The East Coast region's iwi radio station, Radio Ngati Porou, is to begin broadcasting Radio New Zealand's well-respected Te Manu Korihi Maori news bulletins.

Te Manu Korihi bulletins provide editorially independent coverage of Maori news and events from around the country.

Te Manu Korihi news is read by Eru Rerekura, ( Nga Rauru; Ngati Haua; Ngati Tuwharetoa; and Ngati Maniapoto ) a fluent Te Reo speaker, and bulletins feature Te Manu Korihi reporter Rosemary Rangitauira (Ngati Manawa; Ngati Hui; Ngati Koro; and Ngati Whare ) who is also a Te Reo Maori speaker.

Both Eru and Rosemary joined Radio New Zealand from iwi radio

The bulletins are already broadcast Monday to Friday on Radio New Zealand's top-rating news programmes, Morning Report and Checkpoint. Morning Report has more listeners than any other radio programme in New Zealand, and Checkpoint is also number one in its time zone.

Te Manu Korihi now has one of the largest audiences of any news service in the country.

Radio Ngati Porou Chief Excecutive, Erana Reedy, welcomes the opportunity to broadcast Radio New Zealand’s Te Manu Korihi bulletins.

"Te Manu Korihi provides really good coverage of Maori issues" Mrs Reedy said. " The bulletins have a wide range of stories and good analysis of topics. There is a good range of kaikorero and the news is well presented ".

"Having Te Manu Korihi bulletins airing on Radio Ngati Porou will really enhance what our audience receives", she added.

She said many of the pioneers of Maori broadcasting like the late Wiremu Parker, Whairiri Ngata, Henare Te Ua and Derek Fox who are Ngati Porou, started at Radio New Zealand and paved the way for today’s Maori language broadcasters like herself.

"So Ngati Porou has a history with Radio New Zealand through people like Bill Parker, Uncle Whai, Derek and a host of others who have worked at Radio New Zealand in the past. We are looking forward to working more closely with Radio New Zealand in the future especially in terms of the repatriation of Ngati Porou’s archival recordings".

Radio New Zealand's Head of News, Don Rood, describes the Radio Ngati Porou decision to take Te Manu Korihi news as a significant development.

"Te Manu Korihi news bulletins provide authoritative reporting of what is happening within M?oridom and we are delighted that Radio Ngati Porou appreciates the value of being able to air such a high quality news service"

"Developing Te Manu Korihi is a big step forward for Radio New Zealand, and, as a public service broadcaster, we believe it is vital that there is a dedicated news service for such an important sector of New Zealand society".

"No other mainstream news organisation gives such prominence to Maori news."

"I am proud of the dedication and enthusiasm of Te Manu Korihi staff, and it is their hard work that has made extending Te Manu Korihi bulletins to iwi radio possible."