Iwi radio seeks Māori cadets in tight market

Taranaki’s iwi radio station is starting its own course for journalism in te reo, to meet the growing need for Māori reporters and broadcasters.

Te Korimako o Taranaki reports news in te reo on air, online, and on the You Tube channel Te Reo o te Uru – and in English as part of the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.

But station manager Tipene O’Brien said expansion and succession are difficult because there are few Māori-speaking journalists – and they’re highly sought after.

‘‘We’ve realised we have to grow our own talent for our own needs, we can’t rely on other journalism schools.’’

The seven-month, fully-paid course is called Te Ia Ka Oho – the frequency that awakens – and seeks five cadets new to journalism to gain skills across all media, in front of and behind the camera.

Funded by Te Korimako and New Zealand on Air’s Public Interest Journalism Fund, the course is open to anyone aged 19 to 35 who can speak Māori fluently.

O’Brien says there will be a preference for uri of Taranaki with the goal of journalists ready to put their new skills to work back home.

‘‘We’ll have mahi for them and it’s likely our partners Waatea News and Whakaata Māori will also employ them.’’

‘‘If they go away and grow their skills in Māori media kei te pai: the important thing is we’re building a bank of talent with a connection to Taranaki.’’

Talks are nearing completion with Taranaki’s polytechnic WITT to allow Te Ia Ka Oho course credits to go towards a National Diploma in Journalism.

Roihana Nuri will be the pouako matua, the lead trainer, after 20 years’ experience as senior reporter, story producer and executive producer, including with TVNZ’s Te Karere and Māori Television’s Te Ao.

‘‘I’m looking for anyone with the reo that has ahi for the mahi, a fire that will keep them going in journalism for years.’’

‘‘I’ve seen so many kids come in to this and just want to be famous, and they haven’t lasted long.’’

Nuri said Te Ia Ko Oho will teach how to ‘‘use te ao Māori values in a common-sense way to our people’s stories, to tell Aotearoa stories.’’

‘‘It’s time we empower our rangatahi to tell our stories in our own way, on our own platforms, to our people and to our country.’’

He said that demanded enduring relationship lasting a journalist’s entire career.

‘‘It basically comes back to our value of whanaungatanga. How do you approach a kuia or koroua? Because rushing in actually could just put them off.’’

Whanaungatanga would also protect the journalists, he said.

‘‘We sometimes have to deal with traumatic stories, with death, with tangihanga: we’ve got to make sure our reporters know how to process that, without taking that taumaha back to their own families.’’

‘‘Knowing that they’re not alone in this kaupapa – that they have whānau and community around them, and that they have people around them that have gone through this as journalists.’’

Former teacher Te Aroha BroughtonPue is the pouako ahurea – tutor and cultural advisor.

She said Māori values needed to be maintained throughout Māori media.

‘‘Upholding things like manaakitanga, tiakitanga, aroha when we’re telling those stories. From the angle we choose to making sure everyone’s mana is intact – including the interviewee.’’

Broughton-Pue has been reporting for Te Reo o te Uru for two years and says the You Tube channel tells stories that mostly don’t reach mainstream news, with a focus on Māori success.

‘‘Getting airtime for these people elevate not only them and their kaupapa, but us as a people.’’

‘‘These are our hero stories so our people should hear and see – so all people can see – that everyone’s thriving.’’

Applications close on December 4 and details are on the Te Ia Ka Oho website.