Damien Venuto
Front Page Podcast Host
Damien Venuto is the host of your daily news podcast, The Front Page.
I am a writer and editor with more than a decade’s experience and feel comfortable interviewing anyone. From the tenacious start-up owner selling cast-iron pans out of his garage to the billionaire rich-lister with ambitions of becoming a marijuana baron, I feel every business owner has a unique angle to their hustle. My objective has always been to find the human aspect under the jargon that so often buries the story. I initially worked as the online business editor at the NZ Herald, joining the team in 2017 off the back of winning the Supreme Editor of the Year Award at the Magazine Publishers Association Awards for my work with NZ Marketing magazine. Now, I host the NZ Herald’s daily news podcast, The Front Page. In each 15-minute episode, I chat with journalists and newsmakers and go behind the headlines to break down what you need to know about the biggest stories of the day, keeping it short and sharp. Feel free to follow us wherever you get your podcasts.
Check out Damien’s latest content
Education crisis: How bad has the system become and what can be done to repair it?
Parents around the country are concerned about the quality of our education system.
‘A warzone’: The brutal reality of the Family Court in New Zealand
Family Court is not an enjoyable experience for anyone involved.
‘A disease’: NZ’s broken infrastructure likely to trudge into the future
There has been an abject lack of long-term planning for decades.
How did Waiwera Thermal Resort go from tourist hotspot to abandoned wasteland?
Only rot remains where good memories were forged.
Sultans of spin: The public relations industry power list
They lurk in the shadows & whisper in the ears of company CEOs. They are the spin doctors.
Debt explained: How much does NZ owe and who do we owe it to?
The country's debt burden is growing quickly. How worried should we be?
'No bodies, no motive': Why Paul Henry spoke out about the Sounds murders
The broadcaster dipped his toe back into the media world to express his frustration.
Damien Venuto: The $1b Countdown mistake Woolworths made a decade ago
OPINION: Five of the top columns of the year from Damien Venuto.
The 30 minutes of chaos that took Today FM off air
Programming started routinely, but then things took a turn.
Revisiting the big stories, the newsmakers and villains of 2023
It was another relentless year around the world - but what was 2023's biggest story?
Holiday traffic warning: 2500km of repairs that could ruin your road trip
Plus, what you need to know about weather and live events this summer
Kiwi exodus: Why new Govt will struggle to stem flow to Australia
Some appealing factors are luring New Zealanders across the Tasman.
War machine: The morally complicated role of the US in funding Israel and Ukraine
The US has played a key role in both wars.
Is the National-led Government ready for three years of Māori-led protests?
The honeymoon barely kicked in for the National-led Government.
Heart troubles: The horror of waiting for the health sector to save your life
A rundown of the big stories covered by the NZ Herald podcast network.
'He’s a born diplomat': Fran O'Sullivan on what Winston Peters is like behind the scenes
NZ First leader can be fiery at home, but the same doesn't apply when he's abroad.
Threesomes, a semi and corporate jabs: The unlikely Kiwi brand sipping on controversy
Competition in the food-science category is fizzing.
Unlimited leave: A work-life balance dream or an over-hyped fad?
Is the possibility of limitless holidays really as good as it sounds?
Royal racism row: Can royal family bounce back from yet another scandal?
The royals know their brand is far bigger than one bit of scandal.
10,000 deaths a year: How NZ could be treating heart health better
Cardiovascular diseases kill thousands every year - and many of them are preventable.
Tory Whanau scandal: Should she stay or should she go?
The mayor of Wellington has admitted to a drinking problem after a second public misstep.
Economic tightrope: The tricky balancing act ahead for Luxon and Willis
Our weekly rundown of the big stories from the Herald's podcast network.
Why Luxon needs more than public service, tax cuts to tame inflation
Fixing the economy won't be as easy as making a few cuts.
‘Sunlight is the best disinfectant’: Theresa Gattung on the policy she’d like to see from the Government
Labour wanted to introduce the change, but Act is not in favour of 'more red tape'.
Minister for Space: Is this really what NZ needs from Judith Collins?
The space race is back on, but what role can we play?
Policy bonfire: Will anything be left of Labour’s legacy?
The National-led Government is planning to jettison many of Labour's policies.
A year of sporting failures? Big questions hang over NZ sport
New Zealand has been left empty-handed during a year of World Cups.
‘Economy limping along’: The fiscal headwinds facing Luxon and Willis
A rundown of some of the big stories from the Herald's podcast network this week.
Pop culture void: Kiwi musicians and artists being left in the dark
Artists are increasingly having to battle to have their stories told.
National security threat: NZ’s isolation no longer guarantee of safety
Being an island far away from everything isn't as safe as it once was.
‘Little hands thread laces’: The dark cost of some Black Friday and Christmas deals
A new report on modern slavery has delivered some staggering findings.
Congestion charging won’t fix Auckland’s biggest transport woe
There's a big difference between Auckland and Milan.
‘You should be very concerned about job security’: How AI is set to rock the workforce
“It’s a lot like climate change, just a hell of a lot faster."
Skyrocketing rents create massive headache for Auckland
A weekly wrap of the top stories from our podcast network.
'People vote with their feet': Skyrocketing rents give Kiwis more incentive to leave
More pressure on renters, in a market where owning a home is out of reach for many.
Burden of the paperboy: How much does a Herald weigh in 2023?
