TVNZ political editor Maiki Sherman and Prime Minister Christopher Luxon; Philip Polkinghorne and Pauline Hanna. Photo montages / NZ Herald
BSA rules on political editor Maiki Sherman’s poll coverage; Should taxpayers be funding a TV doco on an already well-covered crime case?; Student magazine’s depiction of Chlöe Swarbrick as Jesus Christ; Rugby commentators doused in red wine; Four Stripe Media companies go into liquidation.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon described TVNZ’s coverage of a political poll as “frothy” and many viewers were upset by what they considered over-the-top language - and a lack of balance. More than 300 people officially complained to the state broadcaster.
The reporter herself, TVNZ political editor Maiki Sherman, said she was surprised by the reaction. She said she would be prepared to tweak her style if necessary - but not to the point of losing “my own flair and what I bring to this role”.
Now the Broadcasting Standards Authority has sided with Sherman and TVNZ, saying that while she employed “strong and provocative” language, there was nothing in her coverage of the 1 News-Verian poll on April 29 that breached standards.
The authority found the 6pm bulletin report to be balanced, accurate and fair, with commentary, comments and reaction that covered the position of all of the major political parties.
Several BSA complainants cited passages of concern from the report including Sherman’s commentary:
“While we acknowledge these statements were strong and provocative,” said the BSA, “they clearly formed part of Sherman’s political analysis, to which the accuracy standard does not apply.
“Her comments were typical of the type of analysis viewers expect from political editors and reporters, and we consider they would have been readily distinguishable as such to the average viewer.
“The comments were also reflective of her personal style, to which she is entitled. Diversity in presentation and approach is a positive feature which contributes to a programme’s reach and relevance amongst different audiences.”
The BSA said there was a high threshold for finding a breach of the fairness standard when it came to coverage of politicians.
“Politicians and public figures hold a position in society where robust questioning and scrutiny of their policy, roles and behaviour is encouraged and expected. They are frequently capable interviewees, experienced in handling aggressive or inflammatory questioning or other coverage that may be considered unfair for an ordinary person.”
It said there was strong public interest in the poll results and that the report stated they represented “a snapshot in time”.
The authority said political commentary and analysis by journalists was an “important feature of freedom of expression and life in a democratic society”.
“The audience would have understood Sherman’s commentary was her own political analysis of the results as is expected in her role as political editor.”
It concluded: “We do not consider this broadcast went beyond the level of robust scrutiny and political analysis that can reasonably be expected of political parties and their leaders, or gave rise to any unfairness.”
TVNZ confirmed in June that it had received 309 complaints about Sherman’s report, and had rejected them all. A TVNZ spokeswoman said at the time the complaints did not meet the threshold for breaching BSA standards.
NZ on Air staff had an “extensive discussion” about the public media value of a TV documentary on the Philip Polkinghorne murder case before recommending more than $200,000 in taxpayer funding for the project, according to official documents.
The documents - released to Media Insider under the Official Information Act - say the PI Story documentary producers’ own public media arguments were “relatively light”.
Nevertheless, NZ on Air’s board signed off on the recommended $228,000 taxpayer funding, in light of other financial support for the documentary, including likely hundreds of thousands of additional public funding support through a screen production rebate.
“This is a very compelling story, which would no doubt be popular, both in Aotearoa New Zealand and overseas,” says an internal NZ on Air report.
“It may well also receive news media attention, which could attract an even greater audience to the documentary.”
The Polkinghorne trial - now into its seventh week - has been receiving wall-to-wall media coverage, with live blogs, podcasts and extensive updates. Philip Polkinghorne has pleaded not guilty to the murder of his wife Pauline Hanna in 2021.
Newsrooms will be planning in-depth post-trial coverage, which raises the question of why taxpayers need to support a special project.
The NZ on Air report said the funding application for the documentary “addresses in some detail any concerns that the project could be assessed as ‘not public media’.”
This included stating that it examined a case involving people who were not stereotypical and that it would be a boost for the local production industry.
