Podcasts about Media Watch

Media Watch 2026 Episode 34: United front; Covert campaign; Shipload of coverage

Media Watch 2026 Episode 33: Four Corners impartial?; AI Leader; Missing Mitch

A titan of Australian journalism, Paul Barry has finished up at Media Watch and is back on the beat as an investigative journalist. And the story he's just broken is massive. Ever heard of Whyalla? It's down on the bottom of South Australia and it looks like this town has been F*CKED by an (alleged) con-artist. This is Australia's version of the Simpson's Monorail! His newest book, THE BIG STEAL, is out now!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Media Watch 2026 Episode 32: Sex, drugs and damage control; Germany's election shock; Presenter pranked

Media Watch 2026 Episode 31: Smoke and mirrors; Gassed up; Out of focus

Odds from Polymarket are popping up in our news, even though it's illegal here. But are prediction markets a legit source of news anyway? Also: head-to-head clashes between politicians, and with presenters, are heating up, but not always generating light.Read more about this episode of Mediawatch on the RNZ websiteIn this episode:1:10 Media picking apart political bickering over delayed fuel tax.5:50 Greens double down on misleading claims about MPs houses.8:02 Act pushed back on media criticism of policy to put ‘reside' back in ‘residency' rules.11:35 ZB host takes on Wellington mayor on Tiaki Wai rollout.17:05 Polymarket predictions popping up in our news, six months after it became illegal for NZers to use.23:11 Newsroom.co..nz senior business reporter Andrew Bevin on how prediction markets work and whether their odds are legit news or not.Follow Mediawatch and listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or any podcast app to make sure you never miss an episode.Find more RNZ Podcasts at the new section of the RNZ website at rnz.co.nz/podcastsGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

In 2017, billionaire Sanjeev Gupta arrived in Whyalla promising to save the town's struggling steelworks and hundreds of local jobs. But nearly a decade later, the steelworks is still fighting for survival. Gupta's business empire has unravelled and he has left Australia along with the promises he made. So what went wrong? Today, former Media Watch host Paul Barry takes us inside the rise and fall of Sanjeev Gupta's steel dream and how he fooled Whyalla and the world. Featured:  Paul Barry, author of The Big Steel: How steel tycoon Sanjeev Gupta fooled Australia and the world

When tourists found an abandoned bicycle on a remote track in Australia's Great Sandy Desert, it triggered one of the strangest missing person searches in outback history — police, aircraft, and Aboriginal trackers combing the Kimberley for a man who had vanished without telling anyone where he was going. Twelve days in, the search was called off and his family was told he was almost certainly dead, so they hired a private American wilderness rescue team led by a man who insisted on being called Gunslinger. What none of them knew was that he had walked into the desert deliberately, on a spiritual quest, and had no idea anyone was searching for him at all. Forty-three days of starvation, dehydration and roughly 250 miles on foot later, a helicopter found him alive — and set off a fight that reached the Premier of Western Australia, while the man who led the rescue turned out to have invented his entire past. Twenty-five years on, one of the trackers who searched for him asked him for a single word, and what he said instead is still an uncomfortable part of this story.Timestamps: 00:00 Podcast Intro Setup00:30 Mud Water In The Desert02:22 Abandoned Bike Mystery03:18 No One Knew The Plan06:36 Spiritual Quest Revealed07:34 Search Begins With Trackers09:27 Media Frenzy And Survival Math10:28 Search Called Off Parents React11:57 Gunslinger Arrives Private Team15:06 Fresh Tracks And Desert Ordeal18:52 Help Sign And Found Alive21:49 News Crew Rescue Controversy25:10 Hospital Risks Refeeding27:22 Costs Rumors And Apology30:04 Gunslinger Exposed As Fraud33:27 The Tracker Story And Apology35:26 Final Reflections And OutroREFERENCESParke, Erin. Expanse: Nowhere Man. ABC listen, 2025.Parke, Erin. "Finding Robert Bogucki, the man who disappeared on purpose." ABC News, 6 July 2025. Sweeney, Lucy, and Erin Parke. "The strange story of Garrison 'Gunslinger' St Clair, the American sent to find Robert Bogucki." ABC News, 23 August 2025. Lowth, Adrienne. "Channel Nine under fire over Bogucki actions." ABC Radio PM, 24 August 1999.Media Watch. ABC Television, 30 August 1999."American found after outback odyssey." BBC News, 23 August 1999. Associated Press. "Wanderer May Have To Foot Bill." CBS News, 26 August 1999. Morgan, Curtis. "Daring rescuer dogged by a questionable past." Miami Herald, 21 May 2000.Orr, Stephen. The Fierce Country. Wakefield Press, 2018.Adshead, Gary. "Finding Bogucki: The fallout, the stuff-ups and a tinderbox of tension." The Age, 3 September 2023."Calvert Scientific Exploring Expedition (1896)." Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-crux-true-survival-stories--7265181/support.Listen AD FREE: Support our podcast at patreon: http://patreon.com/TheCruxTrueSurvivalPodcastEmail us! thecruxsurvival@gmail.comInstagram https://www.instagram.com/thecruxpodcast/Get schooled by Julie in wilderness medicine! https://www.headwatersfieldmedicine.com/This episode includes AI-generated content.

