also sent a legal letter last year to Newstalk ZB, which was investigating the incident<\/a>.<\/p>\nZB host Mike Hosking said: \u201cTVNZ threatened to sue us.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe got the big broad-based fat letter from the lawyers \u2013 it was one of those very wide-ranging letters you get from corporate lawyers basically encompassing everything.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt doesn\u2019t matter what you say, when you say, why you say it, how you say it, they\u2019re going to go you for something. It was one of those letters.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hosking raised the question of whether it was \u201cwise of the state broadcaster to use lawyers to threaten other broadcasting entities that have what, as it turns out, a perfectly legitimate story\u201d.<\/p>\n
O\u2019Brien, meanwhile, has not removed or amended her article.<\/p>\n
In publishing the Stuff letters in a follow-up post on her Substack page yesterday, she throws a spotlight on media companies threatening legal action, and is critical of what she calls the \u201cchilling effect… coming from inside the house.\u201d<\/p>\n
She described Stuff\u2019s behaviour as \u201cegregious hypocrisy\u201d because it was also reporting on commentary about TVNZ\u2019s legal action and the \u201cappropriateness of taking \u2018a legal approach toward another media organisation\u2019 while they are attempting to use the same tactics on me\u201d.<\/p>\n
She also said Stuff was using her original report for its own journalism.<\/p>\n
\u201cHere am I in the bizarre situation of simultaneously receiving aggressive legal correspondence about my Substack article while the sender of that correspondence is quite literally relying on that same piece in order to write and publish its own reports on the matter,\u201d she wrote.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey explicitly reference, and consequently draw attention to, the very article that they are alleging is defamatory. Either the reporting is so unreliable that it warrants legal intervention, or it is sufficiently credible to form the basis of your own journalism.\u201d<\/p>\n
A Stuff spokeswoman told Media Insider in a statement that the original post \u201cdefamed a senior member of Stuff Group\u2019s editorial team by reporting a claimed allegation he used a type of slur, when this was completely untrue and never happened\u201d. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe sought for only this particular defamatory statement to be removed from the article. We never sought removal of the entire article itself.<\/p>\n
\u201cStuff does not resile from seeking to protect the reputation of a member of our team in this situation.\u201d<\/p>\n
For her part, O\u2019Brien wrote that she considered Stuff\u2019s approach \u201chostile\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cI will not be intimidated and won\u2019t allow a big corporation to strong-arm me into compliance.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Sherman-Burr saga explained \u2013 who\u2019s threatening whom<\/p>\n
![\"TVNZ]()
TVNZ political editor Maiki Sherman and (inset) Stuff political journalist Lloyd Burr. Photos \/ TVNZ, supplied<\/p>\n
Are you keeping up with this ongoing drama, with all its twists and turns and political and legal sideshows?<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s a rundown of who\u2019s who and who\u2019s threatening whom.<\/p>\n
TVNZ political editor Maiki Sherman allegedly directed a homophobic slur at Stuff journalist Lloyd Burr during a function in Finance Minister Nicola Willis\u2019 office in May last year. Willis said she heard \u201coffensive language\u201d and shut the event down. <\/p>\n
Newstalk ZB, through Mike Hosking\u2019s producer Sam Carran, was working on a story about the incident in the latter half of 2025.<\/p>\n
TVNZ sent Newstalk ZB a threatening legal letter and the story ultimately did not get across the line. It is understood that other media were also sniffing around the story at one stage.<\/p>\n
Political commentator Ani O\u2019Brien broke the story on her Substack page this week.<\/p>\n
All of New Zealand\u2019s major news firms are now covering the incident and fallout.<\/p>\n
Stuff has sent legal correspondence to O\u2019Brien, taking issue with the way she framed Burr\u2019s alleged involvement in the incident. He has denied making any slur to Sherman.<\/p>\n
In a separate incident, the National Party is angry with the way Sherman acted at Parliament on Tuesday night last week, as she tried to interview whip Stuart Smith in a corridor.<\/p>\n
Yesterday, Speaker Gerry Brownlee announced a five-day suspension for Sherman following National\u2019s complaint. She cannot cover Parliament from today until next Wednesday.<\/p>\n
