Why did MediaWorks kill a network launched with heavy hype only a year ago - which was also the source of news for half the country's commercial stations? The major media company also scrubbed the station's digital content and brought to an end more than 30 years of talk radio history. Mediawatch asks why - and what happens next.

Why did MediaWorks kill a network launched with heavy hype only a year ago - which was also the source of news for half the country's commercial stations? The major media company also scrubbed the station's digital content and brought to an end more than 30 years of talk radio history. Mediawatch asks why - and what happens next.

"Media crises and closures don't come more brutal," said Tim Murphy, the co-editor of Newsroom who has a wealth of media executive experience.

Employees of what was New Zealand's pre-eminent publisher of magazines, Bauer Media, might think the way the German owners killed their New Zealand company with no warning was more cut-throat.

Magazines in print for decades were shut "with immediate effect" before staff could even clear their desks in 2020. They also had no chance to farewell loyal readers.

But once word of an ominous all-staff meeting at Today FM got out last Thursday morning, presenters took the opportunity to tell the audience all about it - and vent their own righteous anger after the outcome.

The extraordinary live on-air revolt began in the closing minutes of the breakfast show Tova. It continued until after stand-in CEO of MediaWorks Wendy Palmer had confirmed a 'proposal' from the company's board to shut Today FM to save money.

"They've f***** us," Tova O'Brien told listeners, explaining they had been assured the network had a five-year plan.

"We've been betrayed," said co-host Duncan Garner, whose own morning show disintegrated as staff joined them in the studio to air their grievances.

Staff were told they would have until that afternoon to try and talk them out of it, but those who spoke to media soon after clearly didn't think that was a 'good faith' offer.

On the air, Duncan Garner declared MediaWorks was "bleeding cash" and O'Brien - who had to fight a legal battle against a former employer to join MediaWorks - said they had been "scapegoated" by insiders "against us from day one."

The original management plan to pull the plug on regular programmes at lunchtime was brought forward.

Silenced - then erased

'We've been told to play music," Garner told listeners, fading out into a mostly-classic hits playlist which included Hang On, Help Is On Its Way and Slip Sliding Away. …

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details