Media Watch 2026 Episode 30: Floods flushed; True-crime brain; Salty sandgropers    

Media Watch 2026 Episode 29: Foul play; Take a rent hike; Unroyal welcome

It's a full time job these days working out who the audience is, what they want and if they might get it elsewhere. What does the the biggest survey yet of Kiwis' media habits tell them about us? Also: politicians twitch about media, big tech and tax. Read more about this episode of Mediawatch on the RNZ websiteIn this episode:Follow Mediawatch and listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or any podcast app to make sure you never miss an episode.Find more RNZ Podcasts at the new section of the RNZ website at rnz.co.nz/podcasts00:48 Politicians twitch over taxing big tech - and why media policy's rarely a priority for political parties with an eye on elections.10:02: The Empire Strikes Back? The latest WATA? survey shows ‘old' local media more popular with more Kiwis, while previously fast-rising online offshore offerings are in retreat. 17:30 NZ on Air chief exec Cameron Harland says 2026 WATA? shows Kiwi media habits maturing into a balance of free vs paid, local vs global platforms. How does that influence where NZOA spends $100m a year of our money on content?Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

This one is Claude Sonnet 5 - did a decent job. Got Gemini to do it at the same time and it was SHIT. --------------------------Jack the Insider and Hong Kong Jack open with an air-conditioner instalation story that would give any WHS officer a heart attack, before diving into the immigration debate consuming the Western world, Albo's cringeworthy podcast melon gag and the diplomatic fallout with Japan, Angus Taylor's Twitter misfire, a grim Newspoll for Labor, the conviction of former Bishop Christopher Saunders, the unravelling Mahmoud Fazal/Four Corners scandal, an AI Royal Commission, Israel's rejection of the Gaza peace plan, Ukraine's drone edge, a spot of Marxism 101, and a bumper sports wrap covering the Ashes build-up, Geelong's concussion waiver scandal and the NRL's new PNG and Perth franchises.00:00:26 — Cold open: Hong Kong air-con drama. Hong Kong Jack recounts tradesmen scaling the building exterior, tying off to a sewer pipe and rigging a platform in under an hour — a workplace safety non-starter back home.00:01:20 — Immigration policy in limbo. Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke pulls his National Press Club address after Cabinet gets cold feet on migration numbers; One Nation capitalises on the vacuum.00:02:17 — Paul Kelly on the West's immigration reckoning. The hosts unpack Kelly's column on multiculturalism's failures in Europe versus its comparative success in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the US, and why a clear pathway to national identity matters.00:04:23 — The politician/public disconnect. A Financial Times study (John Burn-Murdoch) showing big gaps between public and political opinion on migrant assimilation across Britain, Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden.00:06:10 — Is the far right the cause or the symptom? A robust back-and-forth on whether One Nation, AfD, Reform UK and Le Pen's party are driving the backlash or simply capitalising on governments that lost control of migration systems.00:08:50 — Albo's podcast melon gag fallout. The PM's crass "melons" line about the Japanese Prime Minister on a comedy podcast draws a diplomatic complaint from Tokyo and calls for an apology he still hasn't given.00:10:39 — Why politicians chase the "youth" podcast circuit. Discussion of Albo's ties to Sandilands-style FM radio and whether the audience numbers justify the reputational risk.00:12:32 — Latika Bourke's double standard question. Would a corporate CEO survive the same scrutiny as a Prime Minister? The Jacks disagree on how novel the standard really is.00:14:14 — Angus Taylor's Twitter misfire. A dissected, over-written tweet accusing the "socialist" Albanese government lands badly — "people might think they're bumbling fools, but they don't think they're socialist."00:15:53 — Angus Taylor and the ICAC donation question. A circular exchange over an unresolved email regarding a potential donation tied to a group under ICAC scrutiny.00:17:52 — Coalition social media strategy. Jane Hume's five-a-day Instagram habit and whether the Coalition's messaging is landing with anyone at this point in the electoral cycle.00:18:52 — Productivity and work-from-home. Westpac CEO Anthony Miller warns rates could stay elevated into 2028 without a productivity fix; Victoria shelves its work-from-home legislation ahead of the planned 1 September start.00:21:36 — Red tape and the housing/business regulation debate. Building approval bottlenecks, the Coalition's building-standards rollback proposal, and why company/tax reporting (not ABN registration) is the real handicap for small business.00:24:14 — Newspoll: Labor's primary vote "plunges." Labor down to 29 percent (from 31), described by the Jacks as more "meandering" than plunging — with a look at how far off Labor is from its 34.5 percent election benchmark.00:25:31 — Kos Samaras/RedBridge on the new voter blocs. A breakdown of Labor's