Maria Barlow

Maria Barlow (Te Rarawa, Ngāti Whātua o Kaipara) is Kaiurungi Pāpāho (Director of Content and Audience Engagement) at Whakaata Māori. With more than 20 years’ experience across broadcasting, content strategy, insights, and commercial development, she is a strategic leader committed to advancing te reo Māori and Indigenous storytelling.
Maria has held senior roles in pay TV and streaming, leading partnerships with global content brands including HBO, ESPN, and National Geographic. She also led pioneering Māori audience research and innovative content strategies that respond to shifting audience behaviours.
In 2025, she spearheaded the first Whakaata Māori Social Value Report — a landmark initiative measuring the real-world impact of kaupapa Māori media on language, identity, and wellbeing.
At Whakaata Māori, Maria oversees news, production, programming, brand, marketing, and data across platforms like MĀORI+ and teaonews.co.nz. Grounded in whanaungatanga, she builds high-performing teams and fosters content that connects deeply with Māori audiences.