Against a backdrop of gripes about ‘cancel culture’ in the media, the National Party’s broadcasting spokesperson has warned bias, balance and political influence need to be addressed - and news media might go soft on the government giving them more money. But she was once a programme-maker who faced similar questions herself. Mediawatch asks her where she thinks the problem lies.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern's decision to dump her weekly interview with Mike Hosking and Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's interview with Oprah sparked a series of media meltdowns this week.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern's decision to dump her weekly interview with Mike Hosking and Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's interview with Oprah sparked a series of media meltdowns this week.

Claims of cancel culture and media bias get political; National's broadcasting spokesperson Melissa Lee; media meltdowns and overreactions over the PM's media policy - and Oprah's chat with the rogue royals

Claims of cancel culture and media bias get political; National's broadcasting spokesperson Melissa Lee; media meltdowns and overreactions over the PM's media policy - and Oprah's chat with the rogue royals

Mediawatch's weekly catch-up with Lately. This week Colin Peacock talks to Karyn Hay about the PM upsetting Newstalk ZB by giving a longstanding Monday slot a swerve and further fallout from NZME's Michael Bassett ban

Mediawatch's weekly catch-up with Lately. This week Colin Peacock talks to Karyn Hay about the PM upsetting Newstalk ZB by giving a longstanding Monday slot a swerve and further fallout from NZME's Michael Bassett ban

The scramble to cover the tsunami alerts and evacuations on Friday - after the much of the nation was shaken awake by a swarm of hefty quakes - was seat-of-the-pants stuff. But it threw up some memorable moments of Kiwis keeping calm and carrying on.

The scramble to cover the tsunami alerts and evacuations on Friday - after the much of the nation was shaken awake by a swarm of hefty quakes - was seat-of-the-pants stuff. But it threw up some memorable moments of Kiwis keeping calm and carrying on.

Mediawatch looks at how the blame game played out in the media over the latest Covid cluster and the rulebreakers - while the previously-praised Covid communications strategy was called into question by the media, along with the concept of our team of 5 million.