inner-city, under-45, migrant-heavy base; One Nation's mortgage-stressed, outer-suburban trades vote; and the Coalition's shrinking, wealthy, over-55 remnant — plus where the Jacks think the analysis oversimplifies.00:28:42 — How the Coalition lost its heartland. Reflections on 19 years of Coalition government since Howard, the failure to read demographic warning signs, and the loss of both the "asset rich" and "asset poor" ends of its old coalition.00:31:49 — Content warning: child sexual abuse. Former Bishop of Broome Christopher Saunders, 76, found guilty of one count of sexual penetration and multiple indecent assault charges against a young Indigenous man; sentencing yet to be scheduled.00:32:50 — Saunders' pattern of behaviour. Allegations of financial mismanagement, smuggling alcohol into dry Indigenous communities, a 2019 police raid uncovering exploitation material, and a Vatican finding he likely abused Indigenous youth.00:34:59 — The Bishop Ronald Mulkearns parallel. The Ballarat bishop's Royal Commission appearance and mysterious final holiday hosted by Saunders in Broome shortly before his death.00:37:06 — The Four Corners/Mahmoud Fazal scandal. Fazal's background as a self-described former Mongols bike gang sergeant-at-arms turned journalist; his Cocaine Nation and Meth Highway reports pulled from air, along with a Background Briefing program.00:38:33 — Media Watch's verdict. Linton Besser's assessment that Fazal was "embellishing his journalism," and how ABC's editorial oversight failed across two flagship programs.00:39:39 — The Jordan Shanks (Friendly Jordies) threat allegations. Fazal's alleged role relaying threats from the Alameddine crime family after Shanks' house was firebombed twice; Fazal disputes the death-threat characterisation.00:41:36 — Where journalism crosses into participation. Jack the Insider's personal rule against interviewing active criminals, and a wider discussion of when reporters become "players" rather than observers — including a detour to the "Poison Dwarf," Clayton Milne.00:46:20 — A 2006 ice epidemic documentary as the gold standard. A comparison piece where public health officials and police saw the crystal meth wave coming years before government — done properly, without masked, unverifiable sources.00:48:21 — South Australia's $3 million AI Royal Commission. Premier Peter Malinauskas announces the inquiry; the Jacks are sceptical it will produce much, suspecting it's more about attracting AI investment.00:49:27 — The AI investment bubble risk. Massive capital flowing into Anthropic, Meta and Google versus cheaper, competitive Chinese models — and what that imbalance could mean for the S&P 500's AI-heavy weighting.00:51:00 — Israel rejects Trump's 15-point Gaza plan. Distrust that Hamas will disarm, and why the stakes feel existential rather than abstract for Israelis.00:52:32 — Israel's 27 October election. Netanyahu's fragile coalition, Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Smotrich's collapsing poll numbers, and the growing backlash over ultra-Orthodox exemptions from IDF service.00:57:09 — Ukraine: Starlink access and drone warfare. Elon Musk restricting Ukrainian Starlink use against Russia, a declined meeting with Trump, and Ukraine's drone successes — including a joint exercise with US forces in Germany.01:00:29 — Reports of distress aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln. Unconfirmed accounts of sailors going overboard after roughly ten months of continuous deployment.01:01:52 — Stephen Kotkin on Marxism's enduring appeal. Why intellectuals keep returning to Marxist ideas despite the historical body count — and a tangent on campus recruitment, ASIO and the "special role" intellectuals imagine for themselves.01:05:15 — Iran, Cambodia and the fate of the intellectual class. Historical examples of revolutions turning on the intelligentsia that helped bring them about.01:06:06 — Sport check: the Ashes build-up begins. Australia's shaky start against Bangladesh, Steve Smith's lucky reprieve, and questions over Alex Carey's batting position and the middle order.01:08:24 — Selection headaches: Labuschagne and Nathan Lyon. Marnus Labuschagne's technical struggles and whether Lyon plays out the year, with the World Test Championship and next year's Ashes on the horizon.01:11:03 — Geelong's concussion contract waiver scandal. A player reportedly signing away his right to sue over concussion management; questions over why the club didn't submit the waiver to the AFL or AFLPA, and calls for points deductions rather than fines.01:16:04 — Jake Kelly's likely retirement and player consent. Whether it matters who initiated the waiver, and why players will "sign anything" to keep playing despite long-term brain injury risks.01:18:30 — NRL expansion: PNG Chiefs and Perth Bears. Tax-free salaries giving PNG Chiefs an effective cap advantage, players relocating to a purpose-built village in Port Moresby, and Perth's 2027 entry into the competition.01:22:36 — Poaching rugby fans, AFL's expansion and wildcard finals. The Perth Bears' leadership, Tasmania Devils' draft concessions, Nigel Lappin's coaching move, and early impressions of the AFL's new wildcard finals round.

