Media Insider: TVNZ news review – why report will remain secret; TVNZ CEO on crime story, Tova’s start and World Cup; Brodie Kane on podcast break-up; journalists pour hearts into new books

The Herald had applied for the report under the Official Information Act, arguing a strong public interest in the operation of the state broadcaster, especially in an era of heightened focus on media trust.

TVNZ refused the full report’s release but issued a summary.

After the Herald appealed to the Ombudsman, and following discussions between the Ombudsman and TVNZ, the broadcaster agreed to release a longer summary, adding more details about what former ABC Australia and SBS executive Alan Sunderland had found and recommended.

This included a general warning that presenters must ensure impartiality and a clear distinction between fact and opinion; and that the broadcaster needed to ensure “the widest possible diversity of perspectives” and “deeper coverage of key issues”.

Chief Ombudsman John Allen has now confirmed his belief that TVNZ was entitled to withhold the full report.

“I see that the public interest in its release has been met by the summary that has been provided to you, which is a fair reflection of the findings of the report,” Allen wrote in a letter to the Herald.

“The remainder of the report is detailed commentary on specific TVNZ programmes and staff, which I consider can be withheld under commercial activities and privacy grounds.”

The Herald argued names and other identifying details could be redacted from the report to allay privacy concerns.

The Herald also argued: “TVNZ’s news operation – and the commissioning, outcome and release of an ‘independent’ review – should be operating completely free of any commercial considerations.”

Allen said: “I consider that [the] release of the report would prejudice TVNZ’s commercial activities as it would provide its competitors with detailed information about how TVNZ might improve its operations.

“I do not see that such a report can be reasonably separated from TVNZ’s commercial activities, as you suggest. I have therefore formed the final opinion that TVNZ was entitled to withhold the report.”

Although TVNZ is publicly owned, almost all of its revenue comes from advertisers. It is set up as a Crown entity and expected to return a dividend to its public owners.

TVNZ has faced heat over a news story on Thursday last week that focused on rising gang membership but ignored new data, released by the Government on the same day, that showed a dramatic reduction in the number of violent crime victims.

That story incensed the Prime Minister and Government ministers and led to several phone calls between the ministers and the TVNZ journalist responsible for the story, senior political reporter Benedict Collins, and his boss, political editor Maiki Sherman.

TVNZ chairman Andrew Barclay (top) and Broadcasting Minister Paul Goldsmith. Photos / RNZ, supplied

Then, on Sunday, TVNZ chairman Andrew Barclay raised the story during a phone call with Broadcasting Minister Paul Goldsmith. Goldsmith said the phone call was about other matters, and he shut down the conversation about the news story straight away.

“I didn’t engage further in the discussion on that matter,” Goldsmith told Parliament yesterday. “I may possibly have grunted, but I’m not sure.”

While Goldsmith has every right, like other members of the public, to complain to the TVNZ newsroom if he feels TVNZ has got something wrong with a story, he is not allowed to interfere in newsroom and editorial decision-making as a minister.

TVNZ’s newsroom policies state the organisation’s news and current affairs department “operates without fear or favour”.

“It is not influenced by any improper political, sectional, commercial or personal interests, whether from inside or outside the organisation,” says the policy.

“This principle of editorial independence is fundamental to an objective and impartial newsroom, and critical to a free and democratic society.

“This independence is also enshrined in the Television New Zealand Act 2003, which states government ministers cannot interfere with the editorial decisions of the company.”

Sunderland review

Sunderland monitored TVNZ’s news coverage over the course of a week last July.

The first of five “areas of discussion” as identified by Sunderland and earlier outlined by TVNZ, was around ensuring the “widest possible diversity of perspectives”.

“The reviewer identified two stories where he considered that TVNZ could have explored a wider diversity of views on the topic at issue,” said TVNZ.

It did not provide specific details.

The second area for discussion was “considering the nature of TVNZ’s audience and that of the wider community when determining appropriate perspectives to ensure impartiality”.

“The reviewer identified one story where he would have liked to have seen TVNZ’s coverage examine the impact of the issue on different communities within New Zealand,” said TVNZ, again without providing the specific story.

The third area was “missed opportunities for deeper coverage of key issues”.

“The reviewer identified that there were one or two stories across the course of the week, which the reviewer described as ‘underdone in the circumstances’.

