The Fold

Tamar Münch joins Duncan Greive to discuss the challenges facing screen and news media – and how they intertwine. They also discuss the resignation of Mike Sneesby at Nine, and the way Australian media is following a bad trail blazed by New Zealand media. Finally, a look at Snapchat's hold on teenagers and an intriguing new BSA survey. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duncan Greive has a solo podcast this week, talking about the debut of Spark Game Arena Live, a huge new event at Spark Arena. He looks at the upside and downsides of the trend away from sponsorships towards brands creating their own projects. Plus: who's number one? Both NZME and Stuff claimed the title this week – but does it even matter? And finally, a look at the way you can see shrinking media budgets through smaller traveling contingents across both sport and politics. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One eked out a flat result, the other had a giant loss. Toby Manhire and Duncan Greive discuss what that says about their revenue models. They also discuss the downward trend for RNZ, one mirrored by public media entities around the world. Finally, they look at X's ban in Brazil and the arrest of Telegram's founder in France, as a window into the global techlash. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Glenn McDonald spent over a decade with a very mysterious and specific job title: data alchemist at Spotify. It's possible – even likely – that no one on earth knows as much about music streaming. He is in New Zealand for the Going Global music industry conference, and joins Duncan Greive to talk about how Spotify does and doesn't work for artists, why Spotify doesn't stretch your listening habits, and what he really thinks about its big move into podcasting and audiobooks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The 2024 edition of NZ on Air's Where are the Audiences is a bombshell - largely because so little has changed. The past decade has been characterised by a sharp and consistent rise in UGC, social and SVOD platforms, while local media has slid precipitously. This year that slide has arrested – and in some cases reversed. Duncan Greive is joined by The Spinoff's Ātea editor Liam Rātana, dissecting the findings as they take turns drafting their five favourite data points from WATA 2024. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The All Blacks were early on the sports doc series train – but the result was widely panned, due to a sense the subjects weren't willing to really open up for it. Robyn Paterson has directed a new series for Sky on the Wheel Blacks, a team she says has far more candour than their more famous counterparts. She joins Duncan Greive to discuss the changing shape of disability storytelling, and the potential merger of the film commission and NZ on Air. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duncan Greive and Glen Kyne discuss the bombshell announcement that Laura Maxwell is leaving Stuff, with owner Sinead Boucher to take over in the interim. What does it say about Stuff's strategy, and who might replace her? Plus signals suggest TVNZ is making a big play into sports and a paywall – what does that mean for the state broadcaster, and for Sky? And finally, a look at the rise of the new TAB as a force in New Zealand media, with all the moral complexity that brings with it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Glen Kyne joins Duncan Greive to discuss the appointment of Graeme Mason to chair the NZ Film Commission board. The former Screen Australia boss seems the strongest signal yet that the NZFC and NZ on Air are coming together. We run through some worrying signs out of US cable – and ask what they mean for the potential sale of Foxtel, Sky's Australian equivalent. We also look at NZME making a revived Game of Two Halves for Sky, the X advertiser lawsuit and the remarkable run of Susan Wojcicki at YouTube. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ant Timpson has spent much of his life at war with the establishment. With ventures like the Incredibly Strange Film Festival and 48 Hours, he courted controversy and made a home for misfits of film. Now he's a veteran of governance and has directed a family film – albeit one with a killer psychedelic mushrooms sequence. He joins Duncan Greive on The Fold to explain what came over him. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Glen Kyne joins Duncan Greive to discuss earnings season in big tech media, with particularly noteworthy results for Meta and Netflix. Locally 1News has opened up a big 25-54 lead over Stuff's ThreeNews – partly using overwhelming force at the Olympics, the NZ Herald debuts an instructive piece of data journalism, and Ant Timpson's Bookworm lends itself to a discussion of the local box office. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duncan Greive is joined by recently-departed WBD leader Glen Kyne to pilot a brand new format for The Fold. It features Duncan and Glen analysing new strands in local and international media, along with regular deep dives into different aspects of the business. The first episode features reflections an explainer on why TV advertising fell off a cliff, a look at the upcoming NZ Rugby rights deal and the government's decision to bail out Shortland St. From now on, interviews will run less frequently and on Thursdays. Please give us feedback on the new format: duncan@thespinoff.co.nz Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jenn Cheuk is the founder and editor-in-chief of Rat World, "a magazine for the underground" she publishes in Tāmaki Makaurau. Now up to issue seven, it radiates the specific energy of driven, fragile yet urgent creativity across forms ranging from lengthy interviews to comics to photography, covering art, theatre music and more. She joins Duncan Greive on The Fold to discuss the state of the arts, who Rat World is for – and why print is really different to the internet. