Māori journalists say the planned end of Newshub’s AM show on July 5 will mean one less opportunity to report the news from a Māori perspective.
They hope that despite the closure, more Māori will be able to get into mainstream media.
The program has served as a career launch pad and training ground for many young journalists, including many Māori journalists.
Ōtautahi Christchurch reporter and producer Mitch Redman has been in the role for more than two years and his development on the show has been marked by a string of roles including Newshub’s 6pm breaking news report. Hui.
He also sat in on daily editorial meetings, giving him a say in perspectives and views on Māori culture.
“These stories are sometimes quite complex and require a bit of background knowledge, so certainly there is an increased need to have Māori leaders and Māori storytellers on editorial boards to make sure these stories don’t end up in the mainstream media.
“They obviously have a very important place in news and current affairs, but particularly in morning news and current affairs,” Redman said.
One of the people who pushed for greater use of Māori, not just in AM but across Newshub, was El Paranihi.
In 2020 he helped campaign to promote the use of Māori language during Te Wiki O Te Reo Māori.
Prior to this, he had produced a number of programmes for Māori Language Week, including one in 2018 where he spoke with actress Jennifer Ward Leland about learning the language.
The former AM Show producer said his time working there marked the start of Newshub’s journey to phase out the use of “te reo” on screen.
“I think this was an opportunity to use the platform to promote Māori in a way that would resonate with not just a Māori audience, but a wider New Zealand audience,” he said.
“There were certainly promotional opportunities, there were certainly opportunities to increase mana, and yes, that was extremely important at the time,” Palanich said.
Presenter and reporter Michael O’Keeffe is a Kaimahi Māori who was inspired by his own children and El Paranihi’s work to use te reo when giving weather forecasts.
He’s on a Leo journey and wants to teach viewers Māori place names, including some of Aotearoa’s small towns.
“Hopefully I can pronounce the Māori names of the major centres as well as Whakatu Nelson, Whakaoriori Masterton and Tāhuna Queenstown. If we can include these and as a result people can learn one new place name in Māori then I think that’s what I wanted to contribute as AM newscaster,” Mr O’Keeffe said.
He wanted to see greater Māori representation in mainstream media.
Journalism intern Leila Bailey McDowell will be one of the last young Kaimai Māori to appear on the AM show.
She hopes that despite one less media organisation, more Māori will be able to tell their stories on mainstream platforms.
“It’s really important to have a Māori perspective in any story because our outlook on life is different to the Pakeha world.
“I don’t think we’ll ever stop needing to embrace Māori culture and see things from a Māori perspective.
“I’m really sad, especially seeing the AM show go.”
She said her proudest achievement during her time at AM was using the show to establish a Māori voice.
Newshub’s last day of business will be July 5th.