The crisp, enunciated tones of Radio New Zealand National's evening news bulletin are no longer, with newsreaders being axed from the evening schedule.

The move has seen Nights presenter Bryan Crump read the hourly updates from 8pm until midnight on weekdays, as the digital revolution sweeping through the national broadcaster continue.

Radio New Zealand communications manager John Barr said the change coincided with the retirement of newsreaders Hewitt Humphrey and Warwick Burke, while Catriona McLeod's role was disestablished.

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Barr said: "The newsreader roster commitments were reorganised in part to accommodate our wish to have a single dedicated reader for weekday afternoons, including in John Campbell's Checkpoint."

Barr said there hadn't been "significant complaints".

"Our listeners are used to hearing announcers read the news. Their only concern is the quality of the bulletin content and the accuracy and authority with which it is delivered. Bryan Crump reading the bulletins doesn't diminish the quality of our news bulletins in any way.

It's part of a continuing restructure which will see the national broadcaster cut its overall headcount at RNZ from 283 to 270 by July next year, with 20 jobs disestablished and seven new digital roles created.

Warwick Burke retired from Radio New Zealand after 25 years in March, while Hewitt Humphrey left in December after more than 40 years with the station.

Barr said McLeod was still working at the station on contract.