The physical Herald may not weigh what it once did, but the substance is still there.
‘Shaken the establishment’: The mess in UK politics amid David Cameron’s desperate return
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak bizarrely brought former PM David Cameron into the mix.
Hollywood strike: How AI became a massive sticking point
Showbiz has been embroiled in a months-long debate about the future of the industry.
Where does this election leave Māori and Pasifika?
Negotiating goes on, but we already know that no Pasifika MPs will be in Government.
Herald turns 160: What comes next for the publication?
The NZ Herald has come a long way, but has even further to go.
From supersonic jets to robot waiters: Innovations to change the way we travel
The way we travel will undergo some big changes.
Officiating crisis: Are VAR and TMO ruining sport?
The VAR and TMO are increasingly dominating post-match discussions.
Siouxsie Wiles v University of Auckland: Why all businesses should watch closely
The ramifications of the Employment Court case could be wider than a single university.
17-year-old hacker who got into the UN: This is what businesses are doing wrong
A report reveals 132,000 New Zealand businesses have been hit by cybersecurity issues.
From Today FM to The Project: What’s gone wrong for NZ media?
There have been some big blows for local media this year.
Special votes confirm Winston Peters holds the power - so what does he really want?
Another week of big stories covered by the NZ Herald podcast team.
The forgotten war: The ongoing refugee crisis being ignored amid focus on Israel-Hamas war
Around 120,000 Armenians have had to flee the place they have called home for generations.
The KiwiSaver slide: Why have funds slipped $1.2 billion?
KiwiSaver balances don't look so fantastic right now.
What motivates the 'complex figure' of Winston Peters to keep making political comebacks?
Winston Peters is an experienced hand when it comes to negotiating.
Ain’t no sunshine: When will the Auckland downpours end?
The rain has been persistently bucketing down for 10 months.
After the Cup: The big changes coming for All Blacks, world rugby
A new coach is coming - but will Scott Robertson have an easy time?
Shift in property power balance: How to prepare for new Govt’s impact on housing
A rundown of the big stories covered by the Herald's podcast team.
Still divided or on the mend: What's the state of the nation post-election?
An epic road trip from the south to the north aims to capture our mood.
The marketing gap: The massive growth headache holding back small businesses
Without marketing nous, how are small businesses expected to grow?
How a National-led coalition will change our housing market
A new Government always leads to a shift in the balance of property power.
‘It would be an absolute bloodbath’: Why Israel must avoid war with Hezbollah
Previously covering the war on Ukraine, journalist Tom Mutch has headed to Tel Aviv.
Falling on hard times: What’s gone wrong for NZ-made wine and beer?
Iconic brands have fallen on hard times.
'Negotiate everything vote by vote': Seymour's coalition warning revisited
Luxon and Seymour will be integral in determining where New Zealand heads next.
One week on from the election – what next for National-led coalition?
It's been a week filled with election news.
‘No silver bullet’: Will National’s gang policies actually work?
Politicians have promised to crack down on gangs, but will their policies be effective?
Does National have any hope of fixing the cost of living?
The new Government faces a big challenge in addressing the cost of living crisis.
How long will Labour be in political wilderness this time?
Labour's decision to stand in the centre has had some repercussions.
Luxon v Seymour: Will National's tax cuts make it through negotiations?
National will need to appease both Act and NZ First.
'Stretched beyond their limits': How worried should we be about medical mishaps?
When doctors make mistakes, the consequences can be grave.
Covid lockdowns or policy bonfires? What caused Labour's vote to plummet
It was a blue wave across the country, with significant gains for the minor parties.
The lies we’re told: The worrying trend surfacing in our elections
Disinformation is no longer restricted to fringe groups.
Pharmac email scandal: Rachel Smalley on the word that shocked her most
A Privacy Act request by the former Today FM host led to some troubling revelations.
The big dilemma facing the next Government
What lies beneath is no longer fit for purpose.
‘Sequence of war crimes’: Why Israel-Hamas conflict could ‘get very bad’
Conflict could have major repercussions beyond Israel's border.
The $200,000 question: Can money really buy you happiness in NZ?
The relationship between money and happiness is more complicated than we think.
Landlords, benefits, and crime - where the parties stand on key issues
A rundown of some of the biggest stories covered by the NZ Herald's podcast network.
Benefit v superannuation: Where are politicians looking to cut money
Keeping New Zealanders secure doesn't come cheap.
‘Politics got in the way’: What NZ can learn from Australia’s The Voice referendum
Australian politicians are deeply divided on a change to their constitution.
Landlords v renters: How this election could impact 1.3 million Kiwis
Your vote could lead to a big swing in the balance of power.
Opinion: Labour paying the price for grey branding
Brands are often defined by what they choose not to do.
‘Reports just gather dust’: Why our justice system needs transformational change
Crime has been one of the major political talking points all year.
The financial crises in our biggest cities: What it means for you
Two of our largest cities face tough financial decisions, and potential huge rates hikes.
Dodgy real estate deals – can you trust a LIM report?
Another week of big headlines covered by the Herald's podcast team.
Chris v Chris: Business leaders have their say on the next PM
Heads of industry have given their verdict on the eve of the general election.
The Costco effect: Will more international brands follow the retail giant into NZ?
Will Costco's popularity send a message to other businesses abroad?