Why We are Here

Te Māngai Pāho, established in 1993 under the Broadcasting Amendment Act, is explicit acknowledgement by successive governments that te reo Māori is a taonga warranting its active protection and support. In keeping with this acknowledgement our statutory role is to:

‘…promote Māori language and Māori culture by allocating available funds for broadcasting and the production of programmes to be broadcast.’
[Broadcasting Amendment Act s.53(B)].

As a Māori language sector agency we are dedicated to the sustained regeneration and promotion of Māori language and culture. As a broadcasting sector agency we aim always to make wise investments.

Funding Māori language and Māori culture programmes is a statutory obligation that we meet by enabling the production and broadcast of music for television and radio.

To ensure Māori language and broadcast outcomes are achieved we:

• fund 21 iwi radio stations to deliver eight hours of Māori language content each day;
• allocate funding directly to the Māori Television Service for the production of in-house programmes and the acquisition of local and overseas programmes of interest to Māori audiences;
• manage a contestable pool of funding for the production of independently made Māori language programmes commissioned for television and radio, including music CDs and special broadcast events.

Our Vision: Te Tirohanga Whānui

Ahakoa kei whea,
Ahakoa āwhea,
Ahakoa pēwhea,
Kōrerotia te reo Māori!

Māori language - everyday, everyway, everywhere

Our Mission: Te Kaupapa Nui

Tuhia te hā o Te Reo Māori ki te rangi,
e kaha ai te mapu o te manawa ora,
e rekareka ai te taringā whakarongo,
e waiwai ai, te karu mātakitaki.

Bringing the joy of Māori language to all listeners and viewers.

Te Mangai Paho Objectives

Te Māngai Pāho funds television producers to produce Māori language programmes that promote Māori language and Māori culture for broadcast on national television channels.

The key criterion for funding is the degree to which a venture is expected to promote the Māori language and Māori culture. In addition to this, Te Māngai Pāho purchases programmes to ensure the following objectives are addressed. 

The provision of:

• a diverse range of Māori language programming that contributes to the revitalisation of Māori language and Māori culture;
• programmes in te reo Māori to be broadcast on television networks; and
• Maori language programming that captures and sustains a youthful Māori audience.

Te Māngai Pāho's Role and Purpose

Te Māngai Pāho is a Māori language agency operating in the broadcast sector. Te Māngai Pāho’s purpose is to promote Māori language and Māori culture. The Māori language is currently somewhere between definitely endangered and severely endangered. As a result, this purpose is perhaps better expressed as an imperative to revitalize the Māori language and culture.

The primary focus of Te Māngai Pāho is funding. That is, to pursue the revitalisation and maintenace of Māori language and culture by making funds available for:

• producing programmes for broadcasting;
• broadcasting; and
• archiving programmes.

Te Māngai Pāho also makes funds available for:

• producing content for transmitting on demand;
• transmitting on demand: and
• archiving this content.

Government Expectations

Delivering a higher performing State sector that New Zealanders trust and that delivers outstanding results and value for money is a stated 2013 Government priority.

The Goverment’s Better Public Services priority extends a strong theme of innovation to achieve better results, better value for money and stronger leadership across the state sector – both within each agency and at sector and system level.

In this context, Te Māngai Pāho can be expected to be:

• leaders – by way of aspiration and example Te Māngai Pāho’s funding activity guides and supports the achievement of better outcomes for Māori language and Māori culture.
• innovators – by way of supporting and enabling entrepeneurship and empowering others to experiment and develop novel approaches and solutions.