March 2008 will be a milestone for Māori Television in more ways than one. As well as hosting the first ever World Indigenous Television Broadcasting Conference, New Zealand’s national indigenous broadcaster will launch a new channel entirely in the Māori language at the conference gala dinner on Friday March 28. The event will also mark Māori Television’s fourth birthday. Broadcasters, leaders and influencers from throughout the world will come together to re-imagine the future of indigenous television at the three-day conference. Click here to secure your place today!
Featured guest speaker Margaret Mary Murray will address the BBC’s commitment to the revitalisation of indigenous cultures and languages. The past two years have been dominated by negotiations around the delivery of the new Gaelic Digital Service and Margaret Mary has led this work on behalf of BBC Scotland, working with partners, The Gaelic Media Service. In January 2008, the BBC Trust gave their approval for the launch of this service as a BBC licensed service and Margaret Mary was appointed as its first Head of Service. Click here for a full bio.
The new board of Taiwan’s Public Television Service has appointed Sylvia Feng as its president and she replaces Yuan-Hui Hu as one of the featured guest speakers at WITBC ‘08. Sylvia Feng has been a radio and television professional for more than 20 years, has devoted herself to the promotion and development of public service broadcasting in Taiwan over the past decade, and is also a positive force in supporting indigenous media talents. Click here to read more about her session.
WITBC ’08 will feature performances from talented artists including Moana and the Tribe, Whirimako Black, operatic diva Timua Brennan, Ataamira Dance Company and Ardijah. Delegates will also view an award-winning Māori short film as well as traditional performances from New Zealand and around the world. A carved artwork commissioned by Māori Television for New Zealand’s national day, Waitangi Day, on February 6 – a collaboration between Māori artist Blaine Te Rito and British woodcarver Mike Davies (pictured) – will be on display to delegates at The Edge conference venue.
Delegates at WITBC ’08 are invited on a tour of the Newmarket, Auckland, studios of Māori Television. The broadcast facility incorporates traditional Māori building concepts such as raranga (weaving), tukutuku (lattice work) and carved pou alongside its production, news and operations facilities. The station employs 170 staff who produce, commission and acquire 3,300 hours of programming a year. To book, choose the tour option when registering for the conference or email hone@witbc.org.
Tāmaki in te reo Maori (the Māori language) is the place name for Auckland. Tāmaki was highly desired and fiercely contested by Māori tribes for its plentiful geographic make-up, lush mountain ranges and shimmering harbours. While you're in Auckland for WITBC '08, discover the charm of the city known by some tribes as Tāmaki-makau-rau – the place of a hundred lovers. When you've seen all that Tāmaki-Auckland has to offer, stay on to take an adventure through the country that our original settlers called Aotearoa – Land of the Long White Cloud. For more information about Auckland, click here.
A special thanks to our sponsors: Te Puni Kōkiri (principal partner); Kordia (major funding partner); AGB Nielsen Media Research, Gencom Technology, 360 Marketing and Ngā Aho Whakaari (conference partners); and M&C Saatchi (conference supporter). Without their generous support and assistance, this opportunity to reclaim the future of our indigenous identities would not be possible.