Mediawatch

Mediawatch episodes:

• 04.17.2024

  Midweek Mediawatch - Stuff's bold TV play

  Midweek Mediawatch - Midweek Mediawatch - Colin Peacock talks to Emile Donovan about Stuff leaping into uncharted waters by taking on Newshub at 6. Also: TVNZ going 'beyond broadcasting,' NZ Post and NZME add to predictions of print's demise; recognition for a one-man band in...

  
• 04.13.2024

  Mediawatch for 14 April 2024

  End of TV news as we know it? TVNZ cuts back and Newshub closes down. Newshub's news boss responds; the minister plays for time; a former minister fights back

  
• 04.10.2024

  Midweek Mediawatch - little light at the end of the TV news tunnel

  Midweek Mediawatch - Colin Peacock talks to Emile Donovan about an historic day - not in a good way. The confirmation of the closure of Newshub and more cuts confirmed at TVNZ means more than 300 journalists' jobs will go by...

  
• 04.08.2024

  Fair Go and daily news bulletins to close at TVNZ

  TVNZ has confirmed Fair Go - on air for 47 years - and news shows Midday and Tonight will cease next month. The future of Sunday will be confirmed tomorrow. Meanwhile a decision on alternatives to a proposal to close Newshub in June is expected...

  
• 04.06.2024

  Mediawatch for 7 April 2024

  We talk to an editor keeping an eye on where public money for public services ends up and the government’s new political action plan gets the media’s attention.

  
• 04.03.2024

  Midweek Mediawatch - chunking out some decision gates

  In this week's Midweek Mediawatch, Hayden Donnell talks to Emile Donovan about the government's new chunked-out action plan, a new channel coming to the ThreeNow app - and why media companies chasing online engagement risk alienating their users.

  
• 03.31.2024

  Mediawatch for 31 March 2024

  Gabrielle review lessons for media; Dolphin drama fires up media.

  
• 03.27.2024

  Midweek Mediawatch - Kate, Coutts, murder in Moscow

  Midweek Mediawatch - Colin Peacock talks to Emile Donovan about the dolphin drama that divided the nation (and the media) last weekend - and royal revelations that overshadowed a terrorist atrocity in Moscow.  Also: the PM and party leaders drop hints about...

  
• 03.24.2024

  Mediawatch for 24 March 2024

  Mediawatch looks at the fallout from Winston Peters' criticism of the media in his State of The Nation speech.

  
• 03.20.2024

  Midweek Mediawatch - Rod Oram; state of the Winston

  Midweek Mediawatch - Mediawatch’s weekly catch-up with Nights. Hayden Donnell talked to Emile Donovan about Winston Peters attacking the news media in his State of the Nation speech - and the death of Rod Oram, a much-admired journalist dedicated to coverage...

  
• 03.17.2024

  Mediawatch for 17 March 2024

  What will government do about the great TV news meltdown?; Stuff deploys AI for DIY news.

  
• 03.17.2024

  Stuff deploys AI for DIY news

  Artificial intelligence tech threatens to take our eyeballs even further away from the outlets which produce news - but it’s also a tool they can use to make more of it. This week Stuff - which has warned AI could wreck the business of...

  
• 03.13.2024

  Midweek Mediawatch - manic Monday for news & fake photo frenzy

  Midweek Mediawatch - Mediawatch’s weekly catch-up with Nights. Colin Peacock talks to Emile Donovan about a manic Monday afternoon of news - cricket, Oscars, terror in the skies . . . and the post-Cabinet media conference. Also: the royal photo fakery...

  
• 03.10.2024

  Mediawatch for 10 March 2024

  TVNZ has proposed big cuts to news that could leave the country with only one daily TV news bulletin and almost no current affairs on TV within weeks.

  
• 03.06.2024

  Midweek Mediawatch - it's the end of the news as we know it?

  In this week's edition of Midweek Mediawatch, Hayden Donnell talks to Emile Donovan about job cuts looming at TVNZ as its crosstown rival Newshub faces a shut-down. Also: coverage of Chris Luxon's terrible, no-good week - and Heavy Metal Morning...

  
• 03.03.2024

  Mediawatch: Apocalypse now?

  For years news media bosses warned the creaking business model backing journalism would fail at a major local outlet. It finally happened this week when Newshub’s owners proposed scrapping it. Then TVNZ posted losses prompting warnings of more cuts to...

