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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 - Fugitive father saga ends, row over doco and access
10 Sep 2025Media go big on the epic - but tragic - tale of fugitive father Tom Phillips; angst over over exclusive access for doco makers- and a columnist's criticism of Mediawatch. Audio
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Exaggerating Amazon, the ‘foreign ban,’ RNZ flags changes
7 Sep 2025Amazon investing billions and creating hundreds of jobs in tech here made breathless headlines earlier this week. But it turned out to be old news - and less than previously announced. How did that… Read more Audio
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Midweek night lights-out bolt from the boot
3 Sep 2025Reserve Bank chair's after-hours exit fails to blunt media interest, harsh spotlight on new political candidate, the farmer who survived a bolt from the boot, political reporter returns - and the… Read more Audio
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RNZ’s push to stop the slide on air, rude words OK
31 Aug 2025RNZ's new plan to stop RNZ National losing listeners, partly sparked by a harsh review of the network's capability and culture. Mediawatch asks RNZ's boss how he's handling this - and whether he… Read more Audio
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RNZ’s push to stop the slide on air, rude words OK
31 Aug 2025RNZ's new plan to stop RNZ National losing listeners, partly sparked by a harsh review of the network's capability and culture. Mediawatch asks RNZ's boss how he's handling this - and whether he… Read more Audio
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Midweek - TVNZ starts charging, RNZ gains listeners
27 Aug 2025TVNZ launches its first paid-for product, NZME announces a $400k loss and the composition of its new editorial board - and RNZ's listenership snakes upward for the first time since 2022. Audio
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Image problems, clawing back from AI, gentle whispers
24 Aug 2025One woman became the unwilling face of political cause she strongly opposed because her image was for sale online - and one outlet faked photos of a whanau to 'protect its mana.' What are the ethics… Read more Audio
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Midweek - RNZ's plan, conflict of interest, insurance ads
20 Aug 2025RNZ's strategy to stop the loss of radio listeners sparks a strong reaction from pundits - and the listeners. Also - a political party proves a point using the official complaints process- and… Read more Audio
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Statehood stoush, political polls, RNZ’s listener loss
17 Aug 2025How the media handled controversy over recognising Palestine - two political opinion polls in a day. Also: RNZ prepping out a plan to stop the loss of listeners as a former news chief tells the top… Read more Audio
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Midweek - Assassinations in Gaza, poll chaos, ad backlash
13 Aug 2025A crew of Al Jazeera journalists are assassinated in Gaza, two political polls in a day fire up the media, and an ad from Hobson's Pledge prompts a backlash - and a debate about ethical use of photos.
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NCEA not achieved, Tariff ‘surprise,’ magazines on the block
10 Aug 2025Mediawatch looks at how the media graded NCEA as 'not achieved' after the government proposed dumping it this week. And the headlines said Trump's 15 per cent tariff was 'a surprise.' But was it? Some… Read more Audio
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Midweek- Reality TV, RNZ tweaks, Donnell goneburger
6 Aug 2025Public purse picking up part of the bill for local reality TV, RNZ tweaks Morning Report, Hayden Donnell goneburger from Mediawatch, Colin taught a French lesson. 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.