The NZ on Air report said there was “extensive discussion among staff about the public media value of this project”.
“The arguments provided in the proposal were judged to be relatively light,” says the report.
“There is some risk in the timing of this production. To avoid any sub judice issues it cannot be broadcast until the trial is over. But if there is a mistrial, hung jury, or an appeal, that could delay the broadcast date further. This would not affect the appeal of the story necessarily but would mean funding a project that may have its broadcast date delayed.”
The report said the project had raised a significant amount of money since its initial application for development, and was now “requesting a relatively small amount of last-in gap funding, which is something we want to encourage”.
The project would support the local production industry and be a “good chance” of ratings success.
“Funding of up to $228,000 is recommended, subject to confirmation of contracting party, the full production budget being raised, receipt of the provisional NZSPR certificate, confirmation of NZSPR cashflow, and provision of an updated finance plan.”
NZ on Air has withheld other details of PI Story, which is being produced by Blonde Razor Ltd and slated to appear on Three and ThreeNow.
It is expected to feature private investigator Julia Hartley Moore, who is no stranger to the television screen.
Hartley Moore is one of two directors of Blonde Razor Ltd – the other is screen producer and director Mark McNeill.
The pair have been also reluctant to comment on their project.
“There are a variety of factors at play when we arrive at a funding decision,” said NZ on Air operations, partnerships and culture head Raewyn Rasch.
“However, until the programme has been released, we are unable to discuss the editorial elements in the proposal that provided a public media rationale that was integral to our decision.
“While the trial itself will no doubt attract media coverage, a documentary is a different proposition, and in this case has a strong business case for funding and was assessed as being likely to attract an engaged audience.”
NZ on Air said in April: “A documentary mini-series for ThreeNow and Three, PI Story tracks the course of an ongoing NZ trial.”
Pushed for more detail, an NZ on Air spokeswoman said at the time: “PI Story tracks the course of an ongoing highly topical NZ criminal case. The series starts when charges have been laid and follows the case through court to the concluding verdict.
“It is rare to have such access and insight to the workings of the judicial system and an opportunity to examine issues of social justice.”
The spokeswoman said NZ on Air had provided “last-in gap funding”.
That meant most funding was coming from other sources, “creating excellent return on investment in a cost-per-minute sense”.
Meanwhile, NZ on Air’s funding team has a massive job over the next two months.
Applications closed at 4pm yesterday for its latest funding round - including $9 million for non-fiction projects, $6m for scripted projects and $5m for children’s content.
Within the $9m non-fiction category, competition is expected to be particularly intense for $5 million of journalism funding.
That’s especially so in light of the demise of Newshub and cutbacks at TVNZ and other media companies.
NZ on Air can expect to see a number of new broadcasting initiatives - podcasts, video shows and other projects - featuring some of our best-known names.
For instance, Paddy Gower - despite contracting to Stuff - is still free to chase other projects, and the bright lights of television and another potential season of Paddy Gower Has Issues may well be strong.
Warner Bros Discovery would not confirm this week if it had applied for funding for such a show.
“WBD does not comment on potential applications for funding, however, we have a very strong working relationship with Stuff and would not see Paddy’s new role there as a hindrance to working with him again in the future,” a WBD spokeswoman said last month.
Canterbury University student magazine Canta has depicted Greens co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick as Jesus Christ and Prime Minister Christopher Luxon as Judas, in a somewhat bizarre take on Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper painting.
The student magazine took to social media this week to explain its centre-spread artwork and to reinforce that it never intended to disrespect or insult any religion. “Canta respects all religious identities and backgrounds,” it wrote.
“Our intention for the centrefold was to bring to light how politicians are often held on a pedestal, much like religious figures often are,” Canta managing editor Hariklia Nicola told Media Insider, reinforcing the comments that the magazine had posted on social media.