Media Watch 2026 Episode 28: Social reckoning; Dodgy doco; Rent-a-family

Nick Wize takes aim at the national baseball media after Foul Territory questioned whether the Rays could win the AL East despite Tampa Bay having the AL's best record. Nick breaks down several eye-opening statistics that demonstrate why this team deserves far more respect and explains why the Rays' reputation and logo seem to matter more to the national media than their incredible performance on the field.

Media Watch 2026 Episode 27: Secret identities, Party invite, Divine write 

Media Watch 2026 Episode 26: Pep-tidal wave; Cocaine comedown; Brekkie blunder

Sunday's no longer a day of rest in politics, as parties pump out policies to set the media agenda. Also: TikTok's economic impact claims - and what the app is good for in business and politics; reports of diapers on the dancefloor. Read more about this episode of Mediawatch on the RNZ websiteIn this episode:00:55 Policies on parental leave, Pharmac funding and AI data centres were all mixed up in the media as parties jostled for attention this week15:20 Social media on the election mix with 11 days to go17:45 TikTok makes big claims about its economic impact here - but says less about the tax it pays. Hear more on TikTok's Economic Impact Report this week on The Detail19:53 The MediaLab's Antony Young on coverage of TikTok's report and what the app is good for in business, and political electioneering30:38 Does the ‘fun'flation-fueled cost of concerts really explain reports of people soiling themselves at big gigs?Follow Mediawatch and listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or any podcast app to make sure you never miss an episode.Find more RNZ Podcasts at the new section of the RNZ website at rnz.co.nz/podcastsGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Media Watch 2026 Episode 25: Four Cornered; Sudan's forgotten war; Toxic EVs

