An external review has been launched into the processes at Radio New Zealand after stories published on its website included false accounts of the conflict between Ukraine and Russia.
At 5.22pm, RNZ chief executive Paul Thompson emailed staff saying it's a "difficult period" for the company as they deal with "a serious breach" of editorial standards.
He said: "We have identified 14 instances of inappropriate editing going back to last year."
All 14 stories were regarding the war in Ukraine and have now been corrected, Thompson said.
"Trusted journalism is our bed-rock and I know we are all deeply disappointed by what has happened. I am gutted. I am also focused on getting to the bottom of the issues, being open and transparent about what has happened and taking any required steps to prevent a recurrence.
"I have decided to initiate an external review of RNZ's processes for the editing of online news stories because it is very important 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 we will use will be confirmed as soon as possible."
Thompson went on to say RNZ is continuing with a "detailed audit and analysis" of all stories with the potential for "inappropriate editing of wire service stories on our website".
"We are continuing to check other stories and want to be thorough in our examination so this may take some time. I will update you - and the public - if further problems are found.
"As I shared with everyone last night, 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.
"We are treating this issue very seriously and I will keep you updated," he wrote.
1News contacted RNZ for comment.
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