“In addition to this, we wanted to highlight the specific meaning behind the Last Supper imagery, to demonstrate that although politicians are often seen as separate entities fighting different fights – and sometimes against each other – that at the end of the day, they are united in their purpose to better the lives of people in New Zealand however they may see fit.”
That doesn’t quite explain why Swarbrick was selected as Jesus, while Luxon is Judas, the traitor.
“No - no particular intention,” said Nicola. “It was just whoever was easier to Photoshop!”
Act leader David Seymour was depicted as John, Winston Peters as Peter and former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was depicted as Philip.
Nicola said they had received one complaint from a student about the centrespread.
This week, we catch up with TVNZ US correspondent Logan Church.
Newstalk ZB rugby commentator Elliott Smith was the epitome of professionalism as he and co-caller Paul Allison were doused in red wine shortly before the second half of the All Blacks-Springboks test in Capetown on Sunday morning (NZT).
A bucket of red wine was either accidentally, or accidentally on purpose, tipped over the Kiwi commentators, from a corporate suite above them.
“We’re still on air and smell like a brewery, but that’s all right,” said Smith, as the red wine poured through his commentating equipment, and all over his notes.
“We’ll do the second half and we’ll be away laughing.”
Allison: “I know we’re near Stellenbosch and they’re selling wine tasting. We didn’t quite expect this.”
Four companies associated with Auckland-based film and production company Stripe Media - including one linked to one of the world’s biggest TV stars - have been placed in liquidation.
At the behest of the IRD, SS (Hot) Ltd was placed into liquidation in July while Stripe Media Ltd, Stripe Studios (Hoff) Ltd, and Stripe Media (Reunited Show) Ltd were placed into liquidation last month, according to public notices.
Several of these companies are linked to specific shows produced by Stripe Media.
For instance, Stripe Studios (Hoff) was set up to produce a travel series featuring Hollywood star David Hasselhoff travelling across New Zealand with Kiwi comedian Rhys Darby. The pair filmed the series last year, but it became held up in post-production because of the financial issues.
The four companies are among 11 Stripe-related companies that went into receivership earlier this year, owing a total of more than $20 million.
Of the four companies now in liquidation, an initial liquidator’s report has been completed for one of them - SS (Hot) Ltd, a company that was established for the first season of the television series Rich Listers.
The report says the series was produced and had been broadcast.
“The company applied for a screen production grant [SPG] and the final application was submitted prior to the company being placed in receivership,” says the report.
“The receivers are following up the progress of this final application.”
The report reveals this particular company owes $13,669.83 to the IRD and a further $27,414.48 to unsecured creditors.
The Herald revealed in May that the managing director of Stripe, Alex Breingan, had set up a new alias, AJ James and a new company in the United Kingdom with links to a range of proposed new TV and film projects.
James is Breingan’s middle name.
Creditors of the 11 companies – including Kiwibank, financing firm Fulcrum Media Finance and American TV stars David Hasselhoff and Iliza Shlesinger – are owed more than $20 million and the receiver claims its investigations have uncovered “irregularities” in the company’s finances.
Multiple attempts over several months to speak to Breingan have so far been unsuccessful.
Any hopes Warner Bros Discovery might have had of recovering some decent coin from its newsroom assets in Wellington were dashed this week.
More than 80 items of furniture, TV equipment and other goods from the former Newshub newsroom in the Capital generated a grand total of just $8664.
There were bargains galore: An outdoor BBQ sold for $10, a leather lounge chair for $5 and a couple of decent-looking office chairs for $5. A swag of televisions were sold - a couple of Smart TVs went for more than $700.
One of the biggest assets, a Caterpillar diesel generator, was passed in after the highest bid, $15,100, did not meet reserve.
One source told Media Insider: “I know that it was suggested that staff could take their pick from what WBD didn’t want shipped back to Auckland... that didn’t happen. A total like this will be the final insult.”
Editor-at-Large Shayne Currie is one of New Zealand’s 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.
AT will start all over again in 2025 as 18 months of work goes by the wayside.