Newshub
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
Slush and burn
National served up the ‘slushies in jail’ story to the media, who then forced it down our throats for two days - then bit the hand that spoonfed them.
TV political poll hype hits new heights
The latest TV political poll was heavily hyped in-house as a “game changer” that could be "game over" for National’s leader. Did other media follow Newshub's lead? Audio
National down 3.6 points, Labour up 4.9 points in Newshub poll
A political poll has shown National drop below Labour for the first time in its history. The Newshub-Reid Research poll just released has National dropping 3.6 points to 41.6 - the party's worst… Audio
'Tourists from hell' hog holiday headlines and spark media pile-on
The so-called “unruly tourists” were called all the names under the sun in a media pile-on that entertained and angered New Zealanders in equal measure. Every move these surprise summer celebrities… Audio
Roastbuster’s re-emergence reopens old wounds
Newshub aired an interview with a member of the notorious Roastbusters this week. Joseph Parker turned out to be partly penitent but more concerned about himself than his victims. Was it worth putting… Audio
Simon Bridges's spending scoop highlights the pros and cons of political leaks
Newshub’s early reveal of Simon Bridges’ big bill for travel created a political drama for the media this week. But the handling of the leaked info also sparked criticism from some pundits and others… Audio
Poll dancing already underway
The next election is a long way off and new party leaders are still bedding in. But already TV news networks and their political pundits are predicting what will happen next based on the opinion polls… Audio
Frenzy over a foreigner’s faith
One Australian rugby star’s comment on social media sparked dozens of reports and an avalanche of opinion in the media over the past fortnight. Even our PM was drawn into the debate overseas. But how… Audio
Return to sender: bogus yarns from The Mail
Do chips make your hair grow back? No. Is cleaning the house as bad for you as smoking? No. But our click-hungry news websites keep running truth-bending beat-up news stories from British online… Audio
Claims of dirty politics in MP’s Snapchat story
A small story buried on page five of a paper last Sunday revealed MP Chris Bishop messaged youngsters online before the last election. The media questioned the MP’s conduct - but not the media's… Audio
Peters' pursuit of Super story sources rings alarm bells
Winston Peters has targeted two journalists in his legal action over the leak of his super-sized superannuation, alarming media freedom advocates. Audio
Party leaders picking on the media
When Winston Peters took centre stage this week, he also took a big swing at the media. Other party leaders also criticised the media coverage of the election, but some political players and the media… Video, Audio
Too much talk about too few polls?
The two big TV broadcasters aggressively promoted and reported the opinion polls they paid for during the election campaign, which returned some very different results. How did they compare with the… Video, Audio
Media commentator Gavin Ellis
A thorough debrief of media coverage before, during and after the election, that ended in speculation fatigue, and the small island of serenity at the the BBC called "slow TV". Gavin Ellis is a media… Audio
Fear and loathing in the farming press
Claims that the election turned the rural-urban divide into a chasm were strongly echoed in the media - especially the farming press. Audio
Debatable benefits of head-to-head clashes
Three live Ardern v English debates in seven days pumped up coverage of the election campaign. The media picked out the leaders’ zingers, bangers and clangers, and they agonised over who won and who… Audio
Inquests aplenty as Green leader goes
The blame for Metiria Turei's downfall is being spread in many directions - including hers. But some are pointing the finger at the media and their appetite for winners, losers and scalps. Audio