Macca is joined in the hosting seat, for the first half of this week’s show by Misha Ketchell, Editor-in-Chief of the Conversation. Misha is the Editor of The Conversation Australia and New Zealand. He has been a journalist for more than 25 years. He was the founding editor of The Big Issue Australia and editor of Crikey, The Reader and The Melbourne Weekly. He was a reporter at The Age and worked at the ABC where he was a TV producer on Media Watch and The 7:30 Report and an editor on The Drum. Macca and Misha discuss New UK PM Andy Burham; job losses at Nine; what’s come out from the ALP conf in Adelaide Oasis Index and Big Mac Index Melbourne recently took top spot on the “Oasis index”, an annual metric published by Deutsche Bank that tracks the price of beer and cigarettes in cities around the world. The index tracks the cost of five beers and two packets of cigarettes, in US dollars, city by city. Inspired by the lyrics of the song Cigarettes and Alcohol, from Oasis's 1994 debut album Definitely Maybe. Melbourne's Oasis basket comes to US$111.20 (about A$160). That's slightly ahead of Sydney at US$109.50 (A$157), but roughly double the equivalent basket in New York – US$54.10 (about A$78). Sydney came a very close second, reflecting what the report called “Australia's relentless application of sin taxes”. If you're in Melbourne the Oasis index shows the same round of beer and cigarettes cost US$59 (A$84) in 2016. The cost has risen by 89%. The Oasis index is just one of many unusual metrics that aim to reveal economic insights by looking at spending habits on everything from lipstick to underwear. Big Mac Index Princeton University economics professor Orley Ashenfelter has travelled the world visiting McDonald's stores. Big Macs earned per hour index to show real wages. India: four hours to buy one big mac. Korea: two big macs per hour. Most developed countries sit at two big macs per hour. Maccas workers in Australia get 3.3 big macs per hour, putting us at or near the top. For years, economists have been using “novelty” metrics because these are often more relatable and easier for the public to understand. There are several famous examples. The hemline index, first introduced by economist George Taylor in the 1920s, is based on an assumption that the length of skirts rises and fall in line with the stock market. The hemline index suggests skirt lengths rise and fall based on the strength of the economy. The theory – which despite some supporting evidence, remains controversial – is that when the economy is flourishing, hemlines get shorter. By contrast, in an economic downturn, hemlines get longer. The men's underwear index was coined by the late former Chair of the US Federal Reserve Alan Greenspan. Greenspan noticed that during tighter economic conditions, men cut back on a basic but hidden necessity – boxers and briefs. People can't see what you are wearing under your clothes, so its easier to delay replacing threadbare briefs to save money. Then we have the lipstick index. This was coined after Estée Lauder chairman Leonard Lauder noticed, in 2001, that lipstick sales were increasing even while discretionary spending fell. The assumption here is that in times of economic uncertainty, consumers resort to affordable luxuries rather than big-ticket items such as holidays or cars. Psychologically, we still want to reward ourselves, but at a smaller scale. And no roundup of unusual indices should exclude the Big Mac index, introduced in 1986 by The Economist magazine to demonstrate purchasing power parity across the world. It prices an identical burger everywhere it's sold, so any gap in the US-dollar price is a rough signal of whether a currency is over- or undervalued. Universities Julie Hare, OZ most experienced higher education reporter:  ‘We've got vice-chancellors here in third-tier universities who are paid more than the vice-chancellors of Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard. It's insane.' NSW's Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) earlier this month John Dewar clumsily attempted to explain away accusations put to him that he advantaged his employer, the advisory firm KordaMentha, to successfully win contracts at the University of Wollongong, where he had been seconded as an interim vice-chancellor. Dewar was employed by KordaMentha in February 2024 as a partner to run its higher education practice. A couple of months later, he was approached by the University of Wollongong's chancellor, Michael Still, to fill in as vice-chancellor. KordaMentha didn't seem to have a problem with their new high-profile hire jumping ship just four months after signing on. Why? Well, it seems the firm expected, quite confidently, that there would be a quid pro quo. That is, Dewar's appointment would lead to a lucrative pipeline of work for the consultancy. KordaMentha secured work at UoW that grew to contracts worth $3.8 million. International student numbers dropping, Chinese Students down around 30% But Job Ready Graduates continue. In 2027, one third of Australian university students will be paying $17,399.  A standard three-year arts degree more than $52,000, compared with a nursing degree, which will be less than $15,000. The discrepancy is a result of the Morrison government's Job-ready Graduates scheme. The Albanese government agrees the scheme has failed but it has no plan to replace it. Job-ready Graduates cut student contributions in teaching, nursing, engineering and IT courses to encourage them to do degrees the Coalition government saw as “job-ready”. At the same time, student contributions jumped for arts, business and law. In 2024, a major government report on higher education – the found the policy had “failed” and needed to be replaced. The new Australian Tertiary Education Commission says it is exploring what could replace Job-ready Graduates. The commission is not due to provide advice to the government on the matter until the second half of 2027. The post Sat, July 25th, 2026: Weekly Wrap Up with Macca and Misha Ketchell, Editor-in-Chief of the Conversation.  appeared first on Saturday Magazine.

