TVNZ confirmed last night it was investing in an entirely new studio set at its Victoria St studios, in which contestants vie for cash in front of an oversized, old-school coin waterfall\/pusher arcade machine.<\/p>\n
Ben Shephard hosts the UK version of Tipping Point, which also screens on TVNZ.<\/p>\n
Depending on how this version of the show fares \u2013 and there are understood to be high hopes alongside the investment \u2013 one source told the Herald that the show could eventually screen in a regular TVNZ slot, featuring everyday Kiwis.<\/p>\n
The state broadcaster does not need to look far for inspiration. Australia has its own version of Tipping Point. The Channel 9 show, hosted by former tennis star Todd Woodbridge, now regularly outrates The Chase Australia on Channel 7.<\/p>\n
Tipping Point Australia screens at 5pm, helping Channel 9 build a strong lead-in audience to its 6pm news bulletin, 9News.<\/p>\n
Todd Woodbridge hosts Tipping Point Australia, which regularly outrates The Chase Australia. Photo \/ Channel 9<\/p>\n
A similar strategy could well work in New Zealand one day, with the added bonus of TVNZ attracting more sponsorship and advertising revenue around a local show.<\/p>\n
A TVNZ spokeswoman confirmed the Tipping Point plans when approached last night.<\/p>\n
“Tipping Point is a hugely popular format around the world, and after the incredible success of The Chase New Zealand with our audiences, it makes sense for us to try our hand at this one next,” she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cTipping Point New Zealand will film in our TVNZ studios. We\u2019re undertaking an ambitious set build and will utilise our AR [augmented reality] graphics capabilities too.”<\/p>\n
The spokeswoman said TVNZ would soon confirm pilot-season contestants, including whether they would be celebrities only, along with a schedule, including whether the show would screen daily or weekly.<\/p>\n
There is some good news for The Chase fans for now, at least. The pilot season of Tipping Point New Zealand is expected to screen in primetime \u2013 later in the evening – so there are no planned programming changes for The Chase, which currently screens at 5pm, just yet.<\/p>\n
McDonald did not return calls or a message last night. One remaining question is who he and TVNZ might be lining up as a host? <\/p>\n
Simon Barnett, Jeremy Wells, Matty McLean and Toni Street would surely be among a list of potential top names for any talent scouts. <\/p>\n
Stuff faces print-plant eviction<\/p>\n
Stuff is facing a costly eviction from the Wellington building that has housed its printing presses for more than 35 years, with building owner and businessman Troy Bowker saying he has better uses for the property.<\/p>\n
Bowker \u2013 who was once an outspoken shareholder of NZME, and has robust views on the state of the media \u2013 acquired the Petone building from Australia\u2019s Nine Entertainment in 2025.<\/p>\n
Stuff has been printing newspapers at the Petone building for more than three decades. Photo \/ Bayleys<\/p>\n
Bowker is not a big fan of Stuff, and in that respect, his move has been a masterstroke.<\/p>\n
It has meant Stuff has faced a costly dilemma: either move out in mid-2027 when the building lease expires \u2013 a huge cost, in that Bowker earlier said that Stuff is required to remove its printing press equipment and return the building to its original state \u2013 or agree to what is likely to be a substantially higher rent.<\/p>\n
Caniwi Capital executive chairman Troy Bowker.<\/p>\n
Bowker, the executive chair of Caniwi Capital, says he has made a decision himself.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe will definitely be giving them a termination notice to vacate as at 30 April, 2027, which is my right under the lease,\u201d Bowker told Media Insider yesterday.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe property has a better use for development.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis will require them to remove their massive two-story-high printing press by that date. <\/p>\n
\u201cIn practice, this means they will need to decommission it much earlier, as they are required to deliver back the building with a complete make good [they need to take walls off and part of the roof and rebuild].<\/p>\n
\u201cI wish them luck finding a new premise and relocating their significant printing assets.\u201d<\/p>\n
