In times of crisis, the media plays a crucial role in keeping communities informed and calm. And in the Pacific region, the importance of accurate and timely reporting cannot be overstated. That’s why the appointment of Koroi Hawkins as Radio New Zealand Pacific’s first Melanesian editor is significant. Born and raised in Fiji, Hawkins brings a wealth of experience in Pacific journalism and a deep understanding of the cultural nuances of Melanesia. In this article, we explore how Hawkins’s leadership and expertise will help RNZ Pacific provide a steady hand in times of uncertainty and serve as a trusted source of information for audiences across the Pacific.
Koroi Hawkins has become RNZ Pacific’s first Melanesian editor. He arrived in New Zealand in 2014 and spent almost a decade at RNZ before being appointed to his new role. As a Pacific journalist from the school of hard knocks, Hawkins was grateful for the opportunity to become an editor. He says that he owes his achievement to the mentoring and support he received at RNZ Pacific. “Never in a million years did I imagine I could ever become the editor when I arrived here. It is testament to all of the support and mentoring I have received here at RNZ Pacific that I was even confident to put my hand up,” he says.
When RNZ Pacific’s Manager Moera Tuilaepa-Taylor was looking for a new editor, she was impressed by Hawkins’ leadership and mentoring skills, which he developed while working as producer and presenter of Pacific Waves, RNZ Pacific’s flagship daily current affairs programme. Tuilaepa-Taylor said that Hawkins had the right cultural attributes and that the team respected and trusted his leadership and skills.
Although he never aspired to be a journalist, Hawkins realised his passion for the craft after developing a love for storytelling, thanks to his mother, who was a retired early childhood teacher. He began working as a journalist in the Solomon Islands under the tutelage of Solomon’s legendary journalist, Dorothy Wickham. After starting with RNZ Pacific as an intermediate reporter, Hawkins brought his photography and videography skills to the job, which he mostly used on reporting assignments in the region.
Hawkins is known for his calming presence, which he attributes to his mother’s influence and his experience working in Pacific newsrooms, where he has had to deal with crises such as cyclones, power cuts and equipment breakdowns, riots, and coups. As he has grown older, he has learned to focus on solutions rather than obstacles. Even in the most challenging situations, Hawkins seeks to be fair and consultative, believing that everyone on the team has something to contribute.
Hawkins rates his career highlights as the times he called his mum and dad in the Solomon Islands, and they told him that they had heard him on air. However, the most difficult assignments he has covered were Cyclone Pam in 2015 and travelling to West Papua with RNZ Pacific’s legendary Johnny Blades, where he shot video in a hostile environment.
In his role as editor, Hawkins brings a depth of experience to the job. He has worked his way up from the bottom in Pacific and New Zealand newsrooms and has an affinity with several Pacific cultures through his heritage and that of his partner’s family. He seeks to pay forward the opportunities others have given him by being empathetic to people’s journeys and gathering as much information and input as possible from his team before making decisions.
Hawkins’ appointment as RNZ Pacific’s first Melanesian editor is an achievement that he is truly humbled by. He sees it as a great honour, and it is a testament to his hard work and dedication to journalism. As an editor, he seeks to build on the mentoring and support he has received to help others achieve their career aspirations.