From runaway to drinking mate<\/p>\n
It seems some politicians and journalists can still enjoy each other\u2019s company.<\/p>\n
Spotted having a drink at the Parliament bar this week was one Stuart Smith, the National Party whip at the centre of the late-night corridor incident involving Maiki Sherman – and the man who was chasing down the PM a few weeks ago, unsuccessfully, to talk about caucus unrest in his leadership.<\/p>\n
After a week of avoiding the media, he was looking perfectly comfortable enjoying that drink with two media rivals – NZ Herald political editor Thomas Coughlan and The Post\u2019s deputy political editor Henry Cooke.<\/p>\n
PR \u2018conflict\u2019 claim: Herald journalist in spotlight<\/p>\n
A senior NZ Herald journalist is in the spotlight after The Spinoff website reported he allegedly acted in a public relations capacity for a publicly funded trust headed by his sister.<\/p>\n
An article about the Pacific Business Trust and its chief executive, Mary Los\u2019e, was published in the Kahu section of the Herald\u2019s website in February 2024. <\/p>\n
Journalist Joseph Los\u2019e is the kaupapa M\u0101ori editor of the Herald and regularly writes for the Kahu section. He is Mary Los\u2019e\u2019s brother.<\/p>\n
The Spinoff reported that Joseph Los\u2019e had tried to pitch a story about the trust and his sister to other media outlets in November 2023, before it appeared in the Herald.<\/p>\n
The Spinoff reported Los\u2019e had suggested to a journalist from another outlet \u201csome angles for potential coverage, as well as offering a pre-written feature about his sister … and her path from acting on Shortland Street to the upper echelons of business\u201d.<\/p>\n
The Spinoff reported Los\u2019e had said the piece would be produced by a freelancer and supplied free of charge. \u201cHe had a headline in mind: \u2018From green room to boardroom\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n
This was the headline that was used on the eventual Herald website piece.<\/p>\n
![\"The]()
The piece about Pacific Business Trust chief executive Mary Los’e ran on the Herald’s website in February 2024.<\/p>\n
\u201cLos\u2019e\u2019s email raises a number of questions about the Herald\u2019s editorial processes,\u201d wrote The Spinoff\u2019s Hayden Donnell.<\/p>\n
\u201cKahu\u2019s feature on Mary Los\u2019e isn\u2019t flagged as having been provided or commissioned by an outside organisation. Though it acknowledges that the subject\u2019s brother works as an editor at the Herald, it doesn\u2019t mention he had pitched the story to other media while doing PR for the trust.”<\/p>\n
![\"NZ]()
NZ Herald journalist Joseph Los’e’s author page on nzherald.co.nz.<\/p>\n
Los\u2019e did not wish to comment when approached yesterday, referring Media Insider to NZME editor-in-chief Murray Kirkness.<\/p>\n
Media Insider sent a list of questions to NZME. An NZME spokeswoman said: \u201cWe don\u2019t comment on employment matters.\u201d<\/p>\n
Massey University associate professor of journalism James Hollings ran through possible scenarios.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am not so concerned that he was promoting his sister\u2019s organisation, and being paid for it, while an editor at the Herald. He is free to moonlight, if the Herald was okay with that,” Hollings said in an email to Media Insider.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs long as he declared that outside interest to the Herald, it would be up to them to manage that conflict, for example, by getting him to stand down from any editorial decisions that involved that organisation or stories about it.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut, that aside, I think many journalists would consider it morally questionable to be doing PR while also working as a journalist.\u201d<\/p>\n
However, if he did not declare that interest, \u201cand used his position to place the feature in the Herald, that appears to be a clear conflict of interest\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt effectively deceives the readers of the Herald, by not disclosing that interest. If the Herald knew about his conflict, and agreed to publish the article without disclosure, that is poor judgment, and in my view, they should withdraw it and apologise to their readers for that lapse.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf the Herald did not know about the conflict of interest, in my view that would be a serious breach of trust by an employee, and the Herald should take remedial action. <\/p>\n
\u201cIn any case, the Herald should explain what it knew and when, if they wish the public to continue to have faith in their editorial content.\u201d<\/p>\n
Warehouse account to Together<\/p>\n
One of the country\u2019s biggest advertising accounts is heading to an independent agency.<\/p>\n
