NZ Media Council upholds complaint over inaccurate NZ Herald headline

NZ Herald

22 Jun, 2026 12:48 AM2 mins to read

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The article reported on the findings of a DebtManagers survey.

The NZ Media Council has upheld a complaint against the New Zealand Herald over inaccuracies and a misleading headline in a story published during Debt Awareness Week.

The article, published on March 23, 2026, reported on a DebtManagers survey about New Zealanders’ attitudes to debt. Its original headline said, “four
in five New Zealanders are ashamed to admit they are struggling”. But the article itself cited different figures: 60% of respondents had experienced debt struggles, and 67% said there was significant shame around debt.

Martin Ryder said the headline was not supported by the data because it suggested that 80% of New Zealanders were personally ashamed of their own debt, which the survey did not show. He also criticised the NZ Herald for not responding promptly to his concerns.

After the complaint was raised, the NZ Herald amended both the headline and the article. The revised version said four in five respondents believed people feel embarrassed to admit financial struggles and added survey data showing 86% agreed.

The Media Council found that the original headline breached standards of accuracy and fair representation. It said the wording created a stronger and different impression than the survey supported, misrepresenting respondents’ views, indicating that 80% of New Zealanders were struggling with debt. The Council also noted that the article’s opening sentence repeated the unsupported claim, reinforcing the inaccuracy.