Whakaata Māori is a television broadcaster established in 2003 by a law that requires the station to promote the Maori culture in New Zealand. The broadcaster started to operate as Whakaata Māori in June 2022. Before, it was known as Māori Television.


Media assets

Television: Māori Television

State Media Matrix Typology: Independent State-Funded (ISF)


Ownership and governance

Māori Television was established by the Māori Television Service (Te Aratuku Whakāta Irirangi Māori) Act 2003. Although it is not owned by the Crown, the broadcaster is accountable in the same manner as Crown entities. The broadcaster is a partnership between the Crown and Maori, the Maori interests being represented by Te Mātāwai, an independent group defined by law that consists of representatives of Māori organizations. Four of the seven members of the station’s Board, the highest governing structure at Māori Television, are appointed by Te Mātāwai. In June 2022, the company began to operate as Whakaata Māori.

Source of funding and budget

Whakaata Māori receives most of its funding from the government, via Vote Maori Affairs. It gets some NZ$ 35m a year from the government, according to annual reports filed by the broadcaster. In 2021, the broadcaster had a total budget of NZ$ 38.4m (US$ 25.9m). In the following fiscal year, ending June 2022, Whakaata Māori had a budget of NZ$ 40.5m (US$ 25.3m), more than NZ$39m coming from the Crown and Te Māngai Pāho, a state fund for the support of the Māori culture, according to data from the company’s annual report.

Editorial independence

There are no rules imposed by the government on Māori Television and no evidence that the broadcaster is editorially controlled by the government.

The editorial independence of Māori Television is protected by the Māori Television Service (Te Aratuku Whakāta Irirangi Māori) Act 2003, which forbids government officials to interfere in any way with the programs at Māori Television.

Māori Television has a system of public complaints in place that is open to any viewer who wants to complain about the station’s programs. The broadcaster pledges to respond within 20 days.

August 2023