On this week's episode of Midweek Mediawatch, Hayden Donnell talks to Karyn Hay about an angry backlash over Ashley Bloomfield being asked a pointed question, and some sympathetic coverage for a Nazi who went on to help found a South Island ski field.

The breaking news no-one wanted to hear this week upped the pressure on the government and officials to make more information public - and more quickly. Meanwhile critics have cast doubt on whether we can trust what we're told - and the media find themselves in the middle of political claims and counter claims during an election campaign.

The announcement that Auckland was going into lockdown for a second time was met with a deluge of conspiracy theories and misinformation, including from several prominent political figures. That "infodemic" is forcing journalists to confront the question of how they should report on the rapid rise of social media-fueled conspiracy movements.

The announcement that Auckland was going into lockdown for a second time was met with a deluge of conspiracy theories and misinformation, including from several prominent political figures. That "infodemic" is forcing journalists to confront the question of how they should report on the rapid rise of social media-fueled conspiracy movements.

The breaking news no-one wanted to hear this week upped the pressure on the government and officials to make more information public - and more quickly. Meanwhile critics have cast doubt on whether we can trust what we're told - and the media find themselves in the middle of political claims and counter claims during an election campaign.

One political player made headlines this week calling in to talk radio posing as someone else - while MP Paula Bennett was handed the mic on a talk radio network for the week.

One political player made headlines this week calling in to talk radio posing as someone else - while MP Paula Bennett was handed the mic on a talk radio network for the week.

Covid's comeback sparks demand for more transparency; confronting the deluge of Covid-19 conspiracies; Merv's moment & Paula's callers - politicos on talk radio

Covid's comeback sparks demand for more transparency; confronting the deluge of Covid-19 conspiracies; Merv's moment & Paula's callers - politicos on talk radio

Mediawatch's weekly catch-up with Lately. This week Colin talks to Karyn Hay about how the media broke the bad news from Auckland - and Paula Bennett's talkback debut and confronting cranky Covid callers. Also - a glut of fresh political podcasts.