Māori broadcasting is mourning the sudden death of 35-year-old senior journalist Anzac Pīkia.

Photo: Supplied / Facebook

Mr Pīkia, from Ngāti Hikairo, Ngāti Maniapoto and Ngāpuhi, spent almost 20 years in television, working for both Television New Zealand's Maori news programme Te Karere and Maori Television's news service, Te Kāea.

He worked as a reporter and more recently a senior producer with Te Karere which he also occasionally presented.

A fluent speaker of te reo Māori, Anzac was one of few in broadcasting who used the Ngāti Maniapoto dialect.

Friend and colleague Tini Molyneaux said he had made a huge contribution to Māori language and broadcasting.

He will lie at Parawera Marae near Kihikihi where a large crowd of friends and family are expected to attend.