One sexist text to a podcasting politico had National gnashing their teeth, but it wasn't the only political dignity deficit in the news this week. Also: are podcasts popular enough for people to pay enough for the makers to make a living here? Read more about this episode of Mediawatch on the RNZ websiteIn this episode:00:54 Coverage of Nash's text going public - and other political dignity deficits10:54 Midweek Mediawatch trail: golf vs football, sport obscures more war13:30 Paul Henry quizzed on levelling up news media and big tech16:49 Craig T Robertson on the global rise of podcasts - and start-ups upstaging big players.22:45 Local podcaster Eugene Bingham on making a living from it and new service Long Story Short.Follow Mediawatch and listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or any podcast app to make sure you never miss an episode.Find more RNZ Podcasts at the new section of the RNZ website at rnz.co.nz/podcastsGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Media Watch 2026 Episode 24: A Tasmanian minister whips up discontent on his socials, following an inconvenient question; AI "news" websites publish robotic slop, after pilfering content from real journalists; British media grapple with Nigel Farage's main opponent - a man with a bin on his head.

ACT's unveiling of Paul Henry triggered a media frenzy - and claims the shock jock might shirk the work it takes to make it in politics. Also: how Sam Neill's shock death stopped the news & Stuff's new digital bid to hook local news readers. Read more about this episode of Mediawatch on the RNZ websiteIn this episode:1:19 Sam Neill's death shocked the media, but his depth and range were duly honoured.13:46 The stage-managed Paul Henry announcement prompted a full-on media frenzy, followed by scepticism about his commitment.25:48 Hosking misses the mark on political poll.27:47 Stuff rejigs Neighbourly to push back at platforms.30:00 Stuff's masthead chief Joanna Norris on the NeighbourlyNews.co.nz planFollow Mediawatch and listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or any podcast app to make sure you never miss an episode.Find more RNZ Podcasts at the new section of the RNZ website at rnz.co.nz/podcastsGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Media Watch 2026 Episode 23: Regime's Restrictions; Commission Confrontation; Magazine Mishap

Media Watch 2026 Episode 22: Death in Thailand, Mining Spin, Tay Tay's Big Day

Latest lid-lifting Gloriavale doco draws criticism - and viewers worldwide. Also: new Post leader upgrades its leaders, World Cup losers & winners, Mediawatch's alarming update. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Media Watch 2026 Episode 21: Karlito's Way; Giggle Gagged; Dalai Lama Drama  

The media seized on the prospect of a new political party as ‘queenmaker' - mostly off the back of one poll. Also: the outgoing editor of The Post Tracy Watkins on big changes under new leadership and in her 40+ years in journalism.Read more about this episode of Mediawatch on the RNZ websiteIn this episode:00:56 TV shows ‘big two' support on the slide while minor parties prosper.03:10 Media pump up Opportunity's chances13:30 The Post and Sunday Star-Times rings the changes under new leadership17:48 Outgoing editor Tracy Watkins on her ‘pivot' from The Post to PR, and 40 years in journalism.21:30 How new editor Matthew Hooton and printing in Christchurch will change The Post29:46 Criticising crisis-hit Wellington, and championing it32:00: Tracey Watkins on minor parties on the up - and Opportunity overkill36:00 Midweek - Scots score soccer soft power, sports chants good and bad, revamps and relaunchesFollow Mediawatch and listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or any podcast app to make sure you never miss an episode.Find more RNZ Podcasts at the new section of the RNZ website at rnz.co.nz/podcastsGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

