MARGARET STOCKLEY AGAINST NEW ZEALAND MEDIA

Overview

Margaret Stockley complains about the increasing use of Te Reo in the media. Having Māori language “pushed in our face” is not appreciated, she says. Change in city names, for example the use of Tāmaki Makaurau for Auckland, was baffling, and changing pronunciation was also of concern.

The programme National Treasures was in Māori with English subtitles, why not the other way around? Many people were grumbling about the present situation and it risked driving a wedge between people, she said.

The complainant did not mention any specific news outlets subject to Media Council jurisdiction.

The complaint was general in nature and did not cite specific standards.

The Media Council notes that Te Reo is one of the official languages of New Zealand and it is being increasingly used in a wide range of contexts, not just in the media.

The Council has no concerns about this trend and states once more that editors and broadcasters have complete discretion to decide when and how they use the Māori language.

Finding: Insufficient Grounds to Proceed.