Saturday 1 December 2001

Maori Affairs Minister Parekura Horomia said Independent Newspaper Ltd (INL) Scholarships to encourage more Maori into journalism is timely and needs to be commended.

Mr Horomia was asked to be guest speaker at the Maori journalism hui in Rotorua this weekend but had to decline because it clashed with the Labour Party Annual General meeting in Auckland.

The INL scholarships (worth $5,500) will cover course fees for up to four Maori students each year to attend any industry-recognised journalism course. After the successful completion of training, the recipients will also be guaranteed a year’s employment on an INL publication.

Mr Horomia said the constant negative coverage provided by the media of Maori issues often concerns him.

“There is a need for more Maori journalists in both Maori and mainstream media to ensure a more balanced coverage of Maori issues. I think that there are not enough journalists who know or understand the Maori world view, or even that there is a Maori world view.”

“As New Zealand society diversifies, it is becoming increasingly important that the media can accurately reflect the differences and similarities. I think that will be a major role of the Maori Television service and I hope that is seen in other media as well.”

Mr Horomia said INL needs to be commended for establishing the annual scholarships and its genuine commitment to encourage more Maori into the journalism profession.

© Scoop Media

Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>