New Zealand

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Pacific media in New Zealand ... on the set at TVNZ's Tagata Pasifika. Image: TVNZ

New Zealand lies to the southeast of Australia and consists of two main islands, the North Island and the South Island, and a number of smaller outlying islands. The two main islands are separated by Cook Strait.

The Māori were the indigenous inhabitants of New Zealand, arriving on the islands from Polynesia from about 900. In 1642, New Zealand was "discovered" by Abel Tasman, a Dutch navigator. British captain James Cook made three voyages to the islands, beginning in 1769. Britain formally annexed the islands in 1840. The Treaty of Waitangi between the British and several Māori iwi laid the foundation for a modern political "partnership".

New Zealand is rich in culture, dairy products, biodiversity and environmental friendly tourism. It has a dynamic electronic media mostly dominated by TVNZ channels, however Māori TV is also becoming popular. There are several FM radio channels but Radio New Zealand is the main radio channel for news and current affairs. On the print side, the biggest circulation newspaper is The New Zealand Herald.

Three New Zealand universities - AUT University, Massey University and the University of Canterbury and seven institutes of technology offer journalism programmes. Only AUT offers a postgraduate diploma in Pacific journalism.

Official name: Aotearoa/New Zealand
Poltical status: Parliamentary democracy
Capital city: Wellington
Population (2012 est.): 4,445,000
Languages: English,
Monetary unit: New Zealand dollar
Languages: English, Te Reo (Māori), Sign
Land area:  268,021 sq km (103,483 sq m)

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AUT University
- Asia-Pacific Journalism
- Graduate Diploma In Pacific Journalism

Other cultural diversity journalism programmes
- Waiariki Institute of Technology
- Whitireia Institute of Technology

Other NZ journalism schools (NZJTO)
Journalism Education Association of New Zealand (JEANZ)

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Pacific Media Centre

PMC newsdesk

The Pacific Media Centre - TE AMOKURA - at AUT University has a strategic focus on Māori, Pasifika and ethnic diversity media and community development.

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