Gavin Ellis
Haere ra 2018
Rod Oram, Siouxsie Wiles, Gavin Ellis and Lara Strongman look back on the big stories of 2018. Audio
Name suppression ignored globally, regional news shake-ups
Gavin Ellis is a media commentator and former editor of the New Zealand Herald. He can be contacted on gavin.ellis@xtra.co.nz Audio
News values, what is the litmus test?
Gavin Ellis with his thoughts on what is happening to news values. He says the tests that his generation of journalists applied in order to rank stories by importance seem to have gone out the digital… Audio
MediaWorks merger and helm of Maori TV vacancy
Media commentator Gavin Ellis takes a look at the merger of MediaWorks with outdoor advertiser QMS Media, what are the benefits?. Also, who is in the running to replace the CEO of Maori TV, Keith… Audio
Sky TV's new CEO & radical Maori TV changes
Media commentator Gavin Ellis looks at the problems facing Sky TV's subscription service, as Martin Stewart is announced to replace long time Chief Executive John Fellet. Also, Maori TV's announcement… Audio
Radio Live Magic merge & Facebook fact checking
Media commentator Gavin Ellis says the merging of Radio Live with Magic is cost-cutting and frequency grabbing that shows a lack of innovative thinking at MediaWorks. And Facebook is planning a fact… Audio
Stuff change of ownership on the cards
Media commentator Gavin Ellis on the future of Stuff, with Australian regulatory approval for the Fairfax-Nine Network merger coming through. Will that mean a pruning exercise to get the New Zealand… Audio
Is a summit to preserve quality journalism, overdue?
Media commentator, Gavin Ellis ponders whether a proposed media summit on preserving quality journalism in New Zealand is long overdue, and the New York Times is showing the way to a sustainable… Audio
User pays for TVNZ?
Media commentator, Gavin Ellis looks at speculation from TVNZ's CEO Kevin Kenrick about the network's future. It may turn back the clock or push the network toward user-pays. Meanwhile, Spark is… Audio
Sunday Star-Times goes compact
Media commentator, Gavin Ellis looks at a format change for the Sunday Star-Times. Has its 'compact' size succeeded in avoiding the 'tabloid' label? Also why Bruce Morris' exemplar hyper-local site Mt… Audio
Paper delivery issues editorial disappears/reappears
Media commentator Gavin Ellis says a disarmingly honest editorial in Hawkes Bay Today addressed delivery issues related to printing the newspaper in Auckland. So why did the editorial disappear from… Audio
When journalists become the story
Media commentator, Gavin Ellis says journalists play a risky game when they put themselves at the centre of a story but occasionally they produce a winner. Audio
State attempted stifling of NZ media
Media commentator Gavin Ellis says NZ news media are quite rightly rebelling against attempts by Police and other state agencies to control news coverage with onerous access 'contracts'. And the… Audio
NZME-Stuff merger denied & Merv Smith's legacy
The Court of Appeal has turned down the proposed merger between media companies NZME and Stuff, and Media Commentator, Gavin Ellis pays tribute to broadcasting legend Merv Smith who has just passed… Audio
Poorly drafted cyber-bullying legislation
Media commentator Gavin Ellis says the legislation against cyber-bullying was so poorly drafted that Sir Ray Avery's use of the Harmful Digital Communications Act to stifle Newsroom's investigation of… Audio
NZ 'celebrity' house sales masquerading as news
Media commentator Gavin Ellis says well known New Zealanders appearing in real estate sections is one thing, but do celebrities deserve to get free advertising in the news columns when they sell their… Audio
Erosion of sports journalism
Media commentator Gavin Ellis takes a look at the latest lay-offs of sports reporters, four positions at the NZ Herald. Also, the Joint Innovation Fund announced by RNZ and NZOA could be a rescue… Audio
An opinion on the Broadcasting Minister's future
Gavin Ellis says for the sake of the industry, broadcasting minister Clare Curran should resign that portfolio. And, why do media companies bury bad news when it's about themselves? Gavin Ellis is a… Audio
Tribute to Metro founder, Warwick Roger
Gavin Ellis remembers the intensity and courage the late Warwick Roger brought to long-form journalism as the founding editor of Metro magazine. Gavin Ellis is a media commentator and former editor of… Audio
Offensive speech, tune in, or tune out
Gavin Ellis discusses a newspaper letter writer's point about 'The right to listen…or not' as a defence against offensive speech. Is the right not to look or listen the best antidote? Or should media… Audio