The deadly disaster in the north was sparked by weather which was extreme - but no longer unexpected. Media mapped out how it happened and lapses in the response, but copped criticism reporting the role of politics and climate change. Also: NBR's copyright crusade, business news in 2026 - and great sporting headlines.

Read more about this episode of Mediawatch on the RNZ website

Death, devastation and extreme weather test media | RNZ News

In this episode:

1:19 Reporting what went wrong and why after tragedies at Mount Maunganui and Welcome Bay in the face of misleading social media - and claims it was ‘not yet the time’ to raise the role of climate change or politics.

17:34 Business news on TV to make a comeback - and paid political content painting a rosy economic picture.

21:05 Why NBR is confronting subscribers over-sharing content.

23:30 NBR co-editor Hamish McNichol on NBR’s copyright crusade, the appetite for business news and whether election year is just business as usual for the country’s longest-lasting business publication.

40:41 Surprise sacking of Razor Robertson sparks cutting rorts headlines

Guests: Hamish McNichol, co-editor of NBR

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