“The reviewer noted that ‘this will always be the case in any week – big breaking news or competing editorial priorities will push issues down the daily agenda, and resources are inevitable [sic] limited, lead [sic] to tough choices’.

“The reviewer discussed three stories where he considered there could have been deeper coverage.”

TVNZ did not say what the stories were about.

The fourth point was the role of presenters and “ensuring impartiality and a clear distinction between fact and opinion”.

“The reviewer identified this as an issue for discussion rather than criticism. The reviewer noted that presenters should be aware of the impartiality standard if an issue is significant or controversial.

“The reviewer noted that this issue did not arise in the shows reviewed but wanted to note it as something for TVNZ to keep in mind.”

Finally, TVNZ highlighted a fifth, technical and timing point. “The reviewer identified the risks with carrying out a pre-recorded interview on a developing and significant story.”

TVNZ CEO steps in over crime story

TVNZ chief executive Jodi O’Donnell has revealed she was also involved in the aftermath of last Thursday’s crime story, in her capacity as the company’s editor-in-chief.

She was away last week, but upon her return on Monday, she said she asked newsroom leaders to review the story, which, she says, they were doing anyway.

There was no political or board interference, she said.

“Directors are interested in editorial standards, but I certainly wasn’t given any direction from the chair around that at all,” O’Donnell said. “He just said, ‘Are you comfortable that we’ve maintained editorial standards?’”

O’Donnell said TVNZ was producing 90 to 100 stories a day.

TVNZ chief executive Jodi O’Donnell. Photo / Sylvie Whinray

“It’s important to realise that as editor-in-chief I am responsible around maintaining editorial standards, and so if I think that there is a story that needs to be looked at, that certainly is my role.

“It’s not unusual for me to have conversations with newsroom leaders around that, but I’m clear that that is where my role stops. And so it’s over to the newsroom leaders to make that decision.”

She said when things were “a bit noisy in market”, she would “definitely take more of a view” of editorial content.

“When I looked at that [story], I thought there was an opportunity for us to add additional balance.

“So I asked the newsroom to review that. They were already doing that.

“Just to be clear, the story was factual and accurate, so there wasn’t any issue with that, but there certainly was information around the crime stats that could have been included, and that was the decision that they [newsroom leaders] made.”

TVNZ ran another 6pm news story, on Wednesday this week, which delved into the crime statistics.

O’Donnell said as chief executive and editor in chief, she received a lot of feedback from viewers.

“I get a lot of complaints from what Melissa Stokes’ earrings look like, through to the colour of Hilary Barry’s shirt.”

It was not unusual for her to have conversations with news leaders on more serious matters.

TVNZ boss on Tova start date, TVNZ+ relaunch, football World Cup pay plans

TVNZ will release its half-year financial results at 9am today – Media Insider will have the results right here, at that time.

In the meantime, chief executive Jodi O’Donnell has announced new Breakfast host Tova O’Brien will start her role on Monday, March 30, and a super-powered TVNZ+ will relaunch in April.

New TVNZ Breakfast co-host Tova O’Brien.

While TVNZ+ viewers are unlikely to notice too much change immediately, the platform’s new backend technology is a critical component in TVNZ’s five-year digital strategy, with stronger personalisation of content for individual viewers, and greater engagement and revenue opportunities for TVNZ.

One of the biggest changes will be TVNZ’s capacity to offer subscription television through the new platform – that is, pay TV for major events.

That will start in earnest in June, with the football World Cup – TVNZ has the exclusive New Zealand rights for all 104 matches.

O’Donnell said once the new TVNZ+ platform had launched in April, the company would announce and launch its World Cup subscription package in May.

The tournament offers TVNZ the opportunity of two major revenue streams – 22 games, including all All Whites games, will be screened live and free, an important menu of content for advertisers.

TVNZ says it has sold all of its commercial packages for the tournament.

For true football fanatics, all 104 games will be offered in a tournament pass package – another important revenue stream, although TVNZ has yet to announce the price.

Some media observers are picking a price of about $50 for the six-week event.

Meanwhile, Tova O’Brien’s arrival as Breakfast co-host on March 30 comes two weeks before senior TVNZ correspondent John Campbell starts as co-host of RNZ Morning Report, heralding a new era of competition in morning broadcast media.