A source said the eviction could cost Stuff millions, especially if it seeks to rebuild or relocate the printing equipment elsewhere. <\/p>\n
Stuff prints a range of publications at the plant, most notably the Capital\u2019s daily newspaper, The Post. <\/p>\n
Other options would be an extended deal with NZ Herald publisher NZME to use its Auckland printing plant \u2013 NZME currently prints Stuff\u2019s Waikato Times and Sunday Star-Times there \u2013 or a new deal with a regional print-plant operator such as Whakat\u0101ne\u2019s Beacon Print.<\/p>\n
Stuff owner and chief executive Sinead Boucher. Photo \/ Michael Craig<\/p>\n
In response to a series of questions last night about Bowker\u2019s comments and Stuff\u2019s own options, Stuff owner Sinead Boucher told Media Insider: \u201cWhile I am highly amused to see Mr Bowker continue to conduct his commercial negotiations through NZME, I don\u2019t anticipate any change to our publishing plans.\u201d<\/p>\n
Boucher did not respond to follow-up questions on the options available or the likely\/possible costs.<\/p>\n
Jim Grenon lifts NZME shareholding again<\/p>\n
Businessman Jim Grenon has lifted his stake in NZ Herald publisher NZME again – acquiring another one million shares for $1.15 million.<\/p>\n
Grenon now has 35,694,802 shares – or 18.97% of the media firm – just behind Australian investment firm Spheria Asset Management, which has 35,702,300 shares.<\/p>\n
The announcement was made to the NZX this morning. <\/p>\n
Takeover rules start to apply if any shareholder wants to acquire more than 20% of a publicly listed company.<\/p>\n
Grenon did not wish to comment when approached today.<\/p>\n
NZME\u2019s 2025 full-year financial results were released earlier this week – see item below.<\/p>\n
6pm news battle – latest ratings<\/p>\n
Samantha Hayes hosts the Three News bulletin on weeknights.<\/p>\n
An initial three-year term for Stuff to provide TV3\u2019s 6pm news is past the halfway mark, with the media firm likely to seek \u2013 and need \u2013 a higher price or better terms to deliver the evening bulletin from July next year, according to a well-placed source.<\/p>\n
The Three News bulletin runs on a tight budget, with a dedicated but small Stuff team, compared with the more strongly resourced 1News at Six on TVNZ. <\/p>\n
That\u2019s reflected in the ratings, with TVNZ\u2019s 1News at Six bulletin now well ahead of Three News in overall audience and key demographics.<\/p>\n
For the two-week period between February 2-15, 1News at Six had an average daily audience (age 5+) of 566,200 compared with Three News\u2019 average daily audience of 120,100. <\/p>\n
In the 25-54 age bracket, TVNZ\u2019s average daily audience at 6pm was 112,200, compared with Three\u2019s 24,600.<\/p>\n
It is understood that the Stuff deal, which started in July 2024, comes up for renewal after an initial three-year period in July next year.<\/p>\n
Sky chief executive Sophie Moloney said yesterday she was \u201creally happy\u201d with the Three News delivery from Stuff.<\/p>\n
Her comments came in the context of Sky\u2019s half-year results announcement and confirmation of a softer-than-expected linear-TV advertising market. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a vitally important part of that linear offer, the 6pm news slot. We\u2019re also looking at, in the election year, what we\u2019re going to do.<\/p>\n
\u201cOf course, if there\u2019s going to be any review of what we\u2019re doing in the Three News space, that will be for a future conversation.”<\/p>\n
At Sky\u2019s annual shareholders\u2019 meeting in November, Moloney indicated that she agreed with a question from the floor about seeking improvements to the 6pm bulletin, at weekends especially.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s my team who look after that, who are in good conversation with Stuff, and I am pleased about the conversations that I know are ongoing,\u201d Moloney said yesterday.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re having a good think about what we might do at the weekend. I do think [with] some of the different formats and the live interviews, we are seeing some better engagement. <\/p>\n
\u201cI have a super-skilled team who I trust to be in those conversations and thinking about that performance.\u201d<\/p>\n
