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Karen McCarthy

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On the RNZ news reading team since 2019, Karen McCarthy is one of the longest serving casual newsreaders/continuity announcers – mostly weekends but also covering weekdays or nights when called on, and hosting holiday shifts over the summer when regular presenters are taking a break.

A long-time broadcast journalist with decades in radio and television - a good chunk of that as a news and current affairs reporter/producer/presenter with the now sadly defunct TV3 in the 1990s and 2000s. 

She says she’s been “living off my wits in recent years as a freelancer in print, television and radio. Love radio. She’s a news junkie, borne of years at the coalface. Despite that, she says she maintains a mostly positive outlook on life.

“Nature is my church. Music is a passion. An ardent gig-goer. Still play vinyl. Bit of a Luddite. Only got my first smartphone in 2023. Yes, really…”

Karen is a mixed-heritage New Zealander, as so many of us are. She came here as a child when family emigrated from the north of England. Half British, half Mauritian. Proud Kiwi. She spent formative years in Hamilton and Wellington, heading to the capital after high school to study journalism, then on to work in Christchurch, and Auckland before returning to Europe for a long spell. Auckland is home. Karen says she considers it a great privilege and responsibility delivering the news, especially to RNZ's discerning listeners.

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  • Review: Trentemøller with Speech Act Theory, The Powerstation, Auckland 17 June

    music
    19 Jun 2023

    Trentemøller, the 'Prince of Denmark', paid a stirring visit to Auckland on Saturday night, writes Karen McCarthy.

  • Hamish McKeitch

    7 May 2023

    The Royal New Zealand Ballet's latest production Romeo and Juliet is underway in Wellington, before it starts its tour around Aotearoa. Last week RNZ Concert's Bryan Crump spoke with the man directing… Audio

  • Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf with Karen O Leary

    music culture
    5 Dec 2022

    Actor Karen O Leary explains her connection with Peter and the Wolf - a beloved piece of music written originally for children, while NZSO flutist Bridget Douglas explains the challenges that come… Audio

  • Melbourne three piece Telenova - winners of the AIR Best Breakthrough Artists

    20 Aug 2022

    Telenova are a three piece from Melbourne who just won Best Breakthrough Artist at this year's AIR Awards.  They have just released their highly anticipated sophomore EP Stained Glass Love and are… Video, Audio

    This audio is not downloadable due to copyright restrictions.

  • Review: Orville Peck at the Powerstation

    19 Jul 2022

    Yee haw!

    As if we weren’t spoilt enough in Tamaki Makarau with one of the hottest indie bands in the world right now – Isle of Wight’s ‘Wet Leg’ – playing the tiny Tuning Fork on Sunday night, fresh…

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  • Midday News for 10 December 2021

    10 Dec 2021

    Emotions run high as constable Matthew Hunt's killer is sentenced to at least 27 years in jail.

    Karen McCarthy has the news. Audio

  • Midday News for 9 December 2021

    9 Dec 2021

    The next step towards a smokefree generation. A botch-up returned recalled sugar to supermarket shelves. Audio

  • Another day, another drama in Trump world - McCarthy

    crime politics
    26 Jul 2018

    A recording of President Trump discussing a payment to former Playboy model Karen McDougal with his attorney Michael Cohen has been made public. The recording raises questions about whether Mr Trump… Audio