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.

The bosses of state-owned RNZ and TVNZ fronted up to MPs for their annual review at Parliament this week. The government’s proposal to replace both of them by 2023 is the big issue for both of them - but that wasn’t what opposition MPs zeroed in on.

The bosses of state-owned RNZ and TVNZ fronted up to MPs for their annual review at Parliament this week. The government’s proposal to replace both of them by 2023 is the big issue for both of them - but that wasn’t what opposition MPs zeroed in on.

Scramble to cover tsunami and earthquake emergency; Covid blame game and comms strategy questioned; Broadcast bosses quizzed about bias - but not the big picture.

Scramble to cover tsunami and earthquake emergency; Covid blame game and comms strategy questioned; Broadcast bosses quizzed about bias - but not the big picture.

In this week's Midweek Mediawatch, Hayden Donnell talks to Karyn Hay about RNZ and TVNZ's bosses getting grilled by MPs about balance, bias and biting the hand that feeds (but not much about the proposal to replace both broadcasters within three years) - and the retirement of a much-admired reporter at the Herald.

In this week's Midweek Mediawatch, Hayden Donnell talks to Karyn Hay about RNZ and TVNZ's bosses getting grilled by MPs about balance, bias and biting the hand that feeds (but not much about the proposal to replace both broadcasters within three years) - and the retirement of a much-admired reporter at the Herald.

Commemorating the anniversary of the deadly Canterbury quake was a huge undertaking for the media this week.

Commemorating the anniversary of the deadly Canterbury quake was a huge undertaking for the media this week.

Lucinda Baulch became an MIQ martyr and a cause celebre for Covid sceptics when she refused a Covid test and was held for a second stint in MIQ. The media reported her reasons for refusal in detail and made her stance appear almost rational - but not her fringe beliefs and anti-lockdown activism which were easy to find on the internet.