Mediawatch-logo

Mediawatch

RNZ New Zealand

There's never a shortage of opinions on the media but Mediawatch looks at it all in detail for those keen to know more about the news - as well as those who work in media.

Location:

Wellington, New Zealand

Description:

There's never a shortage of opinions on the media but Mediawatch looks at it all in detail for those keen to know more about the news - as well as those who work in media.

Language:

English


Episodes
Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

Midweek: Reality TV on the public purse, RNZ tweaks, Donnell goneburger, french lesson

8/6/2025
Public purse picking up part of the bill for local reality TV, RNZ tweaks Morning Report, Hayden Donnell goneburger from Mediawatch, Colin taught a French lesson. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Duration:00:20:14

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

FBI-NZ; paywave politics, media's Gaza dilemma, MEX folds after 160 years

8/2/2025
The headline-making secret visit of the FBI's top guy, the politics of paywave, and starvation in Gaza hitting home for news outlets. Also: the Marlborough Express folded this week after 160 years in print. What is lost when local news goes online-only? And is it a sign of things to come for others? Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Duration:00:38:58

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

Midweek: Starvation in Gaza, announcements of announcements, polling on a whim

7/30/2025
Pressure goes on The Platform over a tweet from its founder, the government gets the media to cover an announcements of an announcement, and a polling company chief puts out a question on a whim - with interesting results. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Duration:00:24:49

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

Bitter butter battle, Saudi cash chaging the picture for sport on screen

7/26/2025
The bitter battle over butter prices topped the news agenda this week, prompting a ‘please explain’ from the finance minister to Fonterra. Are media are missing the main point? Also: pundits say Sky buying Three for $1 strengthens its on-screen sport play - but the cash Saudi Arabia’s suddenly splashing could change the big picture. Read more about this episode of Mediawatch on the RNZ website In this episode: 01:00 The price has been rising for months, but all of a sudden the bitter political battle over butter became bulletin-leading stuff this week. Did the media miss the point by zeroing in on this - and the political posturing? 17:25 Pundits reckon Sky buying Three strengthens Sky’s stranglehold on the top sport it sells to subscribers. But this week The Herald reported TVNZ bidding for next year’s FIFA World Cup and the upcoming Olympics as well. But globally, Saudi Arabia’s sticking stacks of cash into sport and broadcasting right now. A journalist who’s just seen that play out in the US says that could change the picture worldwide - and here: Learn more: Guests: Liam Dann, Adam Leventhal If you have any thoughts for us - or ideas for us to follow up - get in touch. E-mail mediawatch@rnz.co.nz. You’ll also find us @MediawatchNZ on X. Follow Mediawatch and listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or any podcast app to make sure you never miss an episode. Find more RNZ Podcasts at the new section of the RNZ website at rnz.co.nz/podcasts Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Duration:00:39:34

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

Midweek: 3 for $1, screen sport shake-up, commentary classics, frenchifying Emile

7/23/2025
Sky buys Three for $1. Also - a shake-up sport on screen, some commentary classics, the Frenchification of Emile Donovan - and was Wrexham FC in Welly the real thing? Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Duration:00:19:08

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

Politicians pressured by ads, ministers go multimedia with 'helpful' handouts

7/19/2025
Campaigns targeting politicians in the media are getting more intense - and politicians are getting more multimedia with their own messages for the press. Are these the same old tactics using new tech? Or a new push to dodge media scrutiny and shape the story? Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Duration:00:35:20

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

Midweek: Chung email scandal, Stuff withdraws blood story, newsreader's political turn

7/16/2025
A media frenzy over Ray Chung's lurid email about Wellington mayor Tory Whanau, Stuff retracts a story about AI blood testing, and a former newsreader enters the Tāmaki Makaurau by-election. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Duration:00:21:11

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

Covid inquiry 2, fiscal holes set for re-run, TVNZ bias check, French-ification flurry

7/12/2025
The backers of the second official inquiry into the Covid response say it’s crucial for preparing us for the next pandemic - but the media mostly zeroed in on whether big-name politicians would show up. Also: TVNZ checking itself for bias, a fresh flurry of media French-ification; and do we need to brace for more ‘fiscal hole’ fury in Election 2026? Read more about this episode of Mediawatch on the RNZ website In this episode: 1:22 The backers of the second Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Covid-19 response said it was crucial to learning lessons for the future, as well as allowing people to have a say. But the media mostly zeroed in on whether big-name politicians would show up at hearings that are still six weeks away. 17:03 Remember in the campaign for the last election - and the one before that - how the big political parties made big claims in the media about billion dollar-deep holes in each others’ policies? We might have to brace for more in 2026. 32:50 TVNZ says it’s planning to check itself for bias. But why - and why now? 37:21 A fresh flurry of French-ification in our media inspired by Les Bleus on tour. Learn more: https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/mediawatch/566737/mediawatch-pandemic-probe-media-focus-flipped-to-politiciansGuests: Dan Brunskill, economics reporter for Interest.co.nz If you have any thoughts for us - or ideas for us to follow up - get in touch. E-mail mediawatch@rnz.co.nz. You’ll also find us @MediawatchNZ on X. Follow Mediawatch and listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or any podcast app to make sure you never miss an episode. Find more RNZ Podcasts at the new section of the RNZ website at rnz.co.nz/podcasts Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Duration:00:40:44