A huge few days of sport preoccupied the media - including singing Scots' masterclass of social media soft power. Also, revamps and relaunches at RNZ, Herald and Stuff, a new news-ish podcast from The Spinoff - and an alarming moment on Mediawatch.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Media Watch 2026 Episode 20: Brumby wars erupt; Custody claims; WIN viewers seeing double

Media Watch 2026 Episode 19: Musk's army; You're havin' a graph

Emile Donovan is joined by the host of Mediawatch for his view on the appointment.

Media Watch 2026 Episode 18: Gone in 60 Minutes; Operation One Nation; Sportsbet's spotlight 

Crime coverage was heavily criticised in the past as too tabloid. Now it's getting greater respect and recognition. Mediawatch asks RNZ's award-winning crime correspondent Sam Sherwood what's changed. Also: 500-up for a dogged solo Southland newshound. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Media Watch 2026 Episode 17: Dope games; Blood feud; Take a chill pill

How media managed the message of a 'sugar-free' Budget, and highlighted entitlements for MPs. Also what the Budget might mean for our media, and why an award-winning youth service closed down for good this week. Read more about this episode of Mediawatch on the RNZ websiteIn this episode:1:05 How the government managed expectations of a sugar-free Budget 2026 via the media - while media zeroed in on treats and entitlements enjoyed by MPs.10:36 Budget 2026 cut the budgets of public media, though Māori media funding was boosted to ward off a ‘fiscal cliff.'13:21 TVNZ's closing its award-winning news service for youth Re:News after nine successful years.17:20 Former head of content Anna Harcourt on what Re:News achieved, what will be missed when it's gone and how to get news to younger Kiwis.Follow Mediawatch and listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or any podcast app to make sure you never miss an episode.Find more RNZ Podcasts at the new section of the RNZ website at rnz.co.nz/podcastsGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Media Watch 2026 Episode 16: Funny business; Surgeon's supporters; Back to school for BTN

Media Watch 2026 Episode 15: You may now miss the bride; Rule, Britannia!; All in the family  

Media Watch 2026 Episode 14: Snappily ever after; Which bank? Aunty non grata 

Media Watch 2026 Episode 13: Reno revelations; Big Tech tantrum; Press freedom freefall 

Media Watch 2026 Episode 12: Kyle and Jackie foes; Clean, green nightmare; Feeding frenzy

Media Watch 2026 Episode 11: Hungary's media recovery; The late scratching; Gift for review

Trust in the news is up again after years of decline, the latest annual survey says. But it als says trust in social media is up and more of us tune out the news more often. What's going on? Also: Vaianu wasn't as deadly as the media warned. Did they get it wrong?Read more about this episode of Mediawatch on the RNZ websiteNew Zealanders' trust in news is up after years of slumpsIn this episode:0:50 The media took Cyclone Vaianu seriously, amplifying official warnings it could be life-threatening. When it wasn't, many accused the media of over-reacting.11:40 Our trust in news has bounced back a bit in the latest annual survey, after several years of decline.17:45 Is it a trend or a blip? The report's authors, the AUT's Dr Merja Myllylahti and Dr Greg Treadwell with their take.Guests: Dr Merja Myllylahti and Dr Greg Treadwell from the AUT's centre for Journalism, Media and Democracy.Follow Mediawatch and listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or any podcast app to make sure you never miss an episode.Find more RNZ Podcasts at the new section of the RNZ website at rnz.co.nz/podcastsGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

