National served up the ‘slushies in jail’ story to the media, who then forced it down our throats for two days - then bit the hand that spoonfed them.

For years, the country's top-selling paper talked about making online readers pay - just like subscribers to the printed paper. This week the New Zealand Herald finally did it. The ads they once monopolised are dwindling so it makes sense to seek more revenue from the readers. But will they now cough up to cover the cost of quality reporting?

Any complacency about extremism here was extinguished by the attack in Christchurch on 15 March. The media claimed it marked “the end of our innocence”. We're still in the top ten for global press freedom but our media need to be vigilant against incursions on their freedoms too.

Tapping readers for revenue - the Herald puts up its paywall; NZ media freedom enters uncharted waters after Christchurch; slush and burn.

Tapping readers for revenue - the Herald puts up its paywall; NZ media freedom enters uncharted waters after Christchurch; slush and burn.

This week on Mediawatch Midweek Jeremy Rose talks to Karyn Hay about the NZ Herald's new paywall; the new daily podcast: The Detail: and a couple of stories that have barely made the news.

This week on Mediawatch Midweek Jeremy Rose talks to Karyn Hay about the NZ Herald's new paywall; the new daily podcast: The Detail: and a couple of stories that have barely made the news.

While condemning social media platforms for hosting and spreading extremists’ content, many media here also took the online bait from a noted British troll too toxic even for Fox News and the tabloids in the UK.

While condemning social media platforms for hosting and spreading extremists’ content, many media here also took the online bait from a noted British troll too toxic even for Fox News and the tabloids in the UK.

Some pundits predict the “Christchurch call to action" and the PM's upcoming social media summit in Paris won’t move US-based tech companies. They've always resisted regulation and can fall b ack on powerful US free speech laws. But could reformers find US lawyers and lawmakers end up on their side?