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

Midweek: local papers fold, more BBC & ABC Gaza fallout, RNZ exec goes, peacock persecution

7/9/2025
The closure of more local newspapers, further fallout for the BBC and the ABC over editorial handling of Gaza, senior RNZ exec resigns - and peacock persecution. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Duration:00:26:53

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

Awkward opinions test broadcasters’ backbone; a picture of health; more political media criticism

7/5/2025
Mediawatch looks at a sudden slew of stuff on screen about life at the coal face in health, hospitals and hospices. Is the up close and personal approach also political? Speaking of political . . . bosses at two big broadcasters have ended up in the gun this week over other peoples’ opinions about Israel and Gaza - and political leaders line up the media for more criticism. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Duration:00:41:35

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

Midweek: Christchurch 'lone wolf' narrative questioned, a fiery interview on Newstalk, TradeMe's Stuff deal final

7/2/2025
A new podcast questions the 'lone wolf' narrative around the Christchurch terror attack, Newsroom asks some hard questions about the state housing sell-off, Stuff's TradeMe deal gets finalised - ZB's Hosking clashes with education minister on 'Māorification' Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Duration:00:28:20

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

OMG! Is it WW3?, AI telling us what we want to hear?

6/28/2025
It was hard for media all around the world to work out what happened in the Middle East. But claims that WW3 and global recession might be upon us here were rolled back within a day. Also: Chat GPT’s been accused of lying, making stuff up and gaslighting a UK journalist and Google’s AI seems to be telling us what we want to hear. Is AI human after all? Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Duration:00:48:36

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

Midweek - Fog of war, dating start-up hiccups, Seymour vs media escalates

6/25/2025
The media’s difficulties sorting out the truth in the Middle East escalation,entrepreneur cites negative coverage selling her dating business, David Seymour taking on the media - again - and fundraising. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Duration:00:23:12

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

Political skirmishes over sickness & health, media minister scritinised, property piffle

6/21/2025
Debate’s raging over private and public provision of surgery - and sick leave surged to the top of the agenda all of a sudden, sparked by an unlikely source. Also: media minister grilled in Parliament's Scrutiny Week - and property piffle on TV Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Duration:00:31:03

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

Midweek: A troubling story about a troubled trans teen's death, talk radio flip-flops

6/18/2025
RNZ challenged over a troubling tale of transgender teenager who died alone with anorexia, ZB Ryan Bridge's performs a hot-take talk radio turnaround on the economy, Emile's voluntary redundancy hotline Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Duration:00:24:06

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

Local election promises, Greg Hywood, play about the past echoes the present

6/14/2025
Some local election hopefuls are already pitching policies publicly. Are media checking them out before putting them in the news? Also: an Aussie once in charge of our papers talks about where the media is heading - and a play about authoritarian over-reach in 1950s America echoes what’s happening now. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Duration:00:34:48

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

Midweek - LA aggro, advocacy ads, David v media, dangerous games

6/11/2025
Coverage of the aggro in LA; media feel the heat from advocacy ads, why David Seymour snubs Morning Report, the controversy created by dangerous combat-type cash prize contests Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Duration:00:23:13

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

Stuff twinned with Trade Me, NZME rings the changes at the top

6/7/2025
The same day Stuff twinned up with Trade Me, its big rival NZME overhauled its board and ushered in a self-described 'agitator' from overseas. But both are banking on profitable property platforms at the heart their business. Good thing for media that need money - or a plague on both their houses? Also - the backlash against the backlash against dangerous games. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Duration:00:35:26

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

Midweek - Stuff/Trade Me & NZME, video pivot, power of the edit

6/4/2025
Stuff/Trade me marriage, NZME settles board stoush. Also - teething troubles at the Herald’s new show, the pivot to video - and the power of the edit in politics. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Duration:00:23:32

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

Run It runs straight into trouble, changing climate for climate coverage

5/31/2025
The state of climate change reporting in a changed political climate - and a time when the media have their own existential emergency. Also - how the Run It Straight went from social media phenomenon to national news media controversy. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Duration:00:40:12