  
• 03.03.2024

  Three no longer a hub for news

  Warner Bros. Discovery’s decision to shut down Newshub was met with mourning within the media - and also concern about what could replace it in the media ecosystem

  
• 03.01.2024

  TVNZ's losses point to media-wide strife

  Mediawatch: TVNZ’s latest losses signal likely cuts to come. But it’s the slump in income for the broadcaster that dominates free-to-air TV which will worry the entire media industry.

  
• 02.28.2024

  Midweek Mediawatch - Newshub's brutal 'proposal'

  Midweek Mediawatch - Mediawatch’s weekly catch-up with Nights. Colin Peacock talked to Emile Donovan about the sudden and startling news of Newshub’s impending demise in a ‘proposal’ from the global owner. Also: is it wrong for journalists to use ‘big tech’ tools...

  
• 02.25.2024

  Welfare and immigration set for a 'reset'

  The PM’s State of the Nation speech got the media’s attention when he said welfare needs reform. He didn't mention record-level immigration but that’s also been deemed unsustainable and set for a reset too. What did the media tell about...

  
• 02.25.2024

  A lifeboat to keep news afloat?

  Last week the great and good of New Zealand’s news media urged MPs to back a law change to make Google and Facebook pay them for their news. They say the income could be critical to the survival of journalism...

  
• 02.25.2024

  Mediawatch for 25 February 2024

  Government 'resets' immigration and welfare; another way to make Google and Facebook to pay for journalism; media milk Kiwi Swifties' stadium FOMO.

  
• 02.25.2024

  Milking Kiwi Swifties' FOMO

  As the biggest pop star on the planet packed out huge Australian arenas this week, the media here milked Kiwi Swifties’ anger over missing out. It also aired confusing blame-game claims about why Swift gave New Zealand a swerve in the...

  
• 02.21.2024

  Midweek Mediawatch - A clash of polls

  In this week's edition of Midweek Mediawatch, Hayden Donnell talks to Emile Donovan about the death of Efeso Collins, big conclusions drawn from conflicting polls -  and the problems with an old media adage.

  
• 02.18.2024

  MPs urged to take sides in media vs big tech tussle

  Media bosses warned MPs this week journalism is in jeopardy here if they don't back a Bill making offshore tech giants pay for news carried on Facebook and Google. It's based on laws already in place in Australia and Canada. Mediawatch...

  
• 02.18.2024

  $500k Auckland pedestrian crossing costs quietly corrected

  A Herald headline this week said Auckland Transport was 'pushing on with $500,000 crossings'. The apparently outrageous expense was also aired on radio and in Parliament as evidence of the urgent need to reprioritise. But AT said the true cost was a fraction of...

  
• 02.18.2024

  Mediawatch for 18 February 2024

  Auckland's transport turmoil reports lack full facts; publishers pitch to Parliament to make Google and Facebook pay for their news.

  
• 02.14.2024

  Midweek Mediawatch - Retail rat-astrophe & awkward interviews

  Midweek Mediawatch: Colin Peacock talked to Emile Donovan about the Port Hills fire prompting another state of emergency; questions posed by two awkward interviews with political leaders - and the retail rat-astrophe in our supermarkets that suddenly surged to the top...

  
• 02.11.2024

  Waitangi tensions test politicians - and the media

  In past years some media outlets were ambivalent about Waitangi Day - some even hostile at times. But new moves by the new government and a strong pushback from Māori gave it an extra edge this year. Some even called it historic...

  
• 02.11.2024

  Mediawatch for 11 February 2024

  Waitangi tensions test politicians - and the media; Why is Sky screening more top-dollar sport for free?

  
• 02.11.2024

  Why Sky is screening some of its top-dollar sport for free

  Sky TV became the big beast of pay TV by keeping a stranglehold on exclusive live rights to the country's most popular sports for paying subscribers. This week it suddenly announced top rugby, netball and league will soon screen in...

  
• 02.07.2024

  Midweek Mediawatch: Copy-and-paste Chris

  In this week's edition of Midweek Mediawatch, Hayden Donnell talks to Emile Donovan about Chris Luxon being harangued by the media for copy-and-pasting his Waitangi Day speech, an eye-opening column on police recruitment numbers - and a sensational-sounding political scoop...

  
• 02.04.2024

  Does bad economic news trump good news?

  Stories about surging inflation, successive food price rises and more Kiwis in arrears topped bulletins and filled front pages last year. But recent news about slowing inflation, cheaper food and rising business confidence hasn't had the same impact. How come?

  
• 02.04.2024

  Todd Scott - taking a punt at NBR

  It’s more than a decade since Todd Scott staked everything to buy the business news weekly where he worked, the National Business Review. Since then NBR’s gone online-only, axed ads entirely and the owner moved to Fiji. During a flying...

