Former PM’s cunning move as a paparazzi’s chopper buzzes overhead; New creative agency for Air NZ flight safety videos; Simon Barnett’s return to Newstalk ZB; Well-known media firm up for sale; TVNZ’s Breakfast scramble amid cost-cutting.
New Zealand, by its very nature and size, rarely attracts overseas paparazzi-style photographers unless there’s a true A-lister in town.
Compared to the US, UK and Australia, tabloid wars are virtually non-existent - the biggest “celebrity” weddings in the past have usually featured an All Black. Even then, the media battles have been fairly tame - the odd legal warning and perhaps a no-fly zone to protect a women’s magazine deal.
So when internationally famous Dame Jacinda Ardern’s wedding to Clarke Gayford was rescheduled for this summer, it was inevitable foreign tabloid journalists would be literally hovering.
Two Australian-based journalists from the Daily Mail were, by all accounts, full of swagger as they arrived in Hawke’s Bay last week, vowing to scoop their Kiwi counterparts with exclusive wedding angles and photographs.
In their eyes, the weekend would have started well enough - “pap” shots of Ardern at a beauty salon in Havelock North were published on the Daily Mail website on Friday.
Almost every major New Zealand news organisation - including the Herald and Stuff - had staff in Hawke’s Bay and published images and video of guests gathering and preparations under way at the Craggy Range winery.
And while the presence of the Daily Mail ratcheted up the heat, their journalists’ confidence might have also been their undoing.
They made no secret of their plans to hire a helicopter to sweep over the wedding on Saturday for photographs of the pair tying the knot.
Interestingly, and possibly wary of a public backlash, Ardern and Gayford did not have a magazine deal and did not go down the route of implementing a no-fly zone.
But key wedding guests were tipped off to a critical piece of information about the Daily Mail’s plans.
The chartered helicopter - a three-seat Bell B47 model made famous by the MASH television show - took off about 3pm and apparently had only enough fuel for about an hour of flying.
That information made its way to the wedding party at the last minute.
Observers say Ardern was outside and walking towards the proceedings just before 3.20pm, just as the Daily Mail helicopter was hovering overhead.
She paused after speaking with former Deputy PM Grant Robertson, the wedding celebrant, and then waited, and waited ... and kept waiting.
She was still under umbrellas at 3.40pm.
Proceedings appeared to be delayed for a short period as the chopper buzzed - a game of cat and mouse seemed to be unfolding.
Sure enough, the helicopter was forced to leave the scene about 3.56pm, without the ‘money shot’ - Ardern and Gayford together.
A few minutes later, music could be heard coming from the venue.
Ardern made her way to Gayford and guests just after 4pm.
Chalk that one up to a win against foreign paparazzi, even if it meant a slight delay to the runsheet.
In the absence of any rights deal, Ardern and Gayford then went one step further - upsetting any hopes the Daily Mail had of exclusive images - by releasing official photographs to all media just an hour after the nuptials.
Air New Zealand’s safety videos have had a colourful - sometimes chequered and controversial - history.
When the first of them was introduced in 2009, they were considered a marketing marvel here and across the globe - a fresh approach to disseminating often boring, sometimes vital and occasionally obvious information, such as how to fasten your seatbelt.
From lowlights such as “Safety With Rico”, the lewd puppet in 2010, and the short-lived “It’s Kiwi Safety” rap in 2018, to the highs of the popular “Summer of Safety” featuring Rachel Hunter and Kiwi actors in Northland in 2016, the flight safety videos have never been far from the headlines.
The “It’s Kiwi Safety” rap was ranked by NZ Herald travel writers Thomas Bywater and Sarah Pollok in 2022 as the worst of the 20 safety videos so far. The $25 million video was canned after just two months following numerous complaints.
Along with regular, well-earned praise for other videos that have showcased New Zealand’s dazzling landscapes and people, there have also been occasional criticisms that safety messages might be getting lost amongst that amazing creativity.
In the advertising and marketing world, the videos are a big deal.
Media Insider understands Special has now won a competitive pitch to be creative agency, ahead of two other agencies. That’s a big and impressive win for Special.
The incumbent agency - Bastion Shine - declined to pitch, partly because of its already heavy workload with Air New Zealand, according to sources.
Bastion Shine remains the creative agency for all of the airline’s brand work - it is said to have a strong relationship with Air New Zealand and was behind the recent, acclaimed Great Christmas Chase video, which has already amassed more than six million views on YouTube.
It is also believed to be working on another special project for the airline.
Air New Zealand, Special and Bastion Shine aren’t commenting on the new arrangements, or what changes we can expect with the safety videos.
But a new agency, especially one of the calibre of Special, inevitably means a fresh approach - it will be interesting to see whether we’ll see a more conservative, but no less creative execution.
It is understood a new flight safety video - the first under Special - will appear later this year.
TVNZ had been considering only three Breakfast presenters this year - before being forced to hastily announce Daniel Faitaua’s appointment last night as a fourth host, to replace Matty McLean.
Media Insider understands the state broadcaster recognised that four hosts might not be required - and might not be a good look - in light of the tough economic landscape and as it, like most other media companies, implements cost-cutting across various divisions.
After all, Breakfast’s main competitor - Three’s AM - has only two hosts.
It is understood, however, that any plan for three Breakfast hosts - Jenny-May Clarkson, Anna Burns-Francis, and Chris Chang - went out the window when Burns-Francis alerted bosses to the very happy news of her pregnancy.
She is set to take maternity leave in mid-2024 - and bosses realised that a fourth presenter would be required for contingency and consistency later in the year.
Depending on the economic landscape, it will be surprising if Burns-Francis is replaced while she is away.
“TVNZ is a commercial broadcaster and the challenges we saw in the advertising market in 2023 are continuing into 2024,” said a spokeswoman.
“With Matty McLean leaving Breakfast, consideration was given as to whether the show would continue with three presenters or a fourth appointed. Breakfast is an intense three hours of live television, so we’