Somewhere, in the digital memory of Radio New Zealand lies the electronic communication mandating the increased use of Te Reo. Whether in the form of an amendment to the state broadcaster’s style-book, as in – henceforth the name ‘Aotearoa’ is to be preferred over ‘New Zealand’ – or as a straightforward editorial instruction – henceforth all presenters and newsreaders will introduce themselves in the Māori language.

It is inconceivable that a major presentational change, one which contributed significantly to the catastrophic decline in RNZ’s audience numbers, was nothing more than a spontaneous and unbidden efflorescence of “progressive” staff sentiment. And even if it was, the bottom-up resolution was never reproved or countermanded.

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