Mediawatch

Hayden Donnell talked to Emile Donovan about Winston Peters attacking the news media in his State of the Nation speech - and the death of Rod Oram, a much-admired journalist dedicated to coverage of business and climate change. Also: how many journalists are left in New Zealand - and the rights and wrongs of airing 'hot mic' comments. Midweek Mediawatch - Mediawatch's weekly catch-up with Nig...

What will government do about the great TV news meltdown?; Stuff deploys AI for DIY news. TV news and current affairs are still in the balance at two big broadcasters. Mediawatch looks at how the government has responded - and what it might be planning. Also: how artificial intelligence is creating news at a media company which has warned the technology could ruin the business of journalism. Go to...

Artificial intelligence tech threatens to take our eyeballs even further away from the outlets which produce news - but it's also a tool they can use to make more of it. This week Stuff - which has warned AI could wreck the business of journalism - used Chat GPT to write a stories about readers' opinions. Mediawatch asks an unimpressed editor if we all just have to get used to this now. Artificial...

Colin Peacock talks to Emile Donovan about a manic Monday afternoon of news - cricket, Oscars, terror in the skies... and the post-Cabinet media conference. Also: the royal photo fakery frenzy; political responses to the TV newspocalypse; US politics satirised and fact-checked by TikTok; the leap-year community's struggles. Midweek Mediawatch - Mediawatch's weekly catch-up with Nights. Colin...

TVNZ has proposed big cuts to news that could leave the country with only one daily TV news bulletin and almost no current affairs on TV within weeks. Mediawatch looks back at another worrying week for NZ journalism with yet more cutbacks to TV news - this time at TVNZ. TVNZ has proposed big cuts to news that could leave the country with only one daily TV news bulletin and almost no current affair...

Hayden Donnell talks to Emile Donovan about job cuts looming at TVNZ as its crosstown rival Newshub faces a shut-down. Also: coverage of Chris Luxon's terrible, no-good week - and Heavy Metal Morning Report. In this week's edition of Midweek Mediawatch, Hayden Donnell talks to Emile Donovan about job cuts looming at TVNZ as its crosstown rival Newshub faces a shut-down. Also: coverage of Chri...

For years news media bosses warned the creaking business model backing journalism would fail at a major local outlet. It finally happened this week when Newshub's owners proposed scrapping it. Then TVNZ posted losses prompting warnings of more cuts to come there. Can TV broadcasters pull a crowd without news? And what might the so-far ambivalent government do? Newshub staff leaving a meeting on We...

Warner Bros. Discovery's decision to shut down Newshub was met with mourning within the media - and also concern about what could replace it in the media ecosystem Warner Bros. Discovery's decision to shut down Newshub was met with mourning within the media - and also concern about what could replace it in the media ecosystem. Melissa Chan-Green opened the AM Show on Thursday by extinguishing...

Mediawatch: TVNZ's latest losses signal likely cuts to come. But it's the slump in income for the broadcaster that dominates free-to-air TV which will worry the entire media industry. Mediawatch: TVNZ's latest losses signal likely cuts to come. But it's the slump in income for the broadcaster that dominates free-to-air TV which will worry the entire media industry. Jo Moore - a spin doct...

Colin Peacock talked to Emile Donovan about the sudden and startling news of Newshub's impending demise in a 'proposal' from the global owner. Also: is it wrong for journalists to use 'big tech' tools to scrub the sound of real people from reports - or bum notes at the Superbowl? Midweek Mediawatch - Mediawatch's weekly catch-up with Nights. Colin Peacock talked to Emile Donovan about the sud...

The PM's State of the Nation speech got the media's attention when he said welfare needs reform. He didn't mention record-level immigration but that's also been deemed unsustainable and set for a reset too. What did the media tell about these problems - and what's at stake? The prime minister's State of the Nation speech got the media's attention when he said welfare needs reform. He did...

Last week the great and good of New Zealand's news media urged MPs to back a law change to make Google and Facebook pay them for their news. They say the income could be critical to the survival of journalism here. But the lobby group campaigning for better public media says there's a better way to 'send a lifeboat'. Last week, the great and good of New Zealand's news media urged MPs to back...

