One opinion poll prompts intense political pushback; new report urges sweeping changes to media, law and funding - and fast; Wairoa Star closes after more than a century in print.

Midweek Mediawatch: Colin Peacock talks to Emile Donovan about an MP taken to task about his knowledge of the arts - and a TV producer taking on a funding agency in court. Also: a new political poll causes ructions; a century-old newspaper folds - and a spurned sportsman's great save on camera.

New media minister rolls in after PM's surprise reshuffle; TV news and current affairs on the way down here, but highly competitive across the Tasman.

In this week's edition of Midweek Mediawatch, Hayden Donnell talks to Emile Donovan about the departure of broadcasting minister Melissa Lee - and the arrival of the next one Paul Goldsmith. Also: a controversial TV interview with the Israeli ambassador - and some truly startling stuff in a Stuff illustration.…

Stuff is taking over Newshub's 6pm TV news. A bold move for an outfit that's never been a broadcaster before. Will it work? Also: Mediawatch talks to two editors about the latest survey showing another alarming slump in New Zealanders' trust in the news.

Midweek Mediawatch - Midweek Mediawatch - Colin Peacock talks to Emile Donovan about Stuff leaping into uncharted waters by taking on Newshub at 6. Also: TVNZ going 'beyond broadcasting,' NZ Post and NZME add to predictions of print's demise; recognition for a one-man band in Southland - and Colin's mistaken identity mix-up . . .again.…

End of TV news as we know it? TVNZ cuts back and Newshub closes down. Newshub's news boss responds; the minister plays for time; a former minister fights back

Midweek Mediawatch - Colin Peacock talks to Emile Donovan about an historic day - not in a good way. The confirmation of the closure of Newshub and more cuts confirmed at TVNZ means more than 300 journalists' jobs will go by midyear - and TV news and current affairs will shrivel. Also: the latest report on trust in the news media reveals a further …

TVNZ has confirmed Fair Go - on air for 47 years - and news shows Midday and Tonight will cease next month. The future of Sunday will be confirmed tomorrow. Meanwhile a decision on alternatives to a proposal to close Newshub in June is expected tomorrow from its owner Warner Brothers Discovery.

We talk to an editor keeping an eye on where public money for public services ends up and the government’s new political action plan gets the media’s attention.

In this week's Midweek Mediawatch, Hayden Donnell talks to Emile Donovan about the government's new chunked-out action plan, a new channel coming to the ThreeNow app - and why media companies chasing online engagement risk alienating their users.

Gabrielle review lessons for media; Dolphin drama fires up media.

Midweek Mediawatch - Colin Peacock talks to Emile Donovan about the dolphin drama that divided the nation (and the media) last weekend - and royal revelations that overshadowed a terrorist atrocity in Moscow. Also: the PM and party leaders drop hints about upcoming policy to help cash-strapped news media.…

Mediawatch looks at the fallout from Winston Peters' criticism of the media in his State of The Nation speech.

Midweek Mediawatch - Mediawatch’s weekly catch-up with Nights. Hayden Donnell talked to Emile Donovan about Winston Peters attacking the news media in his State of the Nation speech - and the death of Rod Oram, a much-admired journalist dedicated to coverage of business and climate change. Also: how many journalists are left in New Zealand - and th…

Artificial intelligence tech threatens to take our eyeballs even further away from the outlets which produce news - but it’s also a tool they can use to make more of it. This week Stuff - which has warned AI could wreck the business of journalism - used Chat GPT to write a stories about readers' opinions. Mediawatch asks an unimpressed editor if we…

What will government do about the great TV news meltdown?; Stuff deploys AI for DIY news.

Midweek Mediawatch - Mediawatch’s weekly catch-up with Nights. Colin Peacock talks to Emile Donovan about a manic Monday afternoon of news - cricket, Oscars, terror in the skies . . . and the post-Cabinet media conference. Also: the royal photo fakery frenzy; political responses to the TV newspocalypse; US politics satirised and fact-checked by Tik…

TVNZ has proposed big cuts to news that could leave the country with only one daily TV news bulletin and almost no current affairs on TV within weeks.

In this week's edition of Midweek Mediawatch, Hayden Donnell talks to Emile Donovan about job cuts looming at TVNZ as its crosstown rival Newshub faces a shut-down. Also: coverage of Chris Luxon's terrible, no-good week - and Heavy Metal Morning Report.

For years news media bosses warned the creaking business model backing journalism would fail at a major local outlet. It finally happened this week when Newshub’s owners proposed scrapping it. Then TVNZ posted losses prompting warnings of more cuts to come there. Can TV broadcasters pull a crowd without news? And what might the so-far ambivalent go…

Warner Bros. Discovery’s decision to shut down Newshub was met with mourning within the media - and also concern about what could replace it in the media ecosystem

Mediawatch: TVNZ’s latest losses signal likely cuts to come. But it’s the slump in income for the broadcaster that dominates free-to-air TV which will worry the entire media industry.

Midweek Mediawatch - Mediawatch’s weekly catch-up with Nights. Colin Peacock talked to Emile Donovan about the sudden and startling news of Newshub’s impending demise in a ‘proposal’ from the global owner. Also: is it wrong for journalists to use ‘big tech’ tools to scrub the sound of real people from reports - or bum notes at the Superbowl?…

The PM’s State of the Nation speech got the media’s attention when he said welfare needs reform. He didn't mention record-level immigration but that’s also been deemed unsustainable and set for a reset too. What did the media tell about these problems - and what’s at stake?