Māori Television Service

{{Use New Zealand English|date=February 2024}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}}

The Māori Television Service ({{abbr.}} MTS; {{langx|mi|Te Aratuku Whakāta Irirangi Māori}}{{cite web |title=Māori Television Service |url= https://www.govt.nz/organisations/maori-television/ |work=Govt.nz |publisher=New Zealand Government |access-date=28 August 2024}}) is a state sector organisation in New Zealand that was established on 7 May 2003 under the Māori Television Service (Te Aratuku Whakaata Irirangi Māori) Act 2003{{cite web | url= http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2003/0021/latest/DLM193696.html | title=Māori Television Service (Te Aratuku Whakaata Irirangi Māori) Act 2003 No 21 (as at 12 May 2017), Public Act Contents | work=New Zealand Legislation | date=7 May 2003 | accessdate=23 December 2017}} to replace the Te Reo Māori Television Trust (Te Awhiorangi). The service's primary function is to promote the language te reo Māori me nga tikanga Māori.{{Cite web|title=Māori Television Service (Te Aratuku Whakaata Irirangi Māori) Act 2003 No 21 (as at 07 August 2020), Public Act 8 Functions of Service – New Zealand Legislation|url=https://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2003/0021/latest/DLM194345.html|access-date=2021-07-16|website=www.legislation.govt.nz}}

Like the Reserve Bank of New Zealand, the television service has, according to the State Services Commission, an unusual status as a stand-alone agency within the State sector that does not fall under any State sector category. While established by statute (the Maori Television Service Act 2003), it is not a Crown entity in any shape or form. The Act, however, does make the Service accountable in much the same way as Crown entities.{{citation needed|date=February 2024}} The principal reason for this approach is that the Maori Television Service is a partnership between the Crown and Maori. Maori interests were represented by Te Putahi Paho (the Maori Electoral College) who appointed four members of the Television Service's seven member board. The remaining three board members were appointed by the Government. Now Māori interests are represented by Te Mātāwai{{Cite web|title=Te Pire mō Te Reo Māori / Māori Language Bill - New Zealand Parliament|url=https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/bills-and-laws/bills-proposed-laws/document/00DBHOH_BILL56640_1/te-pire-m%C5%8D-te-reo-m%C4%81ori-m%C4%81ori-language-bill |access-date=2021-07-16 |website=www.parliament.nz |language=en}} (a legislative group comprising representatives from Māori organisations and iwi).{{citation needed|date=February 2024}}

The Maori Television Service receives the bulk of its funding from the government via Vote Maori Affairs. Funding is provided directly to the service for its operational administrative costs. Programming is funded by Te Mangai Paho (The Maori Broadcasting Commission). The Service is able to commission its own programming from advertising funds.{{citation needed|date=February 2024}}

Māori Television started broadcasting in 2004. It was renamed Whakaata Māori in 2022.{{cite encyclopedia |title=Television – Māori television' |first=Trisha |last=Dunleavy |url= https://teara.govt.nz/en/television/page-3 |encyclopedia=Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand |date= |access-date=28 August 2024}} It is available on the UHF band to approximately four-fifths of Māori speakers, and to all New Zealand SKY Television satellite service subscribers.{{citation needed|date=August 2024}} It is also available on the Freeview satellite service.{{cite web |title= Whakaata Māori |url= https://freeviewnz.tv/channels/whakaata-maori/ | work=Freeview | accessdate=28 August 2024}}