Mediawatch

Labour bit the bullet on capital gains tax this week, but the political point-scoring was a zero-sum game. Also: a big rejig of Māori news & current affairs funding - and while our leaders have been on the world stage, we’ve been accused of punching below our weight on global media freedom.

Severe storms bring the best out of media - but climate change mentions raise hackles. Also: netball's top-brass keep exasperated media out of their internal business - while the Silver Ferns do the business on the court, and RNZ's new podcast 'Nark' uses AI to give voice to the dead.

Lawyers went toe-to-toe in court for weeks over a series of TVNZ news scoops about health and safety - and the broadcaster’s own newsgathering. What can we learn from this high-stakes defamation case? Also - the government fired up a confrontational PR campaign to tell the public this week’s ‘mega-strike’ was about politics, not pay. Did the media get the memo?

One complaint to the BSA has the PM claiming 'overreach' and his minister pledging reform - while politicians and lobby groups call for the watchdog to be put down. Paula Penfold ponders personal impact of reputation-ruining scoops.

The broadcasting watchdog has told alternative online outlet The Platform it can consider complaints about it - just like TV and radio. Part of the problem is out-of-date media laws. Mediawatch asks the media minister and his opposition counterpart: what counts as broadcasting these days? And how should it be accountable? Also: how Te Pāti Māori’s tensions played out very differently in different media.

Media coverage of the Gaza ceasefire, Platform's Plunket pushes back on broadcast watchdog, Metro magazine 'restructures' its full-time staff - and should self-selected polls be allowed in news?

Netball’s a national sport - and it's natural the media want to know if something’s going wrong at the top. But have media made the game’s current coaching drama worse- at the worst possible time? Also - what to do about online harm was aired in a Parliamentary inquiry this week. But was the purpose of this to prevent regulation that could make it safer?

Row over Gaza protest targeting foreign minister's house gets political - and an actress is cut from an ad. Also: RNZ picks new audio chief as two stalwarts depart, Police Ten-7 star Graham Bell, quake clarification for Emile.

The rules are changing for earthquake-prone buildings - and many in the media are praising the savings. But the devil is in the details. Also: how the media responded to our position on Palestinian statehood - and a year and a half after huge cuts to TV current affairs, what’s left - and what next?

The Media Council rules RNZ lacked balance reporting the tragic tale of a transgender teen. Also - RNZ cuts arts and culture programming on air, more blowback on Black Ferns coverage claims and US golf fans shame themselves on TV

Bad news about the economy piling up - and piling pressure on the politicians in charge of it. But are the media shining light in the right places? Also - Trump vs Kimmel and free speech, two stalwarts of TV current affairs promising to tackle taboo topics to increase the peace, not polarisation.

Trump's aggression puts media on the back foot; good news for RNZ on public trust - and for TVNZ after a spot check for bias; blowback for the Black Ferns after lack of coverage claims; local current affairs and drama back on TV

Hardly a news bulletin or newspaper goes by without stuff about houses and property. But what kind of coverage is it? And what effect does it have? Also - a former editor warns news deserts are creeping up on us, the Ferns falter - and media doing the right thing for the Phillips family. Social media? Not so much . . .

Charlie Kirk's killing prompts strong reactions - even at this distance; 'historic' beating for All Blacks - and more muted coverage of winning Black Ferns; more media fallout from the sad Marokopa saga.

After fugitive father Tom Phillips' violent death, media made judgements about the public interest, the interests of the children - and what interested the public. Also: Te Pāti Māori seems to be disengaging from non-Maori media - and an ex-RNZer pioneering automated news to boost newsrooms.