  
• 02.04.2024

  With one last hurrah, goneburger is goneburger

  When James Shaw tweeted "James Shaw goneburger" it was the zenith of one political reporter's eight-year effort to goneburger every departing politician in New Zealand. But Jo Moir is now leaving Twitter (X) - and goneburgering - behind.

  
• 02.04.2024

  Mediawatch for 4 February 2024

  This week on Mediawatch, does bad news about the economy trump good news? The end of the line for goneburger?

  
• 01.31.2024

  Midweek Mediawatch - RNZ shuffles its pack

  Midweek Mediawatch - Mediawatch’s weekly catch-up with Nights. Colin Peacock talked to Emile Donovan about just-announced changes to RNZ National's schedule and an RNZ news story last weekend which prompted complaints. Also: an ex-MP's emotional interviews; defining sport once and for...

  
• 01.28.2024

  Media cop flak over MP’s startling downfall

  The summer holidays are usually a dead zone for domestic political news - but the unseasonal and unexpected downfall of Golriz Ghahraman bucked the trend this month. Media copped criticism from some for reporting the allegations that led to her resignation...

  
• 01.28.2024

  Water woes flood silly season as news runs dry

  Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water, predictable reports of shark sightings signalled the start of the summer silly season. And with water running out in the capital, and a controversial campaign from Auckland’s...

  
• 01.28.2024

  Mediawatch for 28 January 2024

  What you missed over summer: harmless sharks, woke worries, sewage smells and water woes flood the holiday news drought; media cop flak for coverage of Golriz Ghahraman's downfall.

  
• 01.24.2024

  Midweek Mediawatch - Hōhā over hui coverage

  In this week's edition of Midweek Mediawatch, Hayden Donnell talks to Emile Donovan about accusations of bias over media commentary on the national hui at Tūrangawaewae marae and the media response to the downfall of Green MP Golriz Gharahman.

  
• 12.24.2023

  The Mediawatch Christmas bonus

  A special edition of Mediawatch looking back on the year in the media - ending with the Mediawatch five-minute mashup of 2023’s news.

  
• 12.20.2023

  Midweek Mediawatch - 2023 Awards

  Midweek Mediawatch - Mediawatch’s weekly catch-up with Nights. Hayden Donnell and Colin Peacock joined Mark Leishman to hand out Mediawatch’s not very prestigious and not at all coveted annual awards - including worst media cliche, most shameless ripoff, best media...

  
• 12.17.2023

  Mediawatch for 17 December 2020 - Horowhenua special

  Covering news all over the country is a struggle for media companies dealing with rising costs and falling income. But some local outlets are surviving - and even thriving. Mediawatch's Hayden Donnel finds out who's doing the business in Horowhenua...

  
• 12.13.2023

  Midweek Mediawatch - The case of the missing mayoral footage

  In this week's Midweek Mediawatch, Hayden Donnell talks to Mark Leishman about a much-reported recording of Wellington’s mayor which made many headlines recently - but has not yet appeared in the real world. Also: a report into New Zealand’s media...

  
• 12.10.2023

  From paper to platform - media's online dependence

  Five years ago Dr Merja Myllylahti warned our news media were becoming dangerously dependent on global digital platforms which gave them online audiences but undercut their income and didn’t seem to care much about news. What’s the story five years...

  
• 12.10.2023

  Mediawatch for 10 December 2023

  Parliamentary pomp and ceremony - but no honeymoon; 'From Paper to Platform'- media's online dependence; Todd Niall - local matters really matter

  
• 12.10.2023

  Todd Niall - local matters really matter

  ‘Look ahead, not back’ - the last words of Todd Niall after 46 years in daily journalism. The last of these were spent reporting the complicated and highly-contested issues afflicting Auckland and its supercity council. Unlike his other passion -...

  
• 12.06.2023

  Midweek Mediawatch ‘Kin oath’ - new Parliament sworn in

  Midweek Mediawatch - Mediawatch’s weekly catch-up with Nights. Colin Peacock talked to Mark Leishman about the new government getting underway with plenty of ceremony, lots of protest - but no honeymoon. Also: Sky puts prices up; The Project comes to an end -...

  
• 12.03.2023

  Claims of media 'bribery' derail new government on day one

  It didn't take long for Winston Peters’ news media grievances to make headlines - and headaches - for the new government. Mediawatch looks at how the media reacted to his claims of media 'bribery' - and what he was hinting at.