Newshub
A new twist on fake news
A recent Newshub story about a Kiwi golliwog seller seemed to be standard outrage bait. But the journalist David Farrier says the story's actual origins are mixed up in a campaign of harassment… Audio
Media commentator Andrew Holden
A tale of two editors of the Sunday Times in the UK. The first is the death of Harold Evans last week, and his influence on modern journalism. And in same week Andrew Neil, who did manage to work for… Audio
Media commentator Andrew Holden
Media commentator Andrew Holden joins Kathryn to talk about the Herald's good readership results, the small private equity fund that's bought into NZME, Sky's slight drop in profit and the financial… Audio
A backlash over tough questions for Dr Ashley Bloomfield
Journalists are facing a backlash for asking tough questions of Dr Ashley Bloomfield. Are they being too harsh, or is the director general of health’s popularity prompting efforts to shield him from… Audio
Midweek Mediawatch: Calls for accountability meet angry backlash
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… Audio
Controversial campaign for costly new drug
Newshub has put its weight behind a campaign to fund a “miracle drug” for cystic fibrosis patients from the public purse. But are its viewers getting the full picture? Audio
Contradictory polls create confusion
Two more TV opinion polls energised political reporters this week and put the opposition on the defensive. This created lots of drama but was it news voters can use?
The journalists who helped save New Zealand's health response
The government has taken urgent steps to overhaul the systems in place at the country's managed isolation facilities. Journalists' persistent, tough reporting on failures at those facilities helped… Audio
Bridges rolled after polls pile on the pressure
The return of TV channels’ political opinion polls piled the pressure on the National Party’s leader and kickstarted Friday’s move to replace him. Covid-19 has changed many things in politics and… Audio
Media beat the drum to roll back lockdown - and sound the alarm
Even before the first hints we had “turned a corner” with Covid-19, pundits were pumping up the volume on calls to loosen the lockdown and get more shops and businesses open again. But others in the… Audio
Media commentators plead for already-announced policy
Patrick Gower, the National Party, and several political commentators have spent the week calling for government to quarantine the border. The only issue: the government had already signalled the…
Media probe risks and rewards of tourism
The media were in emergency mode once again this week when Whakaari / White Island erupted. They raised important questions about risks and rewards of tourism - and some got involved in the emotional… Audio
Media commentator Gavin Ellis
Newshub's news director resigns, the The BSA's review of election programme standards focuses on the meaning of 'denigration', and moves in the magazine world with Healthy Food Guide's last print… Audio
Councils' Christmas party “cash splash” backlash
With local elections looming, Newshub crunched the numbers on local councils “splashing cash” on Christmas parties for staff. It turned out to be a drop in the bucket, and the online exclusive… Audio
Mixed messages and health news we can really use
Efforts to confront two different but potentially deadly diseases hit the headlines this past week. Both were complicated stories impressively reported and explained by the media - but sometimes… Audio
Media company calls out its rival and the government
Struggling news media companies have been lobbying the government behind the scenes for some time. On Thursday broadcaster MediaWorks put it all out in the open, telling the minister responsible its… Audio
Preferred PM polling's proving pretty unpopular
Broadcasters say their political polls aren’t perfect but they do reveal significant swings of support. In that case, they ought to notice more and more people don't like being asked to pick a… Audio
Newshub and TVNZ cop criticism over contrary political polls
Two contrary political opinion polls this week raised big questions about the quality and the purpose of them. Politicians disputing the outcomes were dismissed as “in denial.” But are the media the… Audio
Budget leak draws media away from our wellbeing
The Budget led the bulletins this week long before its scheduled release because of that leak. Some pundits praised Simon Bridges' strategy while others criticised breaking an important embargo solely… Audio
One engagement ring rules them all?
“Let’s do this” was Labour’s slogan before the last election. Now some pundits reckon timidity could cost the party at the next one - and a lot could hang on when the PM says: "I do.” Audio