The country's main radio and television broadcasters have agreed to new voluntary standards for online news and current affairs.
The Online Media Standards Authority, which will oversee the standard, is backed by TVNZ, Radio New Zealand, Sky and Prime TV, Mediaworks and Maori Television.
The authority will police a code of standards and provide a free complaints process overseen by a complaints committee.
The committee will be chaired by retired Court of Appeal judge Sir Bruce Robertson. It will include four members of the public and three broadcasting industry representatives.
The format of the authority will be similar to that used by the Advertising Standards Authority and the NZ Press Council.
The new body is expected to launch in the next few months.