At NZME, Ryan Bridge’s NZ Herald video show is now available on Three Now and will soon be available on Three’s terrestrial channel. Mike Hosking, meanwhile, reigns as the king of breakfast radio at Newstalk ZB.

Will TVNZ snap up HBO Max content?

Jodi O’Donnell has hinted TVNZ might yet do a deal with Warner Bros Discovery for co-exclusive rights to HBO Max content such as The Pitt and The White Lotus.

Sky TV has suffered a big blow in losing exclusive rights to HBO Max from its Neon platform from the middle of the year.

Warner Bros Discovery says it’s planning to launch a direct-to-consumer HBO Max service in New Zealand, as it has done in dozens of other countries.

Sky walked away from a potential co-exclusive deal.

That leaves the way clear for TVNZ to potentially jump into bed for those co-exclusive rights.

Noah Wyle and Katherine LaNasa in The Pitt.

O’Donnell would not say whether TVNZ was talking to Warner Bros Discovery.

“We talk to lots of people all the time. I think that we’ve proved that [exclusive rights are] not so important for us anymore. There was a time when it was really important, but actually not anymore.

“We’ve got content at the moment that sits on our platform and it sits on Netflix – The Rookie is a really good example of that.”

Brodie Kane on podcast break-up: ‘We wanted different things’

Let Her Finish podcast hosts Tegan Yorwarth, Brodie Kane and Gracie Hitchcock and (inset) former The Girls Uninterrupted host Caitlin Marett.

Broadcaster Brodie Kane has given more details about what lay behind the mysterious and abrupt break-up of one of the country’s most popular podcasts, saying the trio of hosts “wanted different things”.

Kane this week launched a new podcast, Let Her Finish, to a backdrop of controversy.

Let Her Finish has taken over the Instagram platform – and its more than 30,000 followers – of her former podcast, The Girls Uninterrupted.

The Girls Uninterrupted was hosted for seven years by Kane, Gracie Hitchcock and Caitlin Marett.

The new hosts of Let Her Finish are Kane, Hitchcock and MediaWorks broadcaster Tegan Yorwarth.

Before the first episode of Let Her Finish was released this week, a follower posted a plea on the Instagram page, asking the hosts to explain why Marett was no longer involved.

“I really hope your first episode addresses the Caitlin situation,” wrote the follower.

“Love you girls, but this all smacks as very unfair that her being MIA [missing in action] has not been addressed since your initial name change and announcement, despite many comments about it. It also seems wild to me that TGU has been rebranded into this page and Caitlin effectively culled from the platform and following that SHE helped create.”

The follower said it had left a sour taste.

“I don’t think this has been handled well … it must have been in the pipeline for months already.”

She said it explained why Marett was “so off” on the final The Girls Uninterrupted podcast last year.

“Why not get in front of the PR mess by addressing the parting well ahead of now. Be girls, girls, and front foot this stuff.”

Later in the week, Kane front-footed it, saying she had been in the comments section and “just wanted to address a few things from there”.

She apologised that the end of The Girls Uninterrupted and the launch of Let Her Finish had “caused some confusion, and that you have some questions about that”.

“Basically, at the end of last year, we got to a point [with] The Girls Uninterrupted – myself, Gracie, and Caitlin – where we wanted different things in terms of the direction of where the podcast was going, which is totally fine.

“We have had the most amazing seven years with you as well … it had been a truly, truly special seven years, some of my best memories ever.

“But we did want different things, so the best logical thing to do was to go our separate ways.”

She said her company, Brodie Kane Media – with its “staff of one” – signed a new partnership with MediaWorks.

“I still really wanted to do a podcast, and that’s where Let Her Finish has come in. Three women in the same city, which is really, really exciting, and wanting to do a few more different things – video offerings, some extra offerings that will be coming very soon as well.”

Marett is based in the South Island, while Kane, Hitchcock, and now Yorwarth are in Auckland.

“I can’t speak for anyone else, and out of respect… I won’t speak on anyone else’s behalf, other than to say my love and respect for Gracie, Caitlin, and Tegan is always going to be there, and my love for what we did as The Girls Uninterrupted will always be there,” said Kane.

Marett told Media Insider by text: “Thanks for reaching out again, I still have no comment.”

Kiwi journalists hit the books

“Everyone loves Paddy,” says Allen & Unwin boss Michelle Hurley as she reflects on the plethora of books written by New Zealand journalists in recent years.