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Spinoff founder Duncan Greive has been writing regularly this year on business, politics and pop culture. But his slightly more niche area of interest is the media itself. This week was a big week for the media with AM and Newshub airing their final episodes and a new lease on life for the Fair Digital News Bargaining Bill. If you don't know what that bill is, check out Duncan's author page on the Spinoff, as he has written more about it than probably anyone else in the country. He also spoke to Samantha Hayes and Mike McRoberts about their time at Three in a sprawling, emotional interview. Duncan joins Madeleine Chapman on Behind the Story to talk about what he's looking for in exit interviews, how he keeps a story interesting over a number of years, and what compels him to write. An abrupt U-turn from National, a brave new world for news in New Zealand Sam Hayes and Mike McRoberts look back in awe and sorrow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today marks the end of Newshub, an organisation which has been around for 35 years, and has a strong case as the most original and idiosyncratic newsroom this country has ever known. Sam Hayes and Mike McRoberts have more than 40 years combined experience at Three, and join Duncan Greive on The Fold to look back across the history of 3 News, assess its singular culture and some crucial moments along the path to this sad goodbye. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hal Crawford ran Newshub through a crucial era – but has traveled a strange path since. He joins Duncan Greive to discuss the unique personality of Three News, the prospects of Stuff at 6pm – and his very different career since he returned to Australia. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As founder of South Pacific Pictures, John Barnett has played a crucial role in the development of screen productions as varied as Shortland St, Whale Rider, Sione's Wedding and Outrageous Fortune. Now operating independently, he remains one of the most powerful – and critical – voices in New Zealand culture. He joins Duncan Greive to assess the current state of the industry and explain why he believes in the power of a merged Film Commission and NZ On Air. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duncan Greive hosts his friend and colleague Toby Manhire on The Fold, to discuss the back-breaking process of making Juggernaut, his new podcast covering the tumultuous years of the fourth Labour government. Then they switch gears to discuss Goldsmith's first weeks as media minister, the post-Newshub recruiting efforts of major media companies, and early signals about Stuff's Three News. Click here to listen to Juggernaut: The Story of the Fourth Labour Government Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We thought you might like a wee taster of our brand new #1 series, Juggernaut: The Story of the Fourth Labour Government, hosted by Toby Manhire. Click here to follow Juggernaut so you get every episode as soon as it's released! 1. I love you, Mr Lange Fuelled by brandy and fury, Sir Rob Muldoon calls a snap election, sparking a 1984 campaign of contrasts – the menacing, protectionist National PM against the fresh, upbeat Labour leader, David Lange. The pretext for the election is the decision by Marilyn Waring, a young, gay MP, to back an anti-nuclear bill and quit the National caucus, prompting an earful from Muldoon. Lange, meanwhile, is joined at the hip by a hungry would-be finance minister, Roger Douglas. They are about to confront a profound crisis, and launch a revolution. Includes previously unheard interviews with David Lange from the 84 campaign trail, and new and exclusive interviews with Marilyn Waring, Roger Douglas, Geoffrey Palmer, Richard Prebble, Peter Harris, Margaret Wilson, Bob Harvey and Gary McCormick. Click here for full details of archive material used in this series Juggernaut was made with the support of NZ On Air. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

William Terite has been fascinated by the news since Barbara Dreaver showed up at his primary school. He started working at Newstalk ZB at 17, and got his dream job at Newshub at just 20. Now a veteran of 23, he has a new role at the revitalised Pacific Media Network, hosting its flagship Pacific Mornings show. He joins Duncan Greive to talk about all he's been through in a short span. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chris Henry founded 818 publicity a couple of months before The Spinoff, in June of 2014. He joins Duncan Greive on The Fold to reflect on a radically changed environment for entertainment PR – and the sometimes tense role of pitching stories to editorial outlets when all the ad spend goes to social media. