KEY POINTS:
Language exponents say that in New Zealand Music Month, commercial radio stations deserve a tune up for not playing more music in Maori.
Some such as composer Tihi Puanaki, who is leading the campaign for more airtime, are calling for a compulsory te reo Maori quota.
"Its invisibility creates a perception of this whole genre lacking in status.
"There is fantastic work being produced by Maori musicians that is not receiving the support it should be."
While she understood that commercial radio had an imperative to make money, there was still a "moral responsibility" to help to revitalise an official language which was still at risk.
She said the campaign was not about "ramming" music down people's throats - an organised rally in Christchurch today would be as much about highlighting the issue as about celebrating good music.
"It's a big rage, really. We actually want to share this with the whole of Aotearoa because they're missing out. There is some fantastic music out there."
Asked if the music should stand on its own merits, Ms Puanaki said it should.
"But we're not hearing Maori medium music. We want our kids to get hooked, but they're hearing nothing on commercial stations."
New Zealand Music Month manager Steve Newall said it had been a long time since Dalvanius Prime and Ngoi Pewhairangi's 1984 number one, Poi E.
But the quota debate for New Zealand music not new - politicians had called for a compulsory regime before radio decided to voluntarily aim for targets.
Over the past few years, local content had consistently hit 20 per cent.
He said formatting was the issue which plagued not only te reo artists but English-language artists at the "margins" who did not tick boxes of what stations thought would be successful.
Classic rock station Radio Hauraki was a good example.
"They have a very well-defined idea - they will only play music that fits their format. That's the first obstacle. That's the reality of commercial radio.
"There's a lot of people for whom it's actually not going to happen."
He said it would be "patronising" for a proportion of airtime to be put aside solely for te reo Maori music.
One of country's most successful Maori contemporary artists, Moana Maniapoto, remembers hearing that her songs could not be played commercially because a particular station did not play "a foreign language".
What the "vague" formatting argument boiled down to was that some stations thought people would switch off if te reo songs were played on mainstream stations, she said.
"It's only in New Zealand there's a hang-up - I suppose that's political baggage.
"It's not all bad. I think more and more people are responding to the Maori language, they're feeling less threatened, it's probably time for radio to reflect that."
And there were plenty of Maori artists, such as Whirimako Black, Hinewehi Mohi and Ruia Aperahama, who worked across musical genres who could slot in to playlists.
HEARD THIS ONE?
Current music in te reo includes
* Ruia Aperahama - Arohaina ra koe.
* Hinewehi Mohi - Kotahitanga.
* Aaria - Kei a wai ra te kupu.
* Te Huaki Puanaki - Taiohi Maori.
