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 Watercare, even the culture wars didn't run out of steam over the holidays.

Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water, reports of shark sightings signalled the start of the summer silly season for news. Meanwhile water running out in the capital, unswimmable beaches, sewage smells and a controversial conservation campaign in Auckland all watered down the holiday news drought too.

The year 2024 was less than two days old when Newstalk ZB's Tim Roxborogh asked his listeners about shark sightings at the beach - a staple of the annual Kiwi summer news drought.

He was prompted by former broadcaster Brodie Kane posting on Instagram a mock TV news-style live cross from Mount Maunganui beach, claiming "some people ran for their lives" including a child yelling that the shark was "so big".

This was reported by papers from coast-to-coast. Even the far-off Otago Daily Times published a picture from the fuzzy footage of a fin in the water.

But when The New Zealand Herald sought a second opinion, the eastern region manager of Surf Life Saving poured cold water on it.

"We see them all the time ... it's pretty standard," he said.

Shortly after, Tim Roxborogh moved on to another surefire silly season talkback topic.

"What are the most dangerous roads?" he asked ZB listeners and calls about highways riddled with puncture-producing potholes poured in.

For two days running in the new year, RNZ's Summer Report led with local mayors' gripes about the state of State Highway 1.

But when a story headlined 'Laughing stock' appeared on the RNZ news site, one Mediawatch listener reckoned RNZ was having a laugh with a photo in it sourced from the Northland Potholes Facebook page.

"This is not State Highway 1. It's Te One Street, Ruakaka," he said. (SH1 does skirt the Northland town but Te One street's patchy potholes are not part of our number one road.)

However, not every mayor was griping at Waka Kotahi - aka the NZ Transport Agency - about potholes this summer.

After State Highway 25a was sliced in two by Cyclone Gabrielle last year, it became a good news story just before Christmas when it reopened ahead of schedule and under budget.

NZTA made the most of that in social media videos. …

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