TVNZ's Sunday programme has gone to air for the last time — bringing an end to 22 years of long-form storytelling on our screens.
"It was about keeping it together in studio and keeping it together for our viewers," Sunday presenter Miriama Kamo said.
"But then once we walked out into the newsroom, the emotion swept over us like a wave."
People who work in front of the camera and behind gathered on set to farewell their viewers. Staff from the wider newsroom then gave a guard of honour as they left the studio for the final time.
"Coming out and seeing everybody clapping just undid me," Kamo said. "It was a moment where you think, oh that's right, we've been a huge family for a long time, it was gorgeous."
Sunday started in 2002 and executive producer Jane Skinner was a producer for the first story of that very first programme.
"We're saying goodbye to the magnitude of journalism which has evolved and created a legacy of work over more than 20 years," she said.
"It's been such substantive stories. Where else do you get to tell a story like that?"
Skinner said there were stories that informed and challenged, celebrated our best and showed our worst.
"And some of the depth of feeling I think that's coming through at the moment is not even ours. It's coming from our viewers. It's coming from people whose lives we've affected or impacted in some way," she said.
Kamo said she was experiencing a mix of feelings.
"There is grief, but there's also such a sense of appreciation and gratitude for the privilege of being able to work on this programme and to do the kind of journalism we've been able to do, which we fear may not continue — and hope that it does."
Kamo and Skinner said Sunday reporters tell stories with compassion and sensitivity — and the show's producers, camera operators and editors were incredible.
TVNZ cut Sunday along with Fair Go and the Midday and Tonight news bulletins. Cuts were also made to Re:News and other parts of the newsroom and wider company.
In the hours after Sunday's final recording, the Employment Relations Authority issued a ruling that found fault with TVNZ.
The broadcaster and the E tū union will now enter mediation. The ERA will issue a compliance order against TVNZ if that fails.
"I'm disappointed in some of the ways this rolled out — but I'm not angry," Kamo said.
Skinner added: "I'm not angry either. I'm most sad though for what it means for younger journalists coming through."
'We met the best and the worst of people'
Sunday journalist Mark Crysell said the programme held a mirror up to New Zealand.
"To actually just pay witness to people when they're going through terrible times, that's been a huge privilege."
He gave thanks to people who trusted Sunday to tell their stories.
"We took that trust really seriously," he said.
"We stand on the shoulders of those who came before us and I pay homage to them as well. There've been some amazing journalists over the years but, to me, it's a pinnacle of being a television reporter."
"I've been so lucky with what I've been able to do and a big part of me feels really sad that people won't get to do what I've done," he said.
"That's heartbreaking, that really is."
Kamo also thanked those who told their stories to Sunday.
"It's about the people and the stories that you get entrusted to tell and to do that with a sense of honour and integrity."
"That's something that we can say every single person has done on Sunday, and it's such a privilege."
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