Radio New Zealand’s Head of Content Megan Whelan has resigned from the national broadcaster.

RNZ is currently in the midst of budget cuts, redundancies and restructuring as a result of financial pressures.

In its 2025 Budget, RNZ’s annual funding was reduced by $4.6 million per year over four years, totalling an $18 million cut—about 7% of its current allocation. The cut came after previous funding increases, but reflects a shift in government priorities and broader fiscal constraints. As a result, RNZ has initiated voluntary redundancies among staff to manage the shortfall

Whelan is known for her strong advocacy of editorial independence and her leadership during a challenging period for public media in New Zealand.

She had previously spoken out about the importance of maintaining RNZ’s editorial autonomy, particularly in the face of external pressures, such as the controversy surrounding social media platforms labeling RNZ as “government-funded media,” a characterization she publicly disputed.

Whelan has worked for the NZ public broadcaster for over nine years, beginning as an engagement editor, moving to the role of digital editor, then taking up the role of Head of Content in 2019.

Commenting on the budget cuts, NZ Media and Communications Minister Paul Goldsmith said the voluntary redundancies and other cost-cutting measures are “ultimately a decision for the board and the management of RNZ… Even with this reduction in this budget, they’ve still had an increase over the past six years, a substantial increase, and we believe that they can still do a very good job with the resources that they have available.”

RNZ CEO Paul Thompson said: “Any discussion around leaving an organisation, even if this is voluntary, is unsettling for the people involved and out of respect for our hardworking people, we will not be commenting further or sharing further details of the scheme while it remains open.”