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SYSCA founder Lucy Blakiston returns to the Fold for the first time in a while to talk through a truly singular year. Her business pivoted to being what it was perhaps always meant to be – her, as a solo news-explaining creator, working for her audience primarily. That meant saying goodbye to her two co-founders and taking on the whole load herself. But it also saw her sign a huge global book deal, move to Portugal, hit a deep depression, confront the realities of covering the war in Gaza online, move back to Blenheim. She also watched Instagram become Twitter in the process, while Substack became her true home. She joins Duncan Greive for an incredibly candid conversation about the reality of UGC life in 2024. We'd love it if you're able to take a few minutes to fill out this short survey about The Fold so we can learn more about our listening community and what you'd like to hear on this series. Please click here to fill out the survey. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lewis Tennant is an energetic guy – an ex-radio presenter who got curious about podcasting about the same time we all did. But instead of stopping at listening or even creating, he turned it into an area of academic teaching and research. He joins Duncan Greive on The Fold to discuss what his research has unearthed, which New Zealand podcasts are driving the form forward, and the takeaways from his recent Podcast Summit. We'd love it if you're able to take a few minutes to fill out this short survey about The Fold so we can learn more about our listening community and what you'd like to hear on this series. Please click here to fill out the survey. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There's a brand new media minister confronting a longstanding problem: how to handle the relationship between big tech and local media. Former NZ Herald editor Gavin Ellis and SPADA president Irene Gardiner join Duncan Greive on The Fold to discuss a bold new idea: a joint levy to fund journalism and culture. We'd love it if you're able to take a few minutes to fill out this short survey about The Fold so we can learn more about our listening community and what you'd like to hear on this series. Please click here to fill out the survey. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sam Koslowski has news in his blood – his father was a senior journalist and he's been in the business for 12 years despite not yet hitting 30. He co-founded The Daily Aus with a bold goal – to create a news brand for young Australians which met them where they lived: on Instagram. Now Meta is threatening to turn off news across all its platforms, threatening the viability of his business – a situation which could also happen in Aotearoa. Koslowski joins Duncan Greive on The Fold to talk through the model and mission of The Daily Aus, and how it's responding to a near-existential threat. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Spinoff has just launched a brand new series called Behind the Story, where site editor Madeleine Chapman sits down with a staff writer or contributor to gain more insight about a big story on The Spinoff from the week. We thought you might like to check out the first episode, and if you enjoy it please follow it wherever you get your podcasts! On Friday, Bulletin editor Anna Rawhiti-Connell sent her final newsletter, and took the opportunity to share what she's learned about the news over two years of curating it for thousands of New Zealanders. Earlier in the week, she'd seen reports of Auckland dog owners discarding their pets' turds on the ground after Auckland Council removed bins across the city. And so, the column “If you love a dog, you must also love disposing of its shit” was born. Anna joins Madeleine Chapman to talk about the power journalists have when framing a story and how to find the middle ground between boring and sensational. For The Spinoff editor's thoughts on the week that was, as well as a handpicked collection of the week's best reads, subscribe to The Weekend with Madeleine Chapman newsletter at thespinoff.co.nz/newsletters  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After a series of scattered media appearances, and a concerning lack of any real plan to respond to the collapses in news media, Melissa Lee has been ousted in favour of a more senior and more wonkish minister in Paul Goldsmith. The Spinoff's editor-at-large Toby Manhire joins Duncan Greive on The Fold to talk about the shock firing, and what it might portend for the small but fairly explosive media portfolio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Just six days after WBD confirmed the end of Newshub, news broke that Stuff would take over delivery of the 6pm bulletin from July 6th. It's a huge deal, which could vault Stuff to video stardom, or become a huge pain and distraction. Duncan Greive analyses the spiralling implications of what will prove a major sliding doors moment in New Zealand's recent news media history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's been a bleak start to the year for journalism – but it's worth dwelling on where growth and innovation is still happening. Madison Reidy is just 28, but has already worked at three news organisations and an investment bank. She joins Duncan Greive on The Fold to talk about 100 episodes of Markets with Madison – and one very challenging and viral interview with Reserve Bank governor Adrian Orr. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Over the last 30 hours TVNZ and Warner Bros. Discovery have confirmed the closure of some of our most significant news and current affairs programming including Sunday, two 1News bulletins and the total loss of Newshub. Hundreds of journalists will be out of jobs and with nowhere to go, it will be increasingly difficult for New Zealanders to access quality news and the ripples of these closures mean there are more dark days to come. Duncan Greive reacts to the week's devastating closures, asking how is it we are all just sitting here letting this pillar of democracy cave in? