Māori have a special place in New Zealand society. They form the largest ethnic minority, representing 14.9% of the population. Māori Television is New Zealand’s indigenous television broadcaster, reaching 2.8 million audience members per month, with 54% being non-Māori.

This entry provides an overview of Māori Television, covering its history, its role in preserving and promoting the Māori language, and support for its programming from non-Māori audiences.

History

The status of the Māori in New Zealand derives from the Treaty of Waitangi, signed in 1840 between representatives of the British Crown and a number (not all) of Māori leaders. The treaty is seen as establishing a partnership between New Zealanders of European descent (74%) and Māori. Yet breaches of the treaty commitments were tolerated until the 1970s, when ...

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