Taking The Mic: Māori And Pacific Voices In The Media

Scoop

25-05-2025

Savvy media interaction can shape the perception and success of community-led health initiatives, particularly for Māori and Pacific people, according to a recent study.
Organisations working to assist Indigenous and diverse communities should take control of their narrative in the news rather than reacting to media coverage, according to research led by University of Auckland senior marketing lecturer Dr Sandra Smith.
Published in Pacific Health Dialog, a journal dedicated to health issues in the Pacific region, the paper is connected to a larger post-doctoral research project led by co-author, Dr Fa'asisila Savila (Pacific Health) and funded by the Health Research Council.
It examines how Aotearoa New Zealand's largest community-based fitness and well-being organisation, Brown Buttabean Motivation (BBM), the brainchild of former professional boxer Dave Letele, navigated media narratives before and during the pandemic.
Smith and colleagues examined how Māori and Pacific communities were framed in the media when referencing the health programme, whether those narratives aligned with, enhanced or competed against the organisation's message, and how the personal brand of Letele and Brown Buttabean Motivation evolved.
By using Māori and Pacific research methodologies and analysing more than 100 media articles and interviews, the study found that although media narratives reinforced some negative tropes, such as an emphasis on Māori and Pacific people experiencing higher prevalence of obesity than national averages, Letele's reputation and positive public persona allowed him to shape media narratives.
"Letele was proactive in reaching out to journalists and editors, and ensuring that the community's story was told accurately," says Smith."This level of engagement is valuable for Māori and Pacific led organisations, who can sometimes struggle to have their voices heard and accurately represented in the mainstream media."
The fact that the media accurately represented the organisation, its activities and its philosophy, without a specific spin or bias, and with only limited evidence of negative media framing, contrasts with the negative stereotypes frequently encountered in the representation of Māori and Pacific people in the mass media, says Smith.
"This is likely due to Dave Letele's ability to influence the coverage proactively, to a greater extent than would usually occur between community agencies and the press," she says.
"Māori and Pacific people face significant health inequities, often exacerbated by media framing that places the burden of health on individuals rather than that of government or society."
The findings also show how the health and fitness organisation adapted and changed during the pandemic, shifting to supporting people by providing food and online classes and linking members with important information and services.
"It became an extension of whānau and a safe space where support could be provided to members in need. This finding echoes the notion that Māori and Pacific people are likely to seek help from family and community rather than from formal health providers."
Smith and her fellow researchers hope the study will inspire other community-based groups and charities to take a more active role in their media engagement and say media outlets should be mindful of the impact their reporting can have on such groups.
"Dave Letele's ability to engage with the media and shape the discourse around Brown Buttabean Motivation is a game-changer," she says. "It's a powerful example of how Indigenous and diverse communities can positively influencepublic perception and knowledge of their activities and offerings."