'Tourists from hell' who hogged our holiday headlines; Roastbuster's re-emergence adds insult to injury; ex-MPs turned silly season media critics.

'Tourists from hell' who hogged our holiday headlines; Roastbuster's re-emergence adds insult to injury; ex-MPs turned silly season media critics.

Mediawatch's midweek catch-up with Lately. This week Jeremy Rose speaks to Bryan Crump about the 30th anniversary of Noam Chomsky and Edward Herman's Manufacturing Consent; John Pilger discussing state propaganda on Russia's RT network; and, how two former National MPs took to media punditry over the summer break.

Mediawatch's midweek catch-up with Lately. This week Jeremy Rose speaks to Bryan Crump about the 30th anniversary of Noam Chomsky and Edward Herman's Manufacturing Consent; John Pilger discussing state propaganda on Russia's RT network; and, how two former National MPs took to media punditry over the summer break.

2018 was a turbulent year for the government’s media policy. Mediawatch asks the new minister Kris Faafoi about growing demand for public money in 2019 and calls for help from private companies telling him they may not be able to stay in the news business much longer.

The Radio Broadcaster of the Year prize usually goes to a big name in the business with nationwide reach. But this year the honour went to a distinctly local outfit for its response to a local crisis - and a rare commitment to local news on air.

In the run-up to Christmas, some long-standing shows and long-serving broadcasters signed off and said goodbye - but some are not fading away just yet. Meanwhile a political leader pronounced dead by pundits long ago is still alive and kicking.

End of year media exits; media minister's funding conundrum in 2019; 1XX keeps it local in tough times.

Mediawatch's regular catch-up with Lately. This week Colin Peacock chats to Karyn Hay about Grace Millane coverage, murder podcast enthusiasm, A Spinoff series spinning out of control on the author, Leighton Smith's holiday and who pays the price when a paper folds?

The news of Grace Millane’s murder prompted a flood of media coverage and comment this week. A lot of it was devoted to the news media’s frustration over not being able to name the accused man.