Who wants to be a billionaire, reality TV check, award-wining oil scoop
A random election debate question about extreme wealth struck a chord this week. Also: a local reporter’s role in an award-winning Reuters i...
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Mediawatch
Mediawatch looks critically at the New Zealand media - television, radio, newspapers and magazines as well as the 'new' electronic media.
Episodes
20 of 346 episodesMidweek - the campaign content pile-up picks up pace
The debates, the political panels, the interviews and ads and interactive innovations are all cranking up in intensity as general election v...
Overhangs hang over election, RNZ’s next chief, Phil Gifford
As the election campaign got underway officially, media seized on arguments about overhangs and vote-splitting dividing both sides. Also: RN...
Midweek - New RNZ chief, election 2026 is launched . . . officially
RNZ's named its next CEO as Jason Winstanley, a current Newstalk ZB stalwart. If you can't beat them, hire them? Also: official election lau...
Hager headlines, putting down the watchdog, regional news cuts, propaganda & pie prices
Critics complained there was no smoking gun. Supporters said it shone a light on a sinister spiderweb. How did the media handle Dirty Work?...
Midweek - Hagerpalooza, preppers' delight, Seymour on Report
What mark has Nicky Hager's 'Dirty Work' made 24 hours after a rock gig-like launch? Also - TVNZ doco spotlights Kiwi preppers, & Deputy PM...
Phillips report & the full story, retail politics
The fugitive Tom Phillips was huge news when the hunt for him ended tragically a year ago - and again with this week’s official report. But...
Midweek - Phillips report, CRL mania, election event angst, mascot wars
The Phillips report the media have been waiting for. Also: CRL is go, media mascot v mascot, live election event tension & the hyrox horror...
Political food fights, pondering the passing of journalism
The media seized on the politics of food this week, when the Greens floated state-owned supermarkets and 1News lifted the lid on emergency f...
Midweek - TVNZ's next news chief, cartoons & mascots, Sky sorry again
TVNZ takes Stuff exec for next news chief - next year, the legacy of a long-serving cartoonist, mascots make a marketing comeback, Sky TV of...
Political head-to-heads hot up, are prediction markets legit news?
Odds from Polymarket are popping up in our news, even though it's illegal here. But are prediction markets a legit source of news anyway? Al...
Midweek - plane crazy, animal ads & monkey mascots, debate update
Was the Capetown flyover a PR masterstroke or disaster? Also - netball's bounceback, animal ads & monkey media mascots and an election debat...
Parties pull plug on social media for teens, sports boosts broadcasters, Dolly dies
The two big political parties want to pull the plug on social media for teens. But will ‘fast-following’ Australia work? Also: TV broadcaste...
Midweek - rugby hype & outage outrage, ratings & results, Whakaata Māori
Media amp up the 'Great Rugby Rivalry'. Also: RNZ ratings, NZME results, Whakaata Māori changes, Raw Politics returns. Go to this episode on...
Political twitch on taxing big tech, Kiwis' media maturing?
It’s a full time job these days working out who the audience is, what they want and if they might get it elsewhere. What does the the bigges...
Midweek - RNZ shrinks as web stats soar, alt-media . . . & old-media?
RNZ could shed 10 percent of staff in a year - as its digital audience hits new heights. Also - a round-up of political alt-media and old-me...
Luxon repeats defeat of foes, indie operator fires up election debates
A single Herald story sparked a political drama and a media frenzy could have toppled the PM, but didn't . . . again. Also: the big TV elect...
Midweek - Luxon’s ructions, MediaWorks sold, crossing the line online, audience maturity
PM still standing after repeat defeat of foes. Also: MediaWorks sold offshore, commentator heads for court over claims made online, are NZ m...
Massaging the facts, uncovering undercover cops, acting up in schools
How did a single media inquiry stop a multi-million-dollar health programme for prisons? Also: political parties competing for media attenti...
Midweek - FIFA fail, Luxon comms flub, Comm Games wins, ex-minister's memoir
Huge scoop derails FIFA plot, Commonwealth Games weighed up, Luxon's comms under scrutiny again, Kiri Allan's memoir Go to this episode on r...