Native Affairs — Mihingarangi Forbes questioned a gaggle of politicians about important issues on Maori TV last night (click to view)
I watched Maori TV’s Native Affairs again last night: their first live debate for 2013 with politicians from all parties (except Peter Dunne) discussing a wide range of issues. I really enjoyed it. (You can see it here at the Maori TV website. I recommend you do.)
I described Maori TV as “this country’s last best hope for public (television) broadcasting” in my brief encomium to Native Affairs‘ new host Mihingarangi Forbes.
Last night’s debate was a good thing. It was valuable programming, taken at the pace of current affairs shows of old. These days it seems a lot of NZ commercial television (with exceptions) is too focussed on short attention span wham-bam-whizzo to devote an hour of prime time programming (outside an election year) to illuminating political discussion of important issues.
Hats off to Maori TV. Really good broadcasting.
I saw a comment from the NZ Herald‘s TV reviewer John Drinnan to the effect that many in the media seem ‘smitten’ with Native Affairs. Yeah, I think he’s right. And justifiably so.
UPDATE: Here’s John’s comment:
@jodiihaka @chipmatthews @n8tvaffairs @mihi_forbes me no reviewer – (tho column drifts that way) – most media types smitten w @n8vaffairs
— John Drinnan (@Zagzigger) March 12, 2013
– P
Just shows you how good my pronunciation of “Maori” is … hahaha
At the end of the debate (go and watch it) Maori TV promoted a documentary this coming Wednesday featuring veteran journalist/foreign correspondent Jon Stephenson reporting on NZ’s military involvement in Afghanistan. It looks unmissable … so I told my iPhone to remind me to watch Maori TV … the response shows my Australian-accent-based Siri doesn’t quite understand Te Reo, huh? 🙂
When my youngest son was little – he attempted the correct pronounciation as “mouldy” … when you examine it … to an unaccustomed ear thats what it sounds like.
Try saying “maaari tv” and see what happens.
Plenty of Mouldys mispronounce English … in fact many have made a significantly lucrative music career out of it …
Yeah, re ‘mouldy’, I meant it: “Just shows you how good my pronunciation of ‘Maori’ is”.
‘Maaari’, as you suggested, got ‘Mari TV’ ; another attempt got ‘Marie TV’ …
I am going to have to find out how to ‘educate’ Siri. There’ll be a way.
– P
The pronunciation I struggle with, still, is Taupo — Toe-paw.
i personally think that the very worst is taumarunui … just listen to the weatherpersons pronounce it …
None of it rolls easily off the anglo saxon tongue …
I still dont like Mihi etc etc Forbes by the way … but i will watch it nonetheless.
I’ve always liked Mouldy TV … very very good programming. So it should be as the NZ Taxpayer bailed it out and continues to over fund it as it cant stand on its own two feet.
Well I DO like Mihingarangi Forbes. That should be clear. More importantly, I think she does a good job as an interviewer.
In recent weeks I saw her interviews with Paula Bennett and Susan Devoy. Both were riveting in different ways (and Twitter was fizzing during both of them, as well as last night’s debate.) She displays good prep. and a willingness to press a ‘tough’ question line. It takes fortitude, mate, let me tell you.
Yes, she got talked-over by ‘the wild bunch’ at times in last night’s LIVE DEBATE (Who wouldn’t? Look who was there!). But she more than held her own — in fact she ran the room. Good stuff.
In my view, Ms Forbes displays a quiet insistence (without being whiney or bombastic) and gee, some of her questions packed a punch! Asking Tau Henare to cross the floor, asking Pita Sharples why his years in cabinet hadn’t seen a lift in some devastating Maori statistics.
Shows like Native Affairs are a team effort. I know, I was part of the Holmes breakfast team for five years. The likable Ms Forbes delivers good, tough interviews without being ‘machismo’ or dominating.
That’s heart-warming for the production team, I imagine. It’s good TV.
– P