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The chief executive of Radio New Zealand says the state broadcaster hasn't been doing enough to reflect Maori language and culture.
Paul Thompson has been under fire from Maori radio umbrella group Te Whakaruruhau for the lack of coverage of Maori stories since it axed its Te Manu Korihi bulletins.
Mr Thompson told Radio Waatea broadcaster and Te Whakaruruhau chair Willie Jackson some of the criticism had merit, and had been taken on board by management, including head of content Carol Hirschfeld.
He says it has catalysed the organisation to step up its development of a strategy to make Maori journalism and journalists prominent within prime time news and current affairs shows.
"The core is that this is something that is woven into the very fabric of what we, do not pushed to one side. And that is a really profound change for RNZ, it's a profound cultural change within the organisation. Unless we get the long term investment into making that change, anything that we, Carol and I do, over the next couple of years won't be lasting. The key commitment is that we're actually going to commit to this and make sure it sticks," he says.
Paul Thompson says a lot of the Maori content is likely to show up online, where it gets a strong response.
Copyright © 2016, UMA Broadcasting Ltd: www.waateanews.com
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