January 12, 2022 – New Zealand Media and Entertainment (NZME), Māori TV, Discovery/Newshub and Pacific Media Network are delighted to have selected the 25 cadets for the Te Rito Development Programme.
Te Rito is a groundbreaking initiative by the four media partners, with support from the NZ on Air Public Interest Journalism Fund, to train and develop new journalism cadets who will inject voices into the industry that better reflect diverse communities from Aotearoa.
The cohort is represented in eight ethnicities (Māori, Samoan, Cook Island, Rotuman, Tongan, Fijian-Indian, South-East Asian, Finnish), ten languages, diversity and rainbow communities, as well as men, women and non-binary cadets.
Based in Auckland, the cadets will receive a junior salary during the year-long training and work experience program which begins next month. Cadets will experience all facets of journalism across digital, print, radio and television and will be mentored by experienced newsroom operators.
NZME Cultural Partnerships Manager Lois Turei said interviewing such a diverse range of applicants for the program was an inspiring and humbling experience for the panelists. Te Rito’s partners had been challenged whether the project would attract 25 suitable applicants from diverse cultures and backgrounds.
“The response to the recruitment drive was amazing and the competition for places was fierce. We had nearly 100 candidates who had a wide range of professional skills, cultural backgrounds, unique lived experiences and a passion for telling stories. on issues that affect their communities.
“If we do our job well, we will release a slice of journalists into newsrooms who have unique and fresh perspectives that better reflect New Zealand communities. How exciting is that?”
Of the 25 positions, ten will be based at Māori TV and 15 at NZME. All cadets will learn and work in the newsrooms of the four partners and other affiliated media organizations. The program is led by Gesa Luamanu, a dedicated advocate for the Maori and Pasifika communities with extensive corporate media experience.
Wena Harawira, Tāhuhu Kawe Pūrongo Head of News and Current Affairs at Māori TV says, “The Maori cohort of cadets at Te Rito are all fluent in Te Reo Maori and are role models for Maori language revitalization in our communities. This includes five iwi radio staff. This is a lesson for the media industry to invest in the future recruitment and development of Maori journalists.
Sarah Bristow, Newshub’s Director of News, said: “It’s so exciting to have cadets from such diverse backgrounds wanting to get involved in news journalism and embark on the Te Rito journey.”
Pacific Media Network CEO Don Mann says he is delighted to welcome the 25 cadets to the inaugural program. “Each brings their own unique mana, skills and perspectives that we know will expand the journalistic landscape of Aotearoa. It is our investment in strengthening the future journalistic voices of Te Moana-nui-a-Kiva tagata, and with this special program, we look forward to seeing and hearing from our Pasifika and Indigenous communities.
NZ On Air’s Journalism Director, Raewyn Rasch, said it was so encouraging to see the high number of people keen to join the program and become journalists. “These new cadets will help the PIJF create lasting change, delivering a transformational wave of Maori and Pasifika journalists to newsrooms across the country.”
Cadets begin their program on February 7.
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