Te Māngai Pāho

Te Māngai Pāho (the Māori Broadcast Funding Agency) is the New Zealand Crown entity responsible for the promotion of the Māori language and Māori culture by providing funding for Māori-language programming on radio and television.

In 1989 the Broadcasting Act established the Te Reo Whakapuaki Irirangi. Then the Broadcasting Amendment Act 1993 established Te Reo Whakapuaki Irirangi, known as Te Māngai Pāho in 1994.

The organisation was established and is retained under the commitment of successive Governments to broadcasting rights under the Treaty of Waitangi, and recognises the Māori language as a taonga (or treasure} that must be actively protected and supported. It claims to be "dedicated to the sustained regeneration and promotion of Māori language and culture" through making wise investment decisions, contestable funding processes and the promotion of Māori music. It operates alongside general broadcasting funding body NZ On Air.

As the primary funding body of Māori media, the agency funds the operation of a national network of 21 iwi-run radio stations, that must each deliver eight hours of Māori language content each day. It also provides funding to Māori Television and sister channel Te Reo to produce local programming in-house and acquire local and overseas programmes that are likely to interest Māori audiences in particular.