Carmen Parahi | Our day of reckoning

Dismayed by how Māori were being portrayed in the media, Carmen Parahi nearly gave up on journalism for good. Instead, she channelled her frustration into a game-changing re-examination of indigenous news coverage.

Carmen Parahi was at a career crossroads in 2020. While she still loved journalism, two decades of seeing Māori misrepresented and unfairly targeted in the media - not to mention the racism she'd experienced on the job - had taken its toll. She'd grown tired, angry and bitter, and was considering throwing in the towel.

But sensing an opportunity for meaningful change under Stuff's new ownership, Carmen garnered the backing of her colleagues in establishing Pou Tiaki, a platform bringing attention to te ao Māori and priding itself on fair representation of all communities.

In this conversation with broadcaster and media chaplain, Rev Frank Ritchie, Carmen discusses her struggles as a Māori reporter in a Pakeha-dominated news environment and her vision for a multicultural approach to journalism.

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details