The Warehouse Group has today announced the appointment of Kiwi-owned Together as its partner for media planning, buying, social and content. <\/p>\n
The partnership covers The Warehouse, Warehouse Stationery and Noel Leeming.<\/p>\n
![\"The]()
The Warehouse advertising account has moved to Together, as of today.<\/p>\n
Together would be tasked with driving growth through marketing and \u201cleveraging data-led planning and the agency\u2019s own New Zealand-built media tools to deepen the group\u2019s connection with consumers\u201d.<\/p>\n
The Warehouse Group chief marketing officer Frankie Coulter said the agency\u2019s New Zealand ownership and strategic approach were key factors in the decision.<\/p>\n
\u201cTogether has a unique ability to blend strategic media planning with technology, creativity and content capabilities, in a fully independent model. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe are excited to work with them …\u201d<\/p>\n
Omnicom\u2019s OMD has held the Warehouse account for the past eight years. TBWA remains the company\u2019s creative advertising firm.<\/p>\n
![\"The]()
The Warehouse Group chief marketing officer Frankie Coulter.<\/p>\n
The move to Together is a further sign of the growing influence of independent media agencies in New Zealand, especially following the turmoil and job losses caused by mergers and cutbacks unfolding within major global advertising companies.<\/p>\n
Together said it would lead the account from its Auckland office, deploying \u201ca multi-disciplinary team\u201d across media planning, buying, analytics, content, customer and technology.<\/p>\n
Together managing director media Pen Brown said the agency was proud to partner \u201cwith such an integral part of New Zealand\u2019s retail landscape\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Warehouse Group brands are icons in this country, and the opportunity to work across such a broad and influential portfolio with such an ambitious and creative marketing team is incredibly exciting.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur focus will be on delivering a seamless, data-driven approach that connects media, social and content to deliver real commercial impact. We can\u2019t wait to get started and help these brands navigate the next chapter of their growth.\u201d<\/p>\n
The appointment is effective from today for The Warehouse and Warehouse Stationery, and from August 1 for Noel Leeming.<\/p>\n
Media Insider will have more about this announcement on Friday.<\/p>\n
Jason Oxenham – a tribute<\/p>\n
The Herald newsroom – and the New Zealand journalism industry more generally – is mourning the loss of talented photographer Jason Oxenham. <\/p>\n
Jason, a photographer for many years at the NZ Herald and previously Fairfax\/Stuff, died earlier this week after a long battle with multiple myeloma.<\/p>\n
Jason had many friends at the Herald and across the industry – a few short weeks ago, some of them gathered at an Auckland bar to be with Jason, celebrating a wonderful career and an outstanding human.<\/p>\n
![\"Photographer]()
Photographer Jason Oxenham. Photo \/ Michael Craig<\/p>\n
One of Jason\u2019s closest mates was Herald investigative journalist Jared Savage, who has penned a tribute today:<\/p>\n
I met Jason Oxenham at the Central Leader, a community newspaper in Auckland, back in 2004.<\/p>\n
It was my first job as a reporter, and I was as green as grass. At first, I thought Jase was a bit gruff, but I soon figured out that he was a big softie.<\/p>\n
He was quick to teach me the most important job of any reporter: how to hold the camera flash properly.<\/p>\n
Jase was a brilliant photographer. He always made the most of any interview, no matter how big or small, and I was often amazed at the ingenuity of the images he created.<\/p>\n
He had a real knack for helping the most nervous of interview subjects to relax in front of the camera. It\u2019s a real skill, and a reminder that journalism is all about building trust with people from all walks of life.<\/p>\n
Jase had a wicked sense of humour, dry and dark, but he was so kind-hearted.<\/p>\n
He would often invite me over for a home-cooked meal to watch the rugby in the weekend (he was a true blue Auckland supporter) despite how busy his life must have been with a young family in tow. And he loved his wife Kristy and three girls, Holly, Jemma and Ruby, he was so proud of them.<\/p>\n
Later, our friendship was put to the test when I asked an enormous favour \u2013 would he photograph the most important day of my life?<\/p>\n
There was no one else that my wife-to-be and I wanted to shoot our wedding, but Jase was reluctant to agree at first. I think he was a little nervous that something would go wrong on the big day, and we\u2019d be disappointed, but he needn\u2019t have worried.<\/p>\n
