Te Hiku Media
Te Hiku Media is a Māori community broadcaster and language technology non-profit founded in 1991, operating radio, TV, and digital platforms in Te Tai Tokerau (Far North, New Zealand) to deliver te reo Māori programming and develop AI-powered language revitalization tools including the Papa Reo API.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1991
- HeadquartersKaitaia, New Zealand
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Te Hiku Media does
Te Hiku Media (legal name Te Reo Irirangi o Te Hiku o Te Ika) is a non-profit Māori community media organization founded in 1991 by Ngāti Hine and headquartered at 1 Melba Street, Kaitaia in New Zealand's Far North (Te Tai Tokerau). The organization operates a multi-platform media network spanning three FM radio frequencies (Te Hiku Radio 97.1FM, Tai FM 106.7FM, Sunshine FM 104.3FM), Te Hiku TV for video and live event broadcasting (including kapa haka competitions and Waitangi commemorations), the tehiku.nz digital platform, and mobile applications. Its core purpose is the preservation and revitalization of te reo Māori through regional news, cultural programming, and language learning resources serving iwi, hapū, and whānau of Te Tai Tokerau including Ngāti Hine, Te Rarawa, Ngāti Kuri, and Te Aupōuri. The organization runs annual events such as Ngā Manu Kōrero (secondary school speech competition) and Maranga Mai E Te Iwi (regional kapa haka), and collaborates with partner stations Tautoko FM and Ngāti Hine FM under the Te Reo o te Tai Tokerau programming initiative.
The organization has developed a distinct technology arm, Te Hiku Tech, that builds AI-powered language revitalization tools including the Papa Reo platform with a publicly documented API for speech recognition and natural language processing in te reo Māori, the Whare Kōrero learning application, and the Rongo app. A central strategic asset is the Kaitiakitanga License, an Indigenous data sovereignty licensing framework that governs how Māori language data may be used, particularly in AI training contexts where Te Hiku Media has publicly critiqued approaches taken by global model providers such as OpenAI. The Papa Reo API targets developers and partners for integration, creating a software distribution channel alongside the community broadcaster business.
The business model combines community broadcasting operations with government and cultural funding, anchored by NZ On Air support, and collaborative production partnerships (e.g., Cinco Cine for the 2023 Waitangi Day broadcast). The organization does not publicly disclose pricing or detailed financials, operating as a non-profit focused on community outcomes rather than commercial revenue. Its 11-50 staff support both traditional broadcasting and increasingly the Te Hiku Tech division, with the AI and data sovereignty positioning representing a forward-looking capability dimension that extends the organization's mandate beyond regional media into language technology and indigenous data rights advocacy.
Te Hiku Media firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Te Hiku Media
- Legal name
- Te Reo Irirangi o Te Hiku o Te Ika
- Website
- https://tehiku.nz
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1991
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Te Hiku Media is a Māori community broadcaster and language technology non-profit founded in 1991, operating radio, TV, and digital platforms in Te Tai Tokerau (Far North, New Zealand) to deliver te reo Māori programming and develop AI-powered language revitalization tools including the Papa Reo API.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Te Hiku Media industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Indigenous Community Broadcasting
- NAICS
- Radio Broadcasting Stations (516110), Television Broadcasting Stations (51612)
- SIC
- Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832), Television Broadcasting Stations (4833)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Commercial Terrestrial Radio Broadcasting (AM/FM) (MPAIAEAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Radio Network Distribution & Programming Services (Syndicators, Format Providers) (MPAIAEAH)
Keywords
Where Te Hiku Media is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Kaitaia
- HQ country
- New Zealand
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices1 record
Markets served
Te Hiku Media business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Broadcasting and Content Production: Te Hiku Media operates as a community broadcaster producing regional news, cultural programming, and language revitalization content for Māori communities in Te Tai Tokerau. Revenue supports ongoing media operations, content creation, and technology development for te reo Māori preservation.
- Government and Cultural Funding: The organization receives sponsorship and funding support from entities such as NZ On Air for content production and community media initiatives.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels4 records
Te Hiku Media product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Te Hiku Media is a Māori community media organization that broadcasts regional news, cultural programming, and te reo Māori language content across multiple FM radio frequencies (Te Hiku Radio, Tai FM, Sunshine FM), a regional television channel (Te Hiku TV), and a digital platform (tehiku.nz). It also develops Māori language technology tools including the Papa Reo AI platform with a public API, the Whare Kōrero and Rongo mobile applications, and the Kaitiakitanga License for indigenous data sovereignty.
Product overview
Te Hiku Media is a Māori media organization operating as a platform-plus-products architecture. Its core products include Te Hiku Radio (Māori language radio station) and Te Hiku TV (television broadcasting service), supplemented by sub-branded radio stations Tai FM (106.7FM) and Sunshine FM (104.3FM). The Te Reo content division provides Māori language resources including Kīwaha, Waiata, Te Reo o te Kāinga, and Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori. The Te Hiku Tech division develops technology products including Papa Reo (Māori language AI API), Whare Kōrero app, and Rongo app for language revitalization. Cultural content series include Kuaka Wharau (elder interviews) and Tautīnei (multimedia journalism). Annual events include Ngā Manu Kōrero (speech competition) and Maranga Mai E Te Iwi (Kapa Haka regionals).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Te Hiku Radio Māori language radio station broadcasting on 97.1FM in Te Tai Tokerau (Northland), New Zealand, featuring talk shows, news programs, and cultural content including Kuaka Mārangaranga, Te Reo o te Rangatira, and Te Kūkupa.
