Supporting journalists who reflect a rich, diverse Aotearoa

Our team was recently invited to Hoani Waititi marae, in Glen Eden, for a powhiri welcoming the new cohort of Te Rito cadets.

We are privileged to partner with the Te Rito Journalism Programme - a programme focused on training and supporting upcoming journalists who better reflect a rich, diverse Aotearoa. We officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding at the end of 2022 and have been working closely since then.

The partnership between Te Rito and Media Chaplaincy New Zealand is a perfect fit as the programme aims to support the cadets not only professionally but personally.

Media Chaplains Frank Ritchie and Petra Bagust meet with some of the Te Rito cadets.

Rev Petra Zaleski, MCNZ General Manager Elesha Gordon & Lead Chaplain Rev Frank Ritchie at Hoani Waititi marae.

We have enjoyed getting to know this year’s cohort. Many of our team have had individual catch-ups with cadets. Our chaplains have also joined the team for lunch. There was such good energy, intelligence and patai in the room.

Media Chaplain Petra Bagust also joined the team at it's Tiriti o Waitangi hui, facilitated by Te Ururoa Flavell, overnight at Te Kotahitanga Marae.

Te Rito Journalism Project is a partnership of four media organisations - NZME, Whakaata Māori, Newshub and Pacific Media Network - and backed by NZ on Air's Public Interest Journalism Fund.

The goal is to ensure newsrooms reflect a multicultural Aotearoa, and to provide training and guidance to those who have the potential to shape the future of the media industry in New Zealand.

There is a critical shortage of reo Māori and Pasifika journalists and cultural awareness within newsrooms. A 2021 Massey University study found only 1.8 per cent of journalists in New Zealand identify as Pasifika, a number unchanged for 10 years.

Te Rito trains, upskills, and mentors a cohort of 15 through NZME, Newshub and Pacific Media; and 10 from Whakaata Māori and Iwi Media.

Through the diversity of voices, they want to create journalists who reflected the Aotearoa we live in.

This unique model is a partnership between leading newsrooms grounded in the whakapapa of Te Rito.

Te Rito is the emerging shoot at the heart of the harakeke, flax plant. It represents the trainees.

Te Awhi Rito are the surrounding leaves, which nurture and protect. These are the trainers.

Te Matua Rito are the experienced external leaves, which anchor the ecosystem. This represents news executives.

The kaupapa of Te Rito is the shared responsibility of many - collective skills and resources enable success.