As always, Jase did an amazing job. He worked from dawn till dusk, and far beyond, on a scorching hot day to capture so many beautiful memories.<\/p>\n
Not to mention the countless hours that he must have spent travelling out of town and processing the images.<\/p>\n
To top it off, he refused to accept any payment. That\u2019s just the sort of guy that Jase was, always so generous with his time and skills.<\/p>\n
A few years later, we worked together again at the NZ Herald and I was so stoked that his talents could be appreciated by a wider audience.<\/p>\n
Not that he ever cared about seeking the limelight, Jase just got on with the job without a fuss. <\/p>\n
He was one of the genuine \u201cgood guys\u201d in New Zealand journalism, loved and respected by all, and he will be sorely missed.<\/p>\n
Jason Oxenham will be farewelled at a service at St Benedict\u2019s Church, Eden Terrace, central Auckland at 2pm on Friday. <\/p>\n
A new-look ZB campaign <\/p>\n
It\u2019s been terrific to watch and hear the renewed morning media battle unfold in recent weeks – Media Insider has written extensively about the new-look TVNZ Breakfast show, co-hosted by Tova O\u2019Brien, the new-look Morning Report co-hosted by John Campbell, and NZME\u2019s expanded Ryan Bridge TODAY show.<\/p>\n
![\"Mike]()
Mike Hosking, as featured in the new ZB marketing campaign.<\/p>\n
Now the country\u2019s biggest radio station, Newstalk ZB, is refreshing itself with a new brand and marketing campaign launching on Monday.<\/p>\n
ZB hosts, including Mike Hosking, Heather du Plessis-Allan, Bridge, Kerre Woodham, Jack Tame, Matt Heath, Tyler Adams, Marcus Lush and Francesca Rudkin all feature prominently in the video, TV, radio, print and billboard commercials.<\/p>\n
Reagan Butler is behind the photography and direction.<\/p>\n
Hosking said in a statement: \u201cNewstalk ZB is coming up to 100 years of broadcasting to New Zealanders. A hundred years of loyal listeners, of earning trust, and of showing up every single day to ask the questions that matter. <\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s not something you build overnight, and it\u2019s not something you take for granted. This campaign is a celebration of that strength, of a station and a team that has always believed in being the best and never stopped working to prove it.\u201d<\/p>\n
NZME chief marketing officer – audio Katie Mills said ZB did not need a gimmick. \u201cThere is often a temptation in marketing to change things, but the talented broadcasters in this campaign are the reason our audience trusts Newstalk ZB. Our job was simply to put them in a frame that does them justice.\u201d<\/p>\n
Newstalk ZB head of talk Will Maisey said: \u201cThis campaign is about confidence – confidence in our people, our platform and our audience.\u201d<\/p>\n
Media Insider direct to your inbox<\/p>\n
If you head to the mobile or desktop version of the Herald website, you can now click on \u2018Follow author\u2019 at the top of an article. <\/p>\n
This will automatically send, to your inbox, the latest stories from that author. <\/p>\n
If you enjoy Media Insider – and something got you this far! – and you\u2019d like to know about\/read a story as soon as it\u2019s published, you can click on my \u2018follow author\u2019 link.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s the same deal for other Herald journalists and writers. Thank you for your attention to this matter.<\/p>\n
Editor-at-Large Shayne Currie is one of New Zealand\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\u201cIn all honesty, it truly nearly killed me,\u201d wrote Hart, a former TV3 reporter who has built a…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":405405,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[32],"tags":[29184,1740,20306,208782,185430,430,2741,6150,156,105649,10938,16718,95458,78,2936,208785,6712,206845,1073,117,111,139,69,208783,1030,208784,1555,18840],"class_list":["post-405404","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-celebrities","tag-account","tag-ad","tag-alex","tag-breingans","tag-burr","tag-celebrities","tag-claim","tag-conflict","tag-entertainment","tag-exwife","tag-herald","tag-him","tag-i","tag-in","tag-insider","tag-journo","tag-legal","tag-maiki","tag-media","tag-new","tag-new-zealand","tag-newzealand","tag-nz","tag-pity","tag-pr","tag-shermanlloyd","tag-threat","tag-warehouse"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/405404","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=405404"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/405404\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/405405"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=405404"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=405404"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=405404"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}