- Te Hiku TV Television broadcasting service covering regional news (Haukāinga), Kapa Haka competitions, festivals, and Māori cultural content for the Te Tai Tokerau region.
- Tai FM 106.7FM Radio station broadcasting on 106.7FM as part of the Te Hiku Media network, featuring music programming and local Northland content.
- Sunshine FM 104.3FM Radio station broadcasting on 104.3FM, featuring music and entertainment content including programs like Toast and Jams with Erin and concert coverage.
- Papa Reo Māori language AI platform providing speech recognition and language learning tools, with a publicly available API for developers to integrate te reo Māori resources into their applications.
- Whare Kōrero Mobile application for te reo Māori language learning and practice, developed by Te Hiku Media as part of its AI-powered language revitalization tools.
- Rongo Māori language application developed by Te Hiku Media for language learning and revitalization purposes.
Companies that use Te Hiku Media
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Te Hiku Media technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability3 records
Feature5 records
Te Hiku Media partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Cinco CinecoreCollaborative production partnership for Waitangi Day live broadcast coverage. Cinco Cine worked with Te Hiku Media to produce the 2023 Waitangi Day broadcast featuring cultural programming, interviews with political leaders, and community content.
- Tautoko FMcoreMāori radio station collaborating with Te Hiku Media on the Te Reo o te Tai Tokerau programming initiative, contributing to regional Māori media coverage.
- Ngāti Hine FMcoreMāori community radio station partnering with Te Hiku Media on the Te Reo o te Tai Tokerau programming, extending reach of te reo Māori content.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Te Hiku Media competitors and assessment
Company assessmentOthers
- Te Mātāwai: Statutory body for te reo Māori revitalization under the Māori Language Act. Related rather than competing — Te Mātāwai is a potential funding/policy partner that shapes the broader te reo Māori ecosystem in which Te Hiku Media operates.
Direct peers
- CBC Indigenous: Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's Indigenous content division serving First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities. Comparable as a major public broadcaster with a dedicated Indigenous services arm covering language, culture, and regional news.
- Pacific Media Network: A New Zealand-based Pacific and ethnic community broadcasting network. Comparable as a Pacific-region community broadcaster serving indigenous and minority language audiences with radio and digital distribution.
- NITV (SBS): Australia's National Indigenous Television service operated as part of SBS. The closest international analogue as an Indigenous-language and Indigenous-focused broadcaster with similar community broadcasting mandate and language preservation mission.
- Hawai'i Public Radio: Public radio network serving Hawai'i with programming that includes Hawaiian language content. Comparable as a regional public broadcaster integrating indigenous language programming alongside mainstream content, with similar community-focused ethos.
- Whakaata Māori (Māori Television): New Zealand's dedicated Māori-language television broadcaster. The closest direct peer to Te Hiku Media's Te Hiku TV operations, both serving Māori audiences with cultural and language programming under iwi-aligned governance models.
- BBC Alba: BBC's Scottish Gaelic-language television partnership. Highly comparable as a publicly funded indigenous/minority language broadcaster delivering radio, TV, and digital content in a revitalized indigenous language.
Broad incumbents
- Radio New Zealand (RNZ): New Zealand's public service radio broadcaster offering national and regional coverage. Comparable as a public-interest broadcaster in the same regulatory and funding ecosystem, though broader in scope and not Māori-specific.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Te Hiku Media social profiles
Digital presenceTe Hiku Media financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Te Hiku Media leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Te Hiku Media funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Te Hiku Media M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Te Hiku Media
What does Te Hiku Media do?
Te Hiku Media is a Māori community media organization that broadcasts regional news, cultural programming, and te reo Māori language content across multiple FM radio frequencies (Te Hiku Radio, Tai FM, Sunshine FM), a regional television channel (Te Hiku TV), and a digital platform (tehiku.nz). It also develops Māori language technology tools including the Papa Reo AI platform with a public API, the Whare Kōrero and Rongo mobile applications, and the Kaitiakitanga License for indigenous data sovereignty.
Is Te Hiku Media a public or private company?
Te Hiku Media is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Te Hiku Media founded?
Te Hiku Media was founded in 1991. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Te Hiku Media based?
Te Hiku Media is headquartered in Kaitaia, New Zealand, in the Oceania region.
How does Te Hiku Media make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Broadcasting and Content Production is the primary driver. The others are government and Cultural Funding.
Who are Te Hiku Media's main competitors?
Te Mātāwai is listed as an others. Direct peers are CBC Indigenous, Pacific Media Network, NITV (SBS), Hawai'i Public Radio, Whakaata Māori (Māori Television) and BBC Alba. Radio New Zealand (RNZ) is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Te Hiku Media have an API?
Yes. The Papa Reo API is available for developers and partners to access Te Hiku Media's Māori language technology. The API enables integration with language revitalization tools and resources. Developer documentation is at papareo.io.
What industry is Te Hiku Media in?
Te Hiku Media's product category is Indigenous Community Broadcasting. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAIAEAA, Commercial Terrestrial Radio Broadcasting (AM/FM), with a secondary code of MPAIAEAH, Radio Network Distribution & Programming Services (Syndicators, Format Providers). Its NAICS code is 516110 and its SIC code is 4832.