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Mediawatch
There's never a shortage of opinions on the media - but Mediawatch looks at it all in detail twice a week, accompanied by to-the-point interviews and analysis. Mediawatch is a must-listen each week for those keen to know more about the news - and each edition must also stand up to the scrutiny of those who work in our media.
Sundays at 9:05am and 10:12pm
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Latest audio
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Midweek - Gaza ceasefire, Platform v BSA, self-selected polls
15 Oct 2025Media 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? Audio
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Netball’s PR nightmare, online harm examined again
12 Oct 2025Netball'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… Read more Audio
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Midweek - Winston's window stoush, Maori news funding,
8 Oct 2025Row 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… Read more Audio
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Seismic shift on quake-prone properties Palestinian statehood
5 Oct 2025The 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… Read more Audio
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Seismic shift on quake-prone properties Palestinian statehood
5 Oct 2025The 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… Read more Audio
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Midweek - Watchdog rules on teen tragedy
1 Oct 2025The 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… Read more Audio
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Midweek - Watchdog rules on teen tragedy
1 Oct 2025The 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… Read more Audio
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Short-term focus on long-term problems, tackling taboo topics
27 Sep 2025Bad 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… Read more Audio
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Midweek - Trump vs comedy and free speech, TVNZ & RNZ's trust
24 Sep 2025Trump'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… Read more Audio
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News desert warning, pros and cons of property
21 Sep 2025Hardly 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… Read more Audio
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Midweek - Kirk's killing, rugby reactions, Phillips fallout
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 from sad Marokopa… Read more Audio
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Fugitive family & public interest, Te Pati Maori v MSM, AI news
14 Sep 2025After 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 Pati Maori seems to be… Read more Audio
Mediawatch
Sundays at 9:05am and 10:12pm
Follow this podcast.
- Email mediawatch@radionz.co.nz
- Follow @MediawatchNZ on Twitter
On air since 2001 and as a podcast since 2007, Mediawatch looks critically at big stories and issues in the news right now - and what’s going on behind the scenes across the media.
Mediawatch examines the output of reporters, producers and editors - as well as the input of PR and the ad industry. It also questions the executives, policy-makers, politicians, regulators and tech companies which influence our media today.
Colin Peacock, Producer and presenter of Mediawatch
Colin studied journalism at the University of Canterbury then headed overseas to freelance back in the 1990s before pitching up at BBC News for eight years. He worked for BBC World TV and news and sport network 5 Live before ending up as a producer at the World Service. After a stint at World Update, a co-production with Public Radio International in the US, he returned to New Zealand and came to RNZ in 2003. He’s been producing and presenting Mediawatch since 2007.
Hayden Donnell, Mediawatch producer
Hayden Donnell has been a writer, reporter and editor for news outlets including the New Zealand Herald, TVNZ, RNZ and Newshub. In recent years he’s also worked for The Spinoff, where his story on the making of Kim Dotcom’s much-maligned album Good Times won a Voyager award for best entertainment feature. He also presented the web series Get It To Te Papa, which follows his quest to get underappreciated artefacts into our national museum. He joined the Mediawatch team at the beginning of 2020.