++NOTE - Rob refers to Jim Chalmers during the Salute and a Slap segment, when it is actually Richard Marles. Rob will give himself a good slap over that one! ********** Australian Survivor axed? | Ben Roberts-Smith media circus | Logies reform | Karl's salute and slap | ABC diversity spin Rob McKnight breaks down the week's biggest Australian media stories — including an exclusive on the future of Australian Survivor, the media coverage surrounding the arrest of Ben Roberts-Smith, a new nomination process for the Gold Logie, a measured look at Karl Stefanovic's interview highs and lows, and the real story behind the ABC's decision to end its diversity group partnerships. Australian Survivor's days may be numbered. As exclusively reported by TV Blackbox, Channel 10 has scrapped plans for a back-to-back two-season shoot, with only one season now going ahead. Rob reveals the axing of host Jonathan LaPaglia had less to do with salary than a long-running clash with Endemol Shine executive Amelia Fisk — and explains why all signs are pointing to the return of Australian Ninja Warrior as a replacement. The Ben Roberts-Smith arrest and the media circus around it. Critics were quick to condemn the camera crew at the airport — but as Rob explains, that footage came from the Office of the Special Investigator, not a news outlet. Rob also reflects on his McKnight Tonight interview with combat veteran Heston Russell, which had generated 56,000 views and over 1,100 comments at time of recording, and what the reaction tells us about public trust in the media. The ABC, diversity partnerships, and the misinformation spreading online. The ABC ended its paid memberships with Pride in Diversity, the Australian Disability Network, and the Diversity Council of Australia — but it is not abandoning diversity and inclusion programs. Rob cuts through the spin from both sides, including the Media Watch history that many viral videos are conveniently ignoring. Logies reform: a step in the right direction. TV Week can now put forward nominees for the Gold Logie and Hall of Fame — and Rob, a Logies judge himself, explains why this is a welcome change, and has some pointed advice for presenters submitting their reels. A Salute and a Slap for Karl Stefanovic. The Karl Stefanovic Show has changed Australian podcasting. The production values are high, the interviews are compelling, and Rob genuinely can't wait to see what comes next. But in the same breath — that Jim Chalmers interview on Today nearly had it all, until Karl tried to land a last-minute hit and move on without letting the Treasurer respond. Australian Survivor back-to-back shoot scrapped — and what's coming next The real reason Jonathan LaPaglia was axed from Survivor Ben Roberts-Smith arrest footage — who actually shot it? Heston Russell interview reaction: 56K views, 1,100+ comments ABC drops diversity group partnerships — what it actually means Gold Logie nomination reform — and advice for presenters Karl Stefanovic: salute and a slap BBC Eurovision 1977 — the director's cut you weren't supposed to hear

Media Watch 2026 Episode 10: Media blockade; Fool's gold

Media Watch 2026 Episode 09: Algorithm addiction; Predators online; Doctor who?

The bulk of the big money advertisers spent in our media goes offshore to big online operators. What's the future for the ad industry here? Also: mixed messages about when the war will end in Iran, and startling spending in the Chathams that hit the headlines too late.Read more about Mediawatch on the RNZ websiteIn this episode:1:01 Who's winning the war that's fouling up the flow of our fuel? Depends who you hear - and believe - in the media. . .10:47 Three quarters of the $4 billion spent on ads here last year went online - and the vast bulk of the ended up offshore. What does this mean for our media and the onshore ad business?29:54 Big spending blew a huge hole in the Chatham Islands council's budget, prompting its high profile boss to quit his role and its expensively-renovated house. But there was no news outlet there to expose it until it was too late.Guests: Alex Radford, chair of IMANZ and media agency D3; Jonathan Milne, editor of Newsroom Pro.Follow Mediawatch and listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or any podcast app to make sure you never miss an episode.Find more RNZ Podcasts at the new section of the RNZ website at rnz.co.nz/podcastsGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Media Watch 2026 Episode 08: Mogul misconduct; I'm feeling unlucky; Crikey wipe-y  

Media Watch 2026 Episode 07: Iranian sources; Front line influencers; Secret state 

Media Watch 2026 Episode 06: Bots of war; Radio bust-up; Fake family  

Media Watch 2026 Episode 05: Epic Fury Unleashed; Ukraine fatigue; Nine's non-disclosure