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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
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Midweek - Breakfast battles, trust up, Welly woe, piggybacking on others' content

4/15/2026
Over-egged media battle at breakfast-time, piggy-backing on others’ content, chronicling the capital's crisis, a surprise bump in trust in our news. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Duration:00:25:57

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Reporting Trump’s outrageous outbursts, Petrolhead & motoring media adapt to fuel fears

4/11/2026
Some say he's unhinged. Others reckon outrageous utterances are part of his media management. How should media handle the stuff Trump says? Also: public figures cutting loose in long podcasts - and is it the best or worst of times for a publication called Petrolhead? Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Duration:00:46:48

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Midweek - Trump outburst outrage, Aussie soldier's fall from grace, Phillips doco revelations

4/8/2026
Outrageous outbursts from Trump - again. Also: revealing details of the documentary about the Police pursuit of Marokopa fugitive Tom Phillips, and a huge fall from grace for a former soldier who took on the Aussie media - and Emile's sweary save. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Duration:00:22:00

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Midweek - BSA extends reach, a bad week for Big Tech, breakfast with Tova and an easter chocolate ban.

4/1/2026
The BSA has decided it has jurisdiction over digital outlets like The Platform - hosted by former-RNZer Sean Plunket - sparking heated debate. US Courts find Instagram and YouTube caused harm to children, what does that mean? And a look at Tova O'Brien's Breakfast debut. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Duration:00:25:57

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Who’s winning the war, where the ad money goes, Chathams spending scandal

3/28/2026
The bulk of the big money advertisers spent in our media goes offshore to big online operators. What’s the future for the ad industry here? Also: mixed messages about when the war will end in Iran, and startling spending in the Chathams that hit the headlines too late. Read more about Mediawatch on the RNZ website In this episode: 1:01 Who’s winning the war that’s fouling up the flow of our fuel? Depends who you hear - and believe - in the media. . . 10:47 Three quarters of the $4 billion spent on ads here last year went online - and the vast bulk of the ended up offshore. What does this mean for our media and the onshore ad business? 29:54 Big spending blew a huge hole in the Chatham Islands council’s budget, prompting its high profile boss to quit his role and its expensively-renovated house. But there was no news outlet there to expose it until it was too late. Guests: Alex Radford, chair of IMANZ and media agency D3; Jonathan Milne, editor of Newsroom Pro. 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:00:40:28

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Midweek - media v Hegseth, TVNZ defamation win, SNL from USA to UK. peas piffle

3/25/2026
The media chalk up a win in the Pentagon - maybe. Also: TVNZ's comprehensive court win over co-governance campaigner, some bold journalism from newspapers in the South Island, SNL in the UK, Emile's sweary surprise save. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Duration:00:20:06

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Reporting shortages & petrol panic, privacy v the right to speak out

3/21/2026
Reporting shortages without prompting petrol panic. Also: a social media post about the Labour Party leader ended up as headline news - in spite of denials and no-one knowing what’s really true. Does the right to tell a story override others’ right to privacy - or the public interest? Read more about this episode of Mediawatch on the RNZ website In this episode: 00:50 How the media reacted to the prospect of fuel shortages and the possibility of heavy measures to manage them, and rekindling memories of carless days. 11:00 Newsroom Pro editor Jonathan Milne on reporting shortages without prompting panic - and the bigger picture of our oil dependence and the reality of energy supplies. 17:05 Damaging personal allegations about Labour leader Chris Hipkins spread widely in social media after a single post by his former partner, creating a dilemma for news media. 22:03 Media law expert Nicole Moreham on the legal limits on the right to tell your own story when it clashes with the privacy rights of others, defamation and the public interest. Guests: Nicole Moreham, professor of law at Victoria University of Wellington; Jonathan Milne, editor of Newsroom Pro. 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:00:39:01

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Midweek - political leader obsession, Trump v BBC, athletics aesthetic reboot, feijoas are bad

3/18/2026
Why are so many stories zeroed in on political party leaders? Also: Trump's wild claims about the BBC, Post and Press online makeover, TVNZ's aesthetic athletics reboot, feijoas must go. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Duration:00:23:41

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The polls that pressure politics, Country Calendar’s Coro Street-level staying power

