Maori broadcaster Willie Jackson has stepped down from his Iwi Radio show syndicated to other Maori stations after coming under fire for an interview he co-hosted on Radio Live.
Mr Jackson and John Tamihereinterviewed a young woman on their RadioLive show last week about a group of Auckland teenagers who boasted online about having sex with drunk, under-age girls. The radio hosts' treatment of the caller led to the pair being taken off RadioLive until the end of the year.
Bernie O'Donnell, general manager of UMA Broadcasting Limited which runs Radio Waatea, says Jackson has stepped down from weekly current affairs show Pakiwaaha.
Mr O'Donnell says it's probably not a good time for Jackson to be broadcasting.
"Seven days ago this broke. Yesterday his working relationships with a whole bunch of mainstream media organisations were severed or suspended or whatever. I suppose it was inevitable that this would eventually get to us."
An agreement has been reached to ensure sure the station is not put at risk because of what has happened, and Mr Jackson agreed to stand down for the next few weeks, he says.
John Tamihere and Willie Jackson lead the National Urban Maori Authority, which set up the Radio Waatea entity, of which they are also directors.
