Some local election hopefuls are already pitching policies publicly. Are media checking them out before putting them in the news? Also: an Aussie once in charge of our papers talks about where the media is heading - and a play about authoritarian over-reach in 1950s America echoes what’s happening now.

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Coverage of the aggro in LA; media feel the heat from advocacy ads, why David Seymour snubs Morning Report, the controversy created by dangerous combat-type cash prize contests

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The same day Stuff twinned up with Trade Me, its big rival NZME overhauled its board

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Stuff/Trade me marriage, NZME settles board stoush. Also - teething troubles at the Herald’s new show, the pivot to video - and the power of the edit in politics.

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The state of climate change reporting in a changed political climate - and a time when the media have their own existential emergency. Also - how the Run It Straight went from social media phenomenon to national news media controversy.

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The Herald's new streaming news show, RNZ National listeners tuning out, David Seymour's political past under the spotlight.

On Mediawatch's weekly catch-up with Emile Donovan  Nights this week on RNZ National -  the Herald's new streaming news show, RNZ National listeners tuning out, and David Seymour's political past under the spotlight.

This Midweek Mediawatch also discusses developments in the bid to reshape the board of NZME, whose shareholders vote on that on June 3.

One of those nominated for a proposed editorial board at NZME, lawyer Philip Crump, sparked debate among journalists recently with  'Six Challenges Undermining Media Trust' on Substack.

That sparked a critical LinkedIn response from NBR journalist Tim Hunter, in which he highlighted Crump’s claim that descriptive words used by journalists can be “cheap shots.”

“Often these labels are abused and reveal the biases of the journalist deploying them rather than enlightening the reader. Over time, these cheap shots can erode the value of the masthead," Crump wrote on Substack.

He cited the example of “embattled” to describe a politician, but in this Midweek Mediawatch that was misinterpreted.

To correct the record, Philip Crump did not suggest that using the word "embattled" could erode trust or indicate bias on the part of a journalist. He said it could legitimately add colour and provide meaningful context.

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The media make a big deal of the Budget every year, even though the big money’s already been announced. But what was in it for the media this year? Also: vanguard vs the rearguard on AI in the media; political push-back on social media and more bad language - and the perils of cold-calling folks live on air.

Read more about this episode of Mediawatch on the RNZ website

The media make a drama out of Budget Day every year, even though the big plot twists have been revealed in advance and big bits of the backstory aren’t in the script. How did the critics rate this one? And what was in it for the media themselves?

There’s a vanguard in the media that wants to embrace the latest digital technology - and rearguard that resists it. Will the media ever see eye to eye on AI?

Also: political bids to push back social media, more bad behaviour in politics - and bad language in the wake of the ‘c-bomb’ affair.

In this episode:

Budget coverage

What was in the Budget for the media? And what got cut?

The BBC’s Laura Ellis on the media’s split over AI.

Learn more:

Mediawatch: How a Budget is covered | RNZ News

Guests:

Laura Ellis - BBC head of technology forecasting

If you have any thoughts for us - or ideas for us to follow up - get in touch. E-mail [email protected]. You’ll also find us @MediawatchNZ on X.

Follow Mediawatch and listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or any podcast app to make sure you never miss an episode.

Find more RNZ Podcasts at the new section of the RNZ website at rnz.co.nz/podcasts

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After days being berated for deploying the c-word, Andrea Vance was named political journalist of the year. Meanwhile Stuff took on Stuff, and Winston Peters' pre-Budget announcement went off the rails at a railway station

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Coverage of the outcry sparked by the sudden change to legislation for pay equity claims - and how one rude word in one newspaper column derailed the debate. Also - AI at the BBC: how the world’s biggest broadcaster is using AI in news and programmes.

Read more about this episode of Mediawatch on the RNZ website

The sudden change to legislation for pay equity claims sparked a huge political outcry pumped up when one columnist used one very rude word in one newspaper column. How did the media sift the facts from all the political friction?

Also: this week the BBC’s top boss said social media platforms and disinformation endanger democracy – but the world’s biggest broadcaster could help reverse this.

Cutting-edge AI technology will be blended with BBC journalism for “a healthy core of fact-based news” that could benefit the world.

The BBC boss tasked with looking into the future of technology tell us how the BBC already puts AI into news and documentaries in ways you might not expect.

In this episode:

01:10 – Hayden Donnell on coverage of pay equity legislation sidetracked by the party political spin.
12:17 – Colin Peacock on the so-called c-bomb in the Sunday Star Times also derailing the debate.

20:00 – Laura Ellis tells us how the BBC is deploying AI for news and programmes.

Learn more:

1. Mediawatch: Political rows and newspaper column blur focus on pay equity | RNZ News
2. Mediawatch: AI and the BBC | RNZ News

Guests:

Laura Ellis - BBC head of technology forecasting

If you have any thoughts for us - or ideas for us to follow up - get in touch. E-mail [email protected]. You’ll also find us @MediawatchNZ on X.

Follow Mediawatch and listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or any podcast app to make sure you never miss an episode.

Find more RNZ Podcasts at the new section of the RNZ website at rnz.co.nz/podcasts

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Midweek - Sunday Star Times C-bomb dropped on ministers rocks the House, and the issue that sparked it - gender pay equity. Also - the government's move to ban social media for under-16s got big backing this week - and the possible truce in the NZME boardroom battle.

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