[1] Most stations combine an English-language urban contemporary playlist during "breakfast" and drive-time shows with full-service broadcasting and Māori-language programmes at other times of the day.

[2] They have their own local shows, personalities and breakfast programmes, and broadcast through both terrestrial frequencies and online streams.

[3] The stations also produce local news shows, Māori music, educational programmes, comedies and dramas.

[7] Almost every Māori person in New Zealand lives within the range of an iwi radio frequency, but transmission issues have been reported in remote areas.

Māori broadcasters were appointed: Lou Paul of Ngāti Whātua in Auckland, Kīngi Tāhiwi of Ngāti Raukawa in Wellington, Te Ari Pītama of Ngāi Tahu in Christchurch, and broadcasting pioneer Airini Grenell of Ngāi Tahu in Dunedin.

[13] The establishment of a Māori Radio Network was also discussed at a hui or gathering at Takapuwahia Marae in Porirua.

[16] Hawke's Bay Polytechnic head of Māori studies Joe Te Rito operated a part-time station, Te Toa Takitini, on the polytechnic's Napier campus in 1988 and 1989, in an effort to broadcast Rongomaiwahine-Ngāti Kahungunu's local elders and native speakers.

[7] The establishment of these stations allowed the Government to justify the sale of Radio New Zealand's commercial Newstalk ZB and ZM stations to the privately owned Australian Radio Network partnership in 1996,[26] after the sale was challenged in the High Court and Court of Appeal.

[34] Tipene O'Regan, Beverly Adlam, Pauline Butt, Toby Curtis, Wiremu Ohia, Temuera Morrison, Dalvanius Prime, Moana Maniapoto-Jackson, Neil Gudsell, James Waerea, Libby Hakaraia, Trada Chadwick and Koro Wētere were involved in the Māori Radio Board during this period.

[41] Through Ruia Mai it secured a contract with Te Māngai Pāho to provide Māori language news bulletins,[42] which broadcast on 26 iwi radio stations.

[45] In 2006, Te Māngai Pāho spent $2 million upgrading studios, equipment and technical capacity for each Iwi Radio Network station.

[50] Emare Rose Nikora, a leader of the Māori language revival movement, received a Queen's Service Medal for services to Māori for her role in setting up Tokoroa's Te Reo Irirangi o Ngati Raukawa Trust and Ruakawa FM.

[51][52] Gisborne's Radio Ngāti Porou was investigated by Te Māngai Pāho in 2014, and in August its financial adviser resigned.

[60] Network chairman Willie Jackson said many iwi stations were struggling, and welcomed and desperately needed the extra funding.

According to the research, iwi stations were often associated with old music and interviews with elders, but many Māori listeners used it to stay in touch with their culture, family history, spirituality and community, and maintain their language skills.

[8] Further Auckland University of Technology research in 2009 suggested the potential audience of iwi radio stations would increase due to the growth of New Zealand's Māori and Pacific population.

[63] The stations have failed to counter a decline in the number of fluent Māori speakers in the 2010s, but continue to be part of the strategy to promote it.

The station is judged on the quality and effectiveness of its Māori language use, and its programmes, client relations, community involvements, news and current affairs, personality strength, promotions and marketing campaigns.

The show's rotating hosts discuss news, views, issues and events from the Māori world in a free format.

[77][78] A 2013 Queensland University of Technology cited the service as an example of journalistic practices being shaped by traditional indigenous values .

[80] Iwi stations broadcast live coverage of sports games, kapa haka competitions and other news events.

[81][82] During the 2011 Rugby World Cup the stations gained rights to simulcast live Māori language commentaries from the TV channel Te Reo.

[83] Turanga FM broadcasts live commentaries of Poverty Bay Rugby Football Union games on some weekend afternoons.

For example, the websites of Radio Kahungunu, Tekorimako 94.5FM and Turanga FM were the work of Ngāti Porou designer Alex Walker.