Whai Ngata worked in Māori broadcasting at Radio New Zealand and Television New Zealand for 33 years. He started as a reporter, and rose to become TVNZ's general manager of Māori Programming from 1994 to 2008. Ngata is NZ On Screen's Māori liaison.
Much of the revitalisation of Māori language and culture and its improved standing in Pākehā New Zealand has been the direct result of a handful of skilled, dedicated and passionate people like Whai.
– TVNZ Chief Executive Rick Ellis