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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
Navigation for Mediawatch
Latest 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
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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
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.
