The unique collaboration between NZME, Māori Television, Pacific Media Network and Newshub-Discovery this week won $2.4 million backing from New Zealand On Air's Public Interest Journalism Fund. The project, known as Te Rito, will recruit trainees and a small team of programme staff ready for a February 2022 start. Māori Television Head of News and Current Affairs Wena Harawira said the Treaty of Waitangi-based partnership addressed the critical shortage of reo Māori speaking journalists. "It's incredibly important that New Zealand's journalism landscape is rich with Māori stories created by Māori, in te reo Māori, for everyone." Te Rito will soon begin advertising for a kaihautū (programme manager) to begin the development phase of the project.

Source: New Zealand Herald July 16, 2021 00:22 UTC