The Māori media sector refers to publicly funded Māori entities and enterprises that support the protection and promotion of te reo Māori me ngā tikanga Māori. This includes Te Māngai Pāho, Whakaata Māori, and iwi media/radio, supported by wider sectoral groups such as the independent Māori production community, Te Whakaruruhau o Ngā Reo Irirangi Māori, and Ngā Aho Whakaari.

Recent years have seen a growing receptiveness to Māori language and culture, and a simultaneous change to how audiences access media content. Change is needed to much of the legislation and policy settings governing the Māori media sector to meet these changes.

In 2018 the previous Government initiated the Māori Media Sector Shift to explore how best to structure the sector in a new digital media environment. Proposed options released in June 2020 were not finalised.

In December 2020, Te Puni Kōkiri established a Māori Broadcasting Advisory Panel of sector experts to provide advice on the future of Māori media. Following engagement with key stakeholders in 2021, the Panel provided advice focussed on the case for change, funding priorities and repositioning the sector, which informed the Government’s plan to strengthen the sector.

Government investment in Budget 2021 and 2022 has supported the Māori media sector to increasingly deliver a fuller range of Māori content and transition to a new public media environment.