Peata Melbourne (Producer)

As a Producer, Peata Melbourne comes with a background in television and film spanning 18 years directing, reporting, presenting and acting on an array of formats including documentary, news, current affairs, music shows, kids’ shows, and drama series.

Peata is currently the news anchor and multi-platform producer for Māori TV's Te Ao Mārama. In 2018 she produced a daily Current Affairs Show at Māori Television called Kawekōrero and made significant improvements to the show during its final year of broadcast. Prior to that Peata worked as a Producer/Reporter for Native Affairs creating 6-8-minute-long stories on matters of significance to Māori. 

Aside from her multiple roles in television, Peata has had some experience working in film as an actress. The most recent being on Waru produced by BSAG in the story directed by Chelsea Winstanley. She was also a cast on Māori Television's educational drama series, Kōrero Mai made by Cinco Cine Productions.

 Outside of media, Peata co-produced an album called He Rangipaihuarere featuring both well- known and up & coming Māori artists doing their renditions of the songs composed by the late Dr Hirini Melbourne, uncle to Peata.  

Co-producing the album was Ngātapa Black, daughter of songstress Whirimako Black. The producing won a Waiata Music Award for the He Rangipaihuarere album for Best Māori Album of the Year. Both Ngātapa and Peata went on to co-produce Pao Pao Pao – a musical mentoring program for Māori rangatahi established by Hirini Melbourne. Pao Pao Pao was established in 2002 by the late Dr. Hirini Melbourne as a platform for up and coming Māori artists.

 The program runs annual wānanga where new musicians learn about the music industry including composition, marketing, distribution and performance. The artists then showcase their new compositions in a public performance and often feature at festivals like Womad. Peata and Ngatapa have successfully run the program for the last 6 years producing award-winning artists like Teeks, who has had numerous nominations and won Best Māori Artist at the Vodafone Music Awards. Peata holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Waikato with a double major in Film & TV and Strategic Management.