Several articles, which originally come from the news agency Reuters, have been published by RNZ in versions where pro-Russian propaganda has been inserted. The earliest changes found were made over a year ago – but were discovered much later.
— It’s shocking, we have to get to the bottom of how it could happen, says Paul Thompson, director of Radio New Zealand, in the radio company’s program Nine to Noon.
Some of the changes must have consisted of only a few words, and thus were difficult to detect.
Among other things, wording such as “Russia annexed Crimea after a referendum” had been added. They had also written things like “neo-Nazis had created a threat to Russia’s borders”.
The web editor suspected of being behind the changes has been removed from service pending the outcome of an internal investigation.
Paul Thompson says he wanted to apologize to listeners, readers, staff – and also to the Ukrainian people.
— It is a great disappointment that this pro-Kremlin rubbish has ended up in our texts. It is unforgivable, says Thompson in the radio show.