Amid a backdrop of newsroom shake-ups – or, in the case of Newshub, its complete annihilation – some journalists have branched into longform writing, with the bonus of some reasonable side-hustle coin.

Some, like Paddy Gower with his 2024 book This is the F#$%ing News, have bared all, opening up on personal demons. In Gower’s case, he wrote candidly of being bullied in his younger years and his later alcohol addiction.

Paddy Gower bared all with his 2024 book This is the F#$%ing News.

It has been one of the most successful non-fiction titles in recent years.

On Thursday night in Auckland, TVNZ Pacific correspondent Barbara Dreaver launched her new memoir, Be Brave. Like Gower’s book, it gets personal quickly – covering the torment of her younger brother’s suicide, dealing with racism and being locked up for simply doing her job as a journalist.

Barbara Dreaver has released her first book. Photos / Supplied

Journalist Charlotte Glennie’s new book Every Second Counts is released next week, a book that delves into her own international career and a near-tragic fall that caused horrific injuries in Croatia.

A similar theme is the basis for a new book, The Crash, to be published next month, by radio journalist Sally Wenley.

Wenley became a paraplegic after a 1987 school bus crash that killed five other people. Publicity for the book states: “She looks back at the angry, defiant, risk-taking younger self who used alcohol and arrogance to mask physical pain and trauma. And, for the first time in 40 years, she also looks squarely at the accident.”

Sally Wenley’s new book is released in April.

Newstalk ZB political correspondent Barry Soper’s new book, One Last Question, Prime Minister, covers his career at Parliament across 12 prime ministers.

Publisher Harper Collins says it’s “packed with entertaining yarns from the hallways, back-rooms, and hotel bars where New Zealand’s chosen leaders – for better or worse – created their lasting legacies.” It is also released in late April.

Barry Soper’s new book covers the tenures of 12 Prime Ministers.

And on shelves right now are recent books from the likes of Herald journalists Jared Savage and Gregor Paul, Listener and Newsroom columnist Steve Braunias, independent journalist Dylan Cleaver, as well as memoirs from Mike McRoberts and Lisette Reymer.

“Lisette’s book has done really well – it just keeps on selling, and it has been out for eight months now,” says Hurley.

“I think hers worked because a) she had an incredible story to tell – the only New Zealand journalist to go to Ukraine that many times and b) she’s a fabulous, funny storyteller, so it was a terrific read.”

No, I Don’t Get Danger Money by Lisette Reymer. Photo / Supplied

Booksellers Aotearoa NZ association manager Renee Rowland agreed Gower and Reymer’s books had been big successes.

Rowland notes New Zealanders’ obsession with books about the two world wars. She said Reymer’s book title, No, I Don’t Get Danger Money, was clever and different. “She’s definitely been in people’s minds because of Ukraine. It was good timing, and it’s a really good book.”

According to sources, journalists can be offered anywhere between $10,000 and $25,000 as an advance on a book, depending on how well a publisher thinks it will sell.

A good sale might be anywhere between 2000 for a smaller publisher to 20,000-plus.

There had “absolutely” been an increase in books from New Zealand journalists and media identities, said Rowland.

She highlights broadcaster Toni Street’s successful memoir in 2021 as a title that started a new tide.

“It really appealed to readers and it seemed like – as a bookseller – it was just a never-ending [trail of new titles]. We thought maybe there was a bit of saturation going on, publishers had exhausted this genre, but it just keeps giving.

“Readers still want them. When a journalist’s memoir comes out, it goes straight to the bestseller.”

She also highlighted Gower and Reymer’s books, and thinks Dreaver’s book will be “amazing”.

“I think it’s pretty savvy work from the publishers, recognising that there’s this group of people who can tell a story, who can communicate pretty well, and have quite interesting stories to tell.

“People want to feel a connection and generally journalists are very, very good at creating that connection and telling a story that people want to hear.”

She says the media was “under attack”, with redundancies and other changes. “It’s a ripe group for story picking.”

Savage, author of Gangland, Gangster’s Paradise and Underworld, says each of his books were between 70,000 and 80,000 words, and took six-12 months to write, mainly in evenings and at weekends as he balanced the demands of his day job.

