Te Whakaruruhau o Nga
Reo Irirangi Māori
Kia hikā ki pae tawhiti te reo
o Ngā Reo Irirangi Māori.
WHAKARURUHAU O NGĀ REO IRIRANGI MĀORI
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SUBMISSION TO
MĀORI LANGUAGE STRATEGY AND SECTOR REVIEW TEAM,
TE PAEPAE MOTUHAKE
ON
SUGGESTED RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE FUTURE OF IWI RADIO
Whakaruruhau o Ngā Reo Irirangi Māori would like to recommend the following options to the
Review Panel on its deliberations on the future of iwi radio:
1
That the Panel affirm the iwi radio model as the basis for future planning and
structure of the iwi radio network.
In the year 2000 the Maori Broadcasting Committee recommended to
Government that a minimum of $450k per year for baseline funding is allocated
to each iwi radio station. That proposed amount was carefully considered by the
Committee as being the necessary amount for each station to provide an
effective baseline service. During the period 2000-2010, although the proposed
allocation was $450k, each station only received $320k; a shortfall of $130k per
station and an overall shortfall of $2.750m across the 21 stations. The cumulative
reduction in funding during that period amounted to $27.5m notwithstanding CPI
or any other adjustment. That significant shortfall has had a critical impact on the
progress and development of iwi radio individually and as a whole. Despite an
increase of $64k per station in the previous budget, the baseline funding remains
a problem with a continuing annual shortfall of $1.386m based on the
Committee's year 2000 business case.1
The Whakaruruhau Executive
Committee has evaluated the past 10 year operational period, conducted a
careful review of the baseline, funding and now recommends that it should
be set at $490k per station.
The current structure leaves some iwi without stations and some iwi that have
stations do not have funding. There is currently a degree of uncertainty around
the government’s commitment to the iwi model.
The Panel may also wish to note that all iwi radio licence holders and all iwi
stations will need to have a Māori Language Plan under the new licence
arrangements due to come into effect in April 2011.
The Panel may wish to encourage iwi to contribute to iwi station running costs as
part of iwi communication and language planning strategies.
1 Note these figures are based on the annual allocation of $450k per station that was in line with the
Committee's business case proposed in 2000.
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The Panel could also consider recommending that levels of Te Māngai Pāho
funding should be contingent on the extent of planning and monitoring and
results from broadcast outcomes, as well as the level of local iwi support. In other
words, more local support would mean more Te Māngai Pāho funding.
2
That the Panel affirm the key focus of iwi radio is the promotion of te reo Māori
and the preservation of iwi dialects, with an emphasis on supporting significant
Māori communities and identified strongholds of Māori speakers.
The structure of iwi radio and funding priorities should be determined on this
basis. There are currently large areas of significant Māori population that do not
have an iwi station and there are possibly areas that are over provided with
coverage. Resources should be applied appropriately according to need and
opportunity.
3
That the Panel consider the consolidation of funded and unfunded iwi stations
under the administration of one entity or one monitoring mechanism.
There are currently two monitoring regimes in place, for funded and unfunded
stations but both types of stations have Māori language content obligations. A
common monitoring mechanism would ensure that all stations are subject to the
same regime.
4
That the Panel recommend that all stations should be given the opportunity to join
the iwi radio network for more efficient use of shared broadcasting and
programme resources.
If Māori language outcomes are the overriding objective, the existing
broadcasting should be utilised to its fullest extent to help achieve this.
Programmes shared more widely would ensure more listeners have access to
programmes and shared programme resources would enable stations to operate
more cost effectively.
5
That the Panel note the funding implications of the endorsement of the iwi model.
The current limitations on the expansion of the iwi model are around funding. If
the Panel was to endorse the iwi model, the Panel may wish to further
recommend that a list of the envisaged “complete” iwi network should be
determined and then consideration made of the funding implications to implement
this.
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6
That the Panel seek advice and consider its views on the desirability and
likelihood of implementing a National Māori Radio Service.
Frequencies have been reserved for the use of a National Māori Radio Service
however there has been no movement on the implementation of this service. The
Ministry of Economic Development (MED) is urging that these frequencies should
be either taken up for the intended use or otherwise returned for sale.
However there is currently no funding available for the engineering work to
establish a National Māori Radio Service (which would be significant) or to run it
once set up. The right to a national frequency covering the entire country
provides a unique opportunity for Māori to have a national radio voice that will be
very difficult to ever secure again if this is not taken up.
7
That the Panel, having formed a view on a National Māori Radio Service, consider
the future of the National Māori Radio frequencies.
The dilemma at the moment is that there is no funding to implement a National
Māori Radio Service, even if this was endorsed. There is pressure from MED to
either use or surrender the frequencies and these cannot be utilised due to
funding constraints.
8
That the Panel consider the funding and possible revenue implications of its
recommendations regarding a National Māori Radio Service and the use of the
National Māori Radio Service frequencies.
An alternative for the Panel to consider may be to recommend negotiations with
MED to allow the right to lease this frequencies to a third party (something that is
not currently envisaged by MED or the standard licence terms) but this would
preserve the existing right for the future and provide a revenue stream for iwi
radio in the mean time.
9
That the Panel endorse the role and contribution of iwi radio as a training ground
for future broadcasters, journalists and technicians.
A number of prominent Māori broadcasters began their careers in iwi radio and
this is also true of many technicians and journalists who have gone on to further
their careers in other areas. Iwi radio embraces its training role but recognition is
required that staff turnover is the inevitable consequence of good training as
people move on. This means that there will be a continuing need for capacity
building funding.
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10 That the Panel endorse the role of iwi radio as the voice and link for Māori
communities, in addition to its role in the promotion of te reo Māori.
Iwi radio are uniquely placed to provide a connection for Māori communities and
to provide a sense of local identity. The development of the on-line presence of
each regional iwi radio brand is an essential adjunct to the traditional radio
broadcast, especially for the Māori diaspora, both here in New Zealand and
overseas. It is only by maintaining and strengthening its connection with
communities that iwi radio will be able to achieve its language outcomes.
11 That the Panel recommend the closer working relationship and sharing of
resources between Māori Television and iwi radio.
Māori Television and iwi radio are currently linked through the iwi radio
distribution system known as Punga.net. However shared interaction to date has
been minimal. Iwi radio has a wide geographic representation and could assist
with news gathering. Some Māori Television programmes may be suitable for
simulcast on iwi radio. There is considerable investment in the capital cost and
running costs of Punga.net and it would be beneficial to see a greater use made
of the network.
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