Asked about the exodus of senior journalists from Maori Television, Maori Affairs Minister Te Ururoa Flavell said it was disappointing but a matter for Maori Television management rather than the minister.
"It's always disappointing to lose high level staff but that's an operational matter and I'm sure they'll get other people to replace those staff."
He said it was not his place to comment on the criticism of Maori Television chief executive Paora Maxwell, whose appointment was controversial and had prompted a petition among staff.
He said he was satisfied Mr Maxwell was conducting his duties appropriately. He said if Mr Maxwell was one of the reasons for the resignations, the staff involved should raise that but it was not his place to deal with it because it related to the day to day management of the network.
Mr Flavell also declined to give his view on reports the network planned to change its policy to allow advertising such as gambling and junk food. Mr Flavell said he had personal views on the policy change and gambling was an issue the Maori Party had taken a strong stand over.
"But it is an operational matter and I have to leave that in the hands of the chief executive."
"I have given an indication to Mr Maxwell that against the background as every other television network is operating it's a commercial enterprise and they have to get money. I hope they look for money, but in the end it's an operational matter."
Mr Flavell said he had also promised to try to secure more funding for Maori TV in the Budget to allow it to invest in new technology.
Maori Television gets the vast bulk of its funding from the Government and public broadcasting funds but its funding has been frozen since 2008 and it has repeatedly emphasised it was starting to struggle, including in its briefing to Mr Flavell when he became minister and the annual report.
It currently gets about $16 from the Government and a further $16 million in programming funding from agencies such as Te Mangai Paho and NZ on Air. It raises about $1.2 million in advertising.
Its advertising policy includes offers of product placement and programme sponsorship and it has also started working on 'partnerships' with other Government agencies such as the Ministry of Education and Whanau Ora Commissioning Agencies to try to raise other revenue.
Users were quick to respond to the news with many wishing Lee well and lamenting the exodus of top journalistic talent from Maori Television in recent months.
Labour MP Clare Curran said it "feels like a crisis to be honest. Respected good journos leaving or being pushed."
Lee is the second high profile departure this month, following Forbes' resignation three weeks ago.
Often described as a "star broadcaster", Forbes left the network after complaining of management interference in the award-winning Native Affairs current affairs show.
It's understood tension had been building since April 2014 when chief executive Paora Maxwell was appointed. Since then, respected journalists Carol Hirschfield and Julian Wilcox have also left the broadcaster.
- nzherald.co.nz
