Maori broadcasters miss out

[Anonby]

Can you be a good Maori without speaking Maori? Maybe that's what's at the
heart of this controversy.

Stan

----- Original Message -----
From: "Harold F. Schiffman" <haroldfs at ccat.sas.upenn.edu>
To: "Language Policy-List" <lgpolicy-list at ccat.sas.upenn.edu>
Sent: Saturday, January 22, 2005 6:20 PM
Subject: Maori broadcasters miss out


> >From the New Zealand Herald, 22.01.05
>
>  Maori broadcasters miss out
>
> 22.01.05
> By JON STOKES
>
> A No-English-language policy at this year's Maori Media Awards means many
> Maori broadcasters will be excluded.  Mangere-based Radio Waatea will
> boycott the March awards following a decision by the event organisers, Te
> Whakaruruhau o Nga Reo Irirangi Maori, that non-Maori-speaking programmes
> cannot enter. The ban affects a number of the urban radio station's
> programmes and announcers, including Julian Wilcox, Syd Jackson and
> Titewhai Harawira, because their programmes are in English or a bi-lingual
> mix. Also excluded are leading national mainstream Maori journalists
> including Gideon Porter and Jodi Ihaka of TVOne and Mike McRoberts of TV3.
>
> Te Whakaruruhau o Nga Reo Irirangi Maori chairman Hone Harawira said the
> awards were designed to promote the Maori language. "It's not about
> elitism, it's about promoting the Maori language. "We are not anti the
> English language." But Radio Waatea general manager Willie Jackson said
> the awards should be about promoting Maori excellence in broadcasting -
> "not about te reo fundamentalists pushing an elitist agenda".
>
> "Maori media is not just about te reo, it is about putting a Maori
> perspective - and sometimes that is in English - and they [the award
> organisers] don't want that acknowledged. "Whakaruruhau are saying that
> the only broadcasting that counts are the ones using the Maori language.
> That is discriminatory. "Ironically it's people like Hone's mother - who
> makes a major contribution to Maori broadcasting - who are cut out by this
> decision," Mr Jackson said.
>
> The awards are in their second year. The presentation ceremony will be
> held in Rotorua on March 19.
>
>
> http://www.nzherald.co.nz/index.cfm?c_id=1&ObjectID=10007571
>