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There's an idea so pervasive that it almost doesn't get questioned in media: that media agencies – the people who place ads on behalf of most big advertisers – are largely staffed by 25-year-olds who only consume social media. There is some truth to that – but it's more complicated than it appears. Alex Radford and Richard Thompson run an independent media agency named D3, and join Duncan Greive to break down how media buying works, and the ways the search and social giants' products eat budgets – including a revealing view into the black box that is the Google ad tech stack. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rachel House might be just shy of a household name, but is definitely one of our most acclaimed and accomplished actresses, with key roles on what amounts to a role call of New Zealand's greatest films: Whale Rider, Boy, Hunt for the Wilderpeople, Cousins and more. She's just directed her debut feature in The Mountain, and joins Duncan Greive on The Fold at the very end of a lengthy promotional tour for a very funny and very exhausted conversation about the experience. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jane Ormsby's Scroll Media is a technology and sales solution for smaller publishers which often miss out on the huge advertising spends which go mainly to Google, Meta and a few large local entities. She joins Duncan Greive on The Fold to talk about Scroll Media's plan to get the likes of Rolling Stone NZ and Newsroom on more radars. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The creative relationship between director Lee Tamahori and producer Robin Scholes spans 30 years, including heavyweight features such as Once Were Warriors, Mahana and now critically acclaimed new release The Convert. They join Duncan Greive to discuss the unintentional political resonance of their new film and the financial challenges facing film productions in NZ. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

David Owen, Research and Insights director at nationwide out-of-home media group oOh!media and Tori Colebourne, CMO at Black Pearl Group, an NZX listed SAAS / cloud business join Duncan Greive on The Fold to talk about the role of data in media and communications decision-making in 2024 and beyond. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duncan addresses the shock news out of TVNZ, that current affairs powerhouse Sunday, Fair Go and two news bulletins are ending, with grave fears for Re: News. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duncan Greive sits down with the director of Alice Snedden's Bad News, Leon Wadham, to talk about his career on stage and screen, on both sides of the camera. Wadham is one of the most thoughtful and open creatives we've ever had on The Fold, and gives generous insights into working on productions from the shoestring (Bad News S1) to the opulent (Lord of the Rings, the most costly TV show in history). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duncan Greive is joined by Newsroom co-editor and former Three head of news Mark Jennings for a deep and urgent dive into what just happened at Three, the rich history of it as a news organisation – and where the story could head from here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duncan Greive jumps on the mic to offer an immediate analysis of this morning's devastating news regarding the future of Three, which signalled that Newshub and much of its local programming will soon be coming to and end. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bill Kerton's career began 40 years ago, at the very dawn of New Zealand commercial radio. Since then he has played crucial roles at peak bFM, introduced Jeremy Wells to television and has one of the most impressive hands-on CVs in reality TV. On the occasion of production powerhouse Greenstone's 30th birthday, he sits down with Duncan Greive to talk about his fascinating career. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Philip Crump is a lawyer by trade, who returned to Aotearoa during the pandemic. He found the media environment much more homogenous than the one he left behind in London, and started tweeting about what he observed. Within two years those tweets, and a widely-read Substack, made him one of the most powerful new voices in right wing media. He tells the story of how NZME doxxed him, then hired him to edit ZB Plus - a mainstream competitor to the fast-proliferating likes of Sean Plunket's The Platform. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duncan Greive is joined by Kit Arkwright, CEO of The Spinoff partners Beef + Lamb NZ, for a knotty conversation about the communication challenge which is marketing meat in this era. We delve into the data and narratives, from the economic to the scientific to the cultural, which make what was once an uncomplicated part of our national story into something much more challenging. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alec Kieft makes games for "youtube for gaming" platform Roblox, including Break-In, a smash hit which has been played over 2bn times by 80m people. The platform is wildly popular with pre-teens, and is widely considered the closest thing to an operating metaverse which exists in the world today. Kieft joins Duncan Greive on The Fold to explain what drives the culture and economy of this hidden world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices