Ngāti Hine FM, Tautoko FM and Te Hiku Media join forces for news service

Members of te kūkupa include, from back left: Hemi Baker, Gideon Porter, Lahni Wharerau, Cassidy Makiha, Amber Smith. Front, from left: Raewynne Rice, Erana Fenton, Ani Makiha and Ngareta Tuiloma.

At a time when newsrooms across the motu face financial challenges, an innovative new Te Tai Tokerau collaboration is hoping to redefine the media landscape in the region.

The joint venture, te kūkupa, is a collaboration between Whāngarei’s Ngāti Hine FM, Tautoko FM in Mangamuka and Te Hiku Media in Kaitaia, which aims to provide a news service promoting te reo o Te Tai Tokerau (Northland Māori language) across the three Northland Māori radio and online streaming networks- including iwi media partner social media platforms.

The project name was gifted by Tautoko FM’s Cyril Chapman, with kūkupa meaning a taonga (treasure) renowned as a messenger or sometimes as the kererū, kuku or wood pigeon.

Ngāti Hine FM station manager, Erana Fenton (Ngāti Whatua, Ngapuhi, Te Rarawa, Te Aupouri) said there’d long been a need for a strong and balanced Māori perspective in media throughout Aotearoa New Zealand.

She said she hoped te kūkupa would foster and promote positive news for ngā tangata whenua o Te Tai Tokerau from the Brynderwyns and pockets of Kaipara, right through to the Hokianga and Muriwhenua.

“Like the kūkupa and the noisy beat of its wings, our collaboration aims to deliver a distinctive sound by uniting the strengths, voices and unique perspectives of Ngāti Hine FM, Tautoko FM and Te Hiku Media,” Fenton said.

“Our aim is to search every corner of Te Tai Tokerau for stories that matter and we believe te kūkupa will become a symbol of excellence in regional news coverage, embodying the shared vision and commitment of Ngāti Hine FM, Tautoko FM and Te Hiku Media.

“The physical and community footprint we cover is huge, so I am confident we will grow an even more loyal following and have a significant impact in telling the stories of our people.”

Together, the three entities have a reach of more than 150,000 Instagram and Facebook followers, with a strong broadcast footprint covering Te Tai Tokerau and Tāmaki Makaurau.

Fenton described te kūkupa as a “kopuna platform”, which had been influenced by the legacies of Māori news trailblazers including Te Kārere, Mana Māori Media, Ruia Mai and Waatea.

With their well-established hāpori (community) relationships, Fenton said they hoped to further enhance those connections by using distribution platforms their audiences already engaged with.

“The regional news team led by editor Gideon Porter (Ngāpuhi, Te Rarawa) is committed to high-quality, authentic, impartial, unpretentious journalism and responsible reporting, but with a Te Tai Tokerau twist,” Fenton said.

“We know news is about storytelling. That means telling the stories of our whānau, hapū and hāpori within the maara of Te Tai Tokerau and providing a platform for those voices that have largely gone unheard.

“By informing our people about important issues, we hope to ignite conversations and debates leading to meaningful action, while shaping the way the wider hāpori digest news content and stay connected, engaged and informed about te ao Māori.”

The platform will provide regular updates as it launches new content.

It is also on the lookout for local talent to take part in their regional media internships.

To find out more, visit the te kūkupa Facebook page.