Government 'resets' immigration and welfare; another way to make Google and Facebook to pay for journalism; media milk Kiwi Swifties' stadium FOMO. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

As the biggest pop star on the planet packed out huge Australian arenas this week, the media here milked Kiwi Swifties' anger over missing out. It also aired confusing blame-game claims about why Swift gave New Zealand a swerve in the first place - and where the big gigs might be held in future. As the biggest pop star on the planet packed out huge Australian arenas this week, the media here milke...

Hayden Donnell talks to Emile Donovan about the death of Efeso Collins, big conclusions drawn from conflicting polls - and the problems with an old media adage. In this week's edition of Midweek Mediawatch, Hayden Donnell talks to Emile Donovan about the death of Efeso Collins, big conclusions drawn from conflicting polls, and the problems with an old media adage. Go to this episode on rnz.co...

Media bosses warned MPs this week journalism is in jeopardy here if they don't back a Bill making offshore tech giants pay for news carried on Facebook and Google. It's based on laws already in place in Australia and Canada. Mediawatch asks the ex-editor leading the publishers' pitch how it might work. Media bosses warned MPs this week journalism is in jeopardy here if they don't back a Bill...

A Herald headline this week said Auckland Transport was 'pushing on with $500,000 crossings'. The apparently outrageous expense was also aired on radio and in Parliament as evidence of the urgent need to reprioritise. But AT said the true cost was a fraction of what was reported. A Herald headline this week said Auckland Transport was 'pushing on with $500,000 crossings'. The apparently...

Auckland's transport turmoil reports lack full facts; publishers pitch to Parliament to make Google and Facebook pay for their news. Auckland's transport turmoil reports lack full facts; publishers pitch to Parliament to make Google and Facebook pay for their news. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Colin Peacock talked to Emile Donovan about the Port Hills fire prompting another state of emergency; questions posed by two awkward interviews with political leaders - and the retail rat-astrophe in our supermarkets that suddenly surged to the top of the news agenda. Midweek Mediawatch: Colin Peacock talked to Emile Donovan about the Port Hills fire prompting another state of emergency; questions...

In past years some media outlets were ambivalent about Waitangi Day - some even hostile at times. But new moves by the new government and a strong pushback from Māori gave it an extra edge this year. Some even called it historic and a possible turning point. How did the media depict all that? In past years some media outlets were ambivalent about Waitangi Day - some even hostile at times. But new...

Waitangi tensions test politicians - and the media; Why is Sky screening more top-dollar sport for free? Mediawatch looks at how the media covered this year's Waitangi commemorations and the political tensions over the Treaty in the background. Mediawatch also looks at Sky TV suddenly putting rugby, netball and league on TV for free this season. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more detail...

Sky TV became the big beast of pay TV by keeping a stranglehold on exclusive live rights to the country's most popular sports for paying subscribers. This week it suddenly announced top rugby, netball and league will soon screen in weekends free-to-air. Why? Sky TV became the big beast of pay TV by exclusively screening the country's most popular sports live for paying subscribers. This week...

Hayden Donnell talks to Emile Donovan about Chris Luxon being harangued by the media for copy-and-pasting his Waitangi Day speech, an eye-opening column on police recruitment numbers - and a sensational-sounding political scoop that has yet to see the light of day. In this week's edition of Midweek Mediawatch, Hayden Donnell talks to Emile Donovan about Chris Luxon being harangued by the medi...

Stories about surging inflation, successive food price rises and more Kiwis in arrears topped bulletins and filled front pages last year. But recent news about slowing inflation, cheaper food and rising business confidence hasn't had the same impact. How come? Stories about surging inflation, successive food price rises and more Kiwis in arrears topped bulletins and filled front pages last year. B...

It's more than a decade since Todd Scott staked everything to buy the business news weekly where he worked, the National Business Review. Since then NBR's gone online-only, axed ads entirely and the owner moved to Fiji. During a flying visit back to HQ, Mediawatch asks Scott if he's still in it for the long haul. It's more than a decade since Todd Scott staked everything to buy the business n...