Commendation For Maori Newsreader

Te 6 o nga ra o Haratua 2002

A newsreader with the national Maori language radio service, Ruia Mai, won a special commendation at the 2002 NZ Radio Awards on the weekend.

Ngarimu Daniels of Tuhoe descent is the first Maori language newsreader to be selected as a finalist in the 'Best Newsreader' category. Her daily news and sports bulletins, Nga Rangona Korero, are available to the iwi radio network and broadcast on Ruia Mai's Auckland frequency, 1179AM.

Auckland-based Ruia Mai won 'Best Maori Language Broadcast' for the Budget Special at Saturday night's awards ceremony in Auckland. The station provided up-to-the-minute, comprehensive coverage of the 2001 Budget and its impact on Maori - one of its most ambitious broadcasts to date. Anchored by iwi radio pioneer Henare Pryor, this one-off special included a live in-studio discussion with at least two expert commentators at a time with another two interviewees on the phone.

Ruia Mai general manager Pere Maitai says the commendation for Ms Daniels is a milestone in mainstream radio. "It proves that the talents of Ms Daniels and the other staff of Ruia Mai can rate alongside their non- Maori counterparts," Mr Maitai says.

Ruia Mai broadcasts on-the-hour news bulletins as well as morning and evening current affairs programmes, and children, youth and sports shows. Seven days a week, the team of presenters, reporters and producers generate some 40 hours of programming for the national network of iwi radio stations as well as their own frequency in Auckland, 1179AM.

ENDS

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