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RNZ Awards Contract For New Internal Editorial System To Boost Efficiency
New Zealand’s independent public media organisation RNZ is partnering with Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media organisations, to deliver its much-needed internal editorial systems upgrade, freeing up RNZ’s kaimahi to spend more time on what really matters – the story.
Chief News Officer Mark Stevens said the replacement was long overdue.
“One of the existing systems we’ve been using in RNZ dates back to 1999. That might not seem that old, but in 1999 the biggest selling phone was the Nokia, it was also the year Google hired its first employee.
“RNZ kaimahi have performed admirably with these outdated tools and have come up with creative workarounds where they can, but we owe it to our story tellers to make the technical side easier and allow them to focus on what matters for our audience.”
The replacement of RNZ’s legacy internal editorial systems will increase productivity and represents an investment of $4.5m for the establishment and first five years of operation. The replacement also aligns with the recommendation of the Independent Review Panel for RNZ to update its software and systems to ensure they are fit for purpose, efficient and effective.
Chief Technology Officer Mark Bullen said the level of investment reflected RNZ’s overall strategy of digital transformation while maintaining its role as a public media cornerstone.
“RNZ celebrates its 100th birthday next year, but it’s really been in the last 10-15 years that we’ve experienced the biggest changes in our digital landscape. This is about RNZ catching up, embracing the modern technologies that will streamline our processes and uplift our ability to deliver news and information quickly. We want to make sure we are prepared for the next 100 years and whatever comes our way.”
The selection of Dalet to deliver the new system was made after a rigorous six month tender process with almost 200 specific requirements, including around RNZ’s role as a lifeline utility needing a hybrid solution (cloud and on-premise) so it can stay on air and deliver news broadcasts during civil defence emergencies.
Dalet is already working with many of the world’s top public media organisations including France Télévisions, the BBC and Australia’s SBS. The company’s ethos of empowering storytelling matched RNZ’s aims for the new system.
"We are honoured to partner with RNZ to help modernise their editorial workflows, bringing efficiency and flexibility to their operations," said Ren Middleton, VP of Sales APAC at Dalet.
"Our solutions enable large-scale transformations for Radio and TV news operations globally, ensuring storytellers can focus on what they do best —delivering impactful narratives to a wide range of audiences.”
RNZ will now work with Dalet on a comprehensive training programme for staff before transitioning to the new system in 2025.
About RNZ
RNZ is New Zealand’s independent non-commercial public media organisation and has proudly been so for almost 100 years.
RNZ delivers a diverse range of content that reflects New Zealand’s culture, social and regional diversity. It serves as a platform for quality journalism, creating a space for open dialogue and informed discussion on topics that matter to New Zealanders.
RNZ has more than 60 content-sharing partnerships and collaborations in place. It means RNZ content is available to many online media, print, radio and television services in New Zealand and the wider Pacific. This improves the accessibility of RNZ content for New Zealand and overseas audiences and provides a valuable source of unique local content for other media.
About Dalet
Dalet empowers media-rich organisations to transform their production and distribution workflows – accelerating media operations, maximising collaboration and creating higher value from content. As a leading media technology and service provider with over three decades of innovation, our software solutions enable greater control, enhanced visibility and increased productivity for content professionals and storytellers around the globe.
Leading organisations such as Fox Networks Group, Arsenal Football Club, MediaCorp, Peloton, and the BBC trust Dalet to support their daily content operations. Our team is driven by a passion for media and committed to empowering a world where compelling stories are beautifully made, effortlessly told and thoughtfully delivered.
RNZ
New Zealand's public broadcaster, providing comprehensive NZ news and current affairs, specialist audio features and documentaries.
Radio New Zealand is a Crown entity established under the Radio New Zealand Act 1995. Radio New Zealand News are vital elements in our programming, providing impartial news and information to New Zealanders every day. Radio New Zealand (RNZ) provides listeners with exciting and independent radio programmes in accordance with the Radio New Zealand Charter.
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