Asked if she would be willing to pay more to Stuff or any other provider of the bulletin in future, Moloney said: \u201cI am very interested in driving revenue outcomes with audiences, and so if some investment\u2019s required to drive revenue outcomes, then yes, we\u2019ll absolutely be doing that.\u201d<\/p>\n
NBR eyes MBIE legal action<\/p>\n
The National Business Review (NBR) has uncovered what it believes to be one of the biggest alleged breaches yet by a government department of its copyright-protected paywalled journalism.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s calling in lawyers to review information it received back from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) this week, showing that the agency shared and allowed access to NBR articles well beyond, NBR says, MBIE\u2019s limited number of staff subscriptions.<\/p>\n
\u201c[MBIE] has admitted sharing at least 149 NBR articles in breach of our copyright and subscription terms and conditions,” NBR co-editor Hamish McNicol told Media Insider.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis was done in multiple ways, including allowing staff to request specific articles through MBIE\u2019s library, as well as by legitimate MBIE subscribers sharing NBR articles to staff not included in the department\u2019s group subscription to NBR.”<\/p>\n
He said alleged breaches had occurred since 2021, \u201cwith the most egregious example occurring over three days in August 2024, when more than 40 NBR articles related to the Du Val property group were shared in breach of copyright \u2013 a week before Du Val was put into statutory management”.<\/p>\n
This information \u2013 received by NBR in an Official Information Act response from MBIE \u2013 has been referred to NBR\u2019s legal team.<\/p>\n
\u201c[It] will seek to clarify several outstanding questions, including exactly how many non-subscribers were provided NBR articles, before pursuing appropriate damages and an uplift in the 100 subscriptions MBIE has to NBR,” said McNicol.<\/p>\n
MBIE chief data officer Puawai Wereta confirmed information \u201cregarding the management of NBR subscriptions and related content” had been provided to NBR this week.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe respect NBR\u2019s right to take legal advice. It would be premature for us to make further comment, should NBR contact us we will respond accordingly.”<\/p>\n
McNicol said MBIE\u2019s response incorrectly stated that NBR\u2019s terms and conditions changed late last year \u2013 after which the agency increased its group subscription from 61 users to 100 users. <\/p>\n
\u201cOur terms and conditions and copyright have long stated that it is a breach to share NBR content with anyone who does not subscribe to the publication.”<\/p>\n
This latest legal move is part of an emphatic campaign by NBR and its publisher\/co-owner Todd Scott over the past six months, in which it has cracked down on public and private companies sharing subscriptions. <\/p>\n
NBR co-owners Todd and Jackie Scott.<\/p>\n
Several other companies, including the IRD, are also in the gun, and facing legal action.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are further disappointed that of the dozen government agencies we have sought information from relating to NBR subscription use, the four worst offenders \u2013 IRD, MBIE, SFO and FMA \u2013 are all business-focused departments who should recognise the importance of maintaining the integrity of doing business in New Zealand,” said McNicol.<\/p>\n
MediaWorks radio stations ripe for Sky?<\/p>\n
Back to Sky and its half-year result that was delivered yesterday – a $19.3 million after-tax underlying profit with revenue boosted by its $1 acquisition last year of Three (TV3)<\/a>.<\/p>\n There were plenty of talking points \u2013 not least of all the challenged linear-TV advertising market and the future of Sky\u2019s Neon streaming service without HBO Max content.<\/p>\n The market reacted positively to the Sky result \u2013 its share price finished the day at $3.36, up 11 cents.<\/p>\n Sky says economic conditions \u201cremain challenging in the near term\u201d, but that it is on track with its overall ebitda projections in the longer term.<\/p>\n Sky also said that free cash flow was \u201csignificantly higher\u201d than the prior period, with an increased cash balance of $100m at December 31.<\/p>\n \u201cSky will review broader capital management options following the successful integration of Sky Free and will update shareholders at the annual results announcement in August.\u201d<\/p>\n