To broadcaster William Terite, journalism means more than reporting the news at Pacific Media Network. It’s about serving his community and fostering the exchange of ideas.
William Terite discovered his passion early. At 10, he joined an after-school news club. He knew then that this was the career he wanted to pursue.
“The club is where it all started,” he says. “We used to run around school filming stories and air them the next day for our classmates. It really tapped into my passion for news, so throughout my schooling years, I continued to develop that interest.”
He watched the six o’clock news every night on TV3 and listened to radio on his way to school. As a teenager, he took his first step toward becoming a journalist.
“I managed to convince my parents to let me drop out of high school and attend a radio school. A few months later, I ended up in the media industry,” says Terite.
“I was very much a young cub when I started at NZME. I had already signed on the dotted line before they even asked how old I was.”
At 17, he joined Newstalk ZB’s marketing team before moving into the newsroom. After a few years as a radio journalist, he made the jump to television as a reporter for TV3’s Newshub. “I loved working with that team. It goes back to that childhood dream of working at TV3. Then, with the closure of Newshub, came the opportunity I’m currently in,” he says.
Now the host of Pacific Morning at Pacific Media Network (PMN) and eight years into his career, he still loves what he does.
“I love the privilege of waking up at 3am every day to prep my morning show.”
Politics is about people
What drives Terite most is the show’s political focus and its chance to serve his community.
“Pacific Morning is a news and current affairs show designed for the Pacific community,” he says. “It covers mainstream news, but through a Pacific lens and from a Pacific mindset.
“I love politics because, when you whittle it down, it’s about people – about the way we live our lives and how our lives are governed.
“From the pinch in your wallet caused by the cost of living crisis to the state of the economy and rising unemployment, these are the issues that truly matter.”
And that’s what makes his role meaningful: “Telling stories that resonate with my community and inform them about the decisions that shape their lives.”
Let ideas speak
Political coverage is often antagonistic – “Media and news companies remain viable by attracting eyeballs and getting clicks,” he notes – but Terite would rather promote open dialogue than rage bait.
“I try to approach my interviews in a conversational way: firm but respectful. I’m not just trying to get a sound bite. I’m genuinely hoping, in real time, to understand viewpoints, whether left, right or in between.”
He lets ideas speak for themselves – a mentality that has become the hallmark of PMN.
“When I first started this job, there was a sense of shyness among our team, a feeling that we couldn’t speak to certain ministers or that they wouldn’t come on our show.
“I like to think that has changed,” he says. “It’s not just because of me, but also because of the great management behind me.
“Say characters like Winston Peters and David Seymour. They don’t feel so threatened when they come on our network because we don’t go in guns blazing.”
This cultural shift underlines one principle: “There’s merit in listening to different ideas and staying open-minded. It’s healthy for democracy to let every viewpoint be articulated fully, without assumptions or leading questions meant to make someone look bad,” he adds.
Terite ensures every conversation centres on one question: “Why should our Pacific community care?”
One example is Christopher Luxon’s proposed KiwiSaver changes, which include higher default contribution rates.
“The policy might sound well and good for people on decent incomes,” says Terite. “But for our Pacific communities, we’re still, unfortunately, on the lower end of the income spectrum. Voluntarily putting more into KiwiSaver just isn’t realistic – it’s money coming straight out of our pockets, and people aren’t likely to sign up.
“So, if we get Christopher Luxon on, we’ll challenge him on the decisions that he’s making.”
Centrist by choice
“Journalists should hold power accountable,” he says, “but political polarisation can drive the media ecosystem into echo chambers.
“I think newsrooms need to be careful about who they give the right to express opinions. It’s not about censoring anyone, but when a journalist is both reporting news and writing opinion pieces, things can get a bit dicey – and that’s something I’m fully aware myself.”
Mindful of the risks of mixing fact and opinion, Terite deliberately tries to minimise political bias in his commentary.
“With my opinion pieces, I try to approach them as if I’m politically blind. I don’t go in thinking, ‘This is a left-wing policy, so I should agree with it.’ I go in thinking, ‘This is good policy, and I like it.’
“I’ve patted left and right-wing politicians on the back, and I’ve slammed both. I also purposely mix and match so that you can’t tell where I’m politically leaning. Based on audience feedback, they overwhelmingly say I’m centrist in my approach.”
He encourages listeners to think critically and arrive at their own understanding.
“I always reiterate the point on the show that I’m not here to tell you what to think. That’s why I let these conversations flow with the people I have on.
“In media, we sometimes think our way is the right way. But you’ve got to get on the ground, talk to the people, listen to the grievances and actually adapt,” he says.
“In the future, truth should always be paramount. I’m hopeful that it is, and as a journalist, that’s why
I approach things the way I do.”
This story comes from NZ Marketing magazine issue 86, March-May 2026. Why not subscribe? Get four issues a year for just $50 (including delivery) if you autorenew.
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