds to the already heavy workload we have.”
Tuuta said: “I think it was a different time 20 years ago where the level of trust may not have been as high today,” going on to say the annual requirement for a three-to-five-year SOI “doesn’t make sense”.
‘No mean feat’
The committee’s chair, National’s Dan Bidois, received Taurima and Tuuta’s whakaaro warmly.
“Thank you for your mahi. To not have funding increase from 2008 to 2021, yet to see the outcomes that you guys are delivering, is no mean feat.”
“We certainly take some good things from this session, around particularly the [legislation] as well, so ngā mihi.”
Editorial note: Te Ao Māori News is the news division of Whakaata Māori.