Underworld by Jared Savage. Photo / Supplied

“From a personal perspective, I was never someone who aspired to write a book.

“The opportunity came up because I had been reporting on gangs and organised crime for the Herald over a long period of time.

“All the stories in my books are based on stories I originally broke for the Herald, so I had an existing body of work and research to draw upon. Journos have to write tightly for news, so the books gave me more time and space to expand on the stories and join up all the dots.

“In turn, writing the books boosted my knowledge and credibility in that organised crime space, which has opened up new doors for my Herald journalism.

“That’s been a real win-win.”

Gregor Paul ghostwrote Ian Foster’s book, Leading Under Pressure.

Rugby writer Gregor Paul – whose titles include Steve Hansen’s biography and the ghostwriting of Ian Foster’s memoir – made similar comments, saying that for him, writing books was a “labour of love” for which he was grateful for the support of publisher Harper Collins and his family.

Hurley, meanwhile, loves working with journalists.

“They (usually) respect a deadline, aren’t precious about being edited and know how to tell a good story,” she says.

How well a book does will depend on the topic.

“A more worthy topic may sell fewer books but I still think it’s worth doing as it allows journalists to dig deeper and is a more permanent record than stories often are. Guyon Espiner wrote an excellent book on New Zealand’s drinking culture a few years ago, for example.

“But yes, books by journalists on crime, gangs, politicians, the All Blacks often do sell more strongly, as what they are writing about has wide appeal.”

Rowland thinks some best-sellers are waiting in the minds of some of our biggest broadcasting and journalistic names, citing John Campbell, Mike Hosking, Ryan Bridge and Heather du Plessis-Allan.

“If Ryan wrote a book, I think that would be huge. And do you know, whenever Heather du Plessis-Allan is on the cover of the Woman’s Weekly, we always sell out.”

She’s an occasional magazine cover face – could a book be next for Heather du Plessis-Allan?

Career twists

And while some journalists and broadcasters are turning to books as a side hustle, others are moving into new content-adjacent business careers.

Former Newshub sports presenter Andrew Gourdie – now head of communications for NZ’s richest horse race, the NZB Kiwi – has played a key role in bringing the event to a broader audience this weekend.

Andrew Gourdie and partner Rebecca Wright at Ellerslie Racecourse.

The race – which offers stakes and bonuses of $4m – will screen on Sky TV on Saturday.

“The NZB Kiwi’s a concept that’s designed to engage new audiences,” says Gourdie.

“The first running of the race last year laid the platform, but my main aim for 2026 was to create a complementary broadcast of the NZB Kiwi that was distinctly different to what the Trackside team produces for an engaged racing audience – one that appeals to casual sports fans and focuses on the entertainment and the on-course spectacle around the race.

“I pitched the idea to [Sky TV head of sport] Gary Burchett last year and he got it straight away. He’s been brilliant to deal with, and I’m excited to see the Sky team bring this idea to life.

“We want the NZB Kiwi to be New Zealand’s Melbourne Cup and this is a really important step towards that.”

Robert Scott.

Meanwhile, broadcaster Robert Scott has been dabbling with AI technology to write and produce a new song, Take Me Back to the 80s. It features iconic New Zealand images from that era and Scott’s own voice, super-powered by AI.

“It’s gone nuts,” says Scott, a musician and former host of the Breeze radio station. “Local radio stations have added it to their playlists. I’ve been interviewed by some, and it’s racking up the views.

“It was not expected at all! Seems to have resonated and the process was fascinating. I wrote the lyrics and then melody recorded them into my phone. Uploaded that demo to AI, which then arranged it for me… so this is an AI version of my voice. Crazy technology.”

Janine Fenwick.

And after more than 14 years at Stuff, senior editor and journalist Janine Fenwick has joined Christchurch-based AI start-up Contented.

The start-up – Contented AI records meetings and creates documents with actions – has hit headlines recently, with a $4.1m seed raise.

“I’ve joined as head of brand and content. It’s a unique role for an ex-journo, but for a business like Contented – where the product is content – I’m there to apply editorial rigour to everything we make,” says Fenwick.

Editor-at-Large Shayne Currie is one of New Zealand’s most experienced senior journalists and media leaders. He has held executive and senior editorial roles at NZME including Managing Editor, NZ Herald Editor and Herald on Sunday Editor and has a small shareholding in NZME.