3/14/2026
The media piled on after one poor poll result, piling more pressure on the PM. Who calls the shots as third parties get in in the act with news media? Also: is Country Calendar current affairs, documentary or reality TV? Or all of the above? And what explains its Coro-level loyalty and longevity? Read more about this episode of Mediawatch on the RNZ website In this episode: 0:47 One poor poll result that put pressure on the PM late last week was still pre-occupying the media this week. Was it really a story? 16:12 The editor of The Post and Sunday Star Times - Tracy Watkins - on who calls the shots and pays the bills in its polling partnership with pollster Freshwater Strategies and lobby group Infrastructure NZ. 23:28 Country Calendar has passed 60 unbroken years on air - and survived the cull of other factual and current affairs shows that also rated well. How come? 26:48 Producers Dan Henry and Katherine Edmond on why Netflix would never make Country Calendar, its style, its funding - and putting women behind and in front of the camera. Guests: Tracy Watkins, Dan Henry and Katherine Edmond 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:00:38:21

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Covid quibbling, Iranian opinion and history, ‘Peter Bassett’ update

3/11/2026
Another Covid inquiry prompted plenty of pandemic pointscoring - but not so much on the plan for the next one. Also: who speaks for Iranians - and who is Peter Bassett? Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Duration:00:19:18

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War in the Middle East, political criticism & influence concerns at home, PM still PM

3/7/2026
It’s war in the Middle East again, stretching media already stressed by conflict - and nonsense from leaders is not helping. Also: questions about newsrooms’ vulnerability to influence from outside and their inside media companies; poll prompts a flurry over the PM, Country Calendar at 60. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Duration:00:42:38

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Midweek - War breaks out in Iran; PM fluffs his lines; TVNZ's interference fears

3/4/2026
Coverage of war breaking out on Iran, influencers' soft power picture shattered, the local angles including a PM punished for fluffing his lines. Also - TVNZ's crime reporting fallout prompt claims of editorial interference. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Duration:00:19:39

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Govt moves on rough sleepers, reporting Wellington woes, mystery blogger

2/28/2026
The government’s moved on rough sleepers and beggars downtown - by giving the police power to move them out of town. How did the media handle that this week? Also: reporting Wellington's bad news; political ad rebuke - and who’s ‘Peter Bassett’? Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Duration:00:34:28

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Midweek - Andrew image explodes, goalie's grief goes global, The Press looks back, PM's soc-med scorn,

2/25/2026
'That' image of Andrew becomes one of world’s most-reproduced images ever - and a local goalie's grief went global too. Also - The Press looks back on 15 years after the quake; the PM's social content copping extreme scorn Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Duration:00:22:39

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Immigration issue amped up, ceiling for streaming, over-the-top umbrella

2/21/2026
Anti-immigration political parties have been boosted in many countries. Now NZ First forcing the issue onto the news agenda. Also: is streaming eating itself? And why did one friendly umbrella gesture end up heavily analysed in our media? Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Duration:00:34:28

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Midweek - terrorist's identity conundrum, private functions go very public & AI on ice

2/18/2026
Judgments media made reporting the recent court hearing featuring mass-murderer Brenton Tarrant. Also: how two private functions at one private club ended up being very public - and AI accusations on ice at the Winter Olympics. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Duration:00:21:50

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Infrastructure anxiety hits headlines again, AI slop feeds fake news flood

2/14/2026
Solid and liquid sewage is streaming into the sea in the capital, as the government says we need to import gas to ease energy shortages. Flaky infrastructure is an election year issue again - but are the media seeing the big picture as well as the political one? Also: the battle to stop AI ripping off real New Zealand news and flooding Facebook. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Duration:00:36:35

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Midweek - WaPocalypse now, FLOTUS film flop, 'enshitification' outbursts, sweary hero

2/11/2026
Turmoil at one of the great names of US media - The Washington Post. Also: the FLOTUS film flop, the sweary hero of our Winter Olympics, an outburst of 'enshitification' Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Duration:00:21:11

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Bad language on the air & AI in our newsrooms

2/7/2026
Surveys say we don't yet trust AI in our news, but a new report shows our newsrooms are all using it - even if they’re not telling us. Another report says we’re more bothered by bad language on air than we have been in the past. But what kind of stuff really offends us? Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Duration:00:35:14

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Midweek - Epstein overdrive & icky encounters, more Mauao fallout, Luxon on camera, MediaWorks changes hands

2/4/2026
Epstein Files hog headlines worldwide as local angles emerge here. Also: more commentary on the tragedy at Mount Maunganui, the PM copping unfair criticism for his visits to the disaster zones, NZ radio stations under new Aussie ownership - and roadcone nonsense. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Duration:00:23:03