RNZ to launch external review after pro-Russia story edits

RNZ

RNZ advised Friday that it had become aware of instances of inappropriate editing of several wire service stories relating to the war in Ukraine published on its website.

RNZ chief executive Paul Thompson initiated an immediate investigation and has today announced an external review of RNZ's processes for the editing of online stories to ensure these are robust.

The outcome of the review will be made public. The terms of reference for the review and the external experts will be confirmed as soon as possible.

RNZ is continuing with a detailed audit and analysis of all stories with the potential for inappropriate editing of wire service stories on the website.

While there is still work to complete, to date it has identified 15 instances of inappropriate editing going back to last year. These stories have been corrected and an explanatory note added to each article.

Here are the links to the corrected stories:

• Increasing talk of 'war' in Russia worrying sign of escalation

• Residents trapped as Nova Kakhovka dam's destruction wreaks havoc in war zone

• 25 killed in biggest Ukraine air strikes for nearly two months

• Top Ukraine cleric accused of glorifying Russian invasion under house arrest

• Putin says Moscow to station nuclear weapons in Belarus

• Ukraine commander visits besieged Bakhmut as Medvedev warns of 'apocalypse'

• G20 starts in Bali as Ukraine war, raging inflation top agenda

• Fighting 'deadlocked' ahead of visit by UN chief, Ukraine says

• Ukraine denies shelling near nuclear plant and calls for new Russian sanctions

• UN again trying to evacuate civilians from Ukraine's Mariupol

• Ukraine says Russian strike knocks out Odesa airport

• Russian strikes pound Ukraine on eve of new EU sanctions

• Ukraine war: Putin warns against foreign intervention

• Russian forces disperse pro-Ukraine rally, tighten control in Kherson

• Serbia accuses Ukraine and unnamed EU country of Air Serbia bomb hoaxes

RNZ is checking other stories and continues with a thorough analysis which may take some time.

As indicated previously an investigation is under way into the alleged conduct of one employee relating to this matter. That employee is on leave and does not have access to our computer systems.

RNZ is treating this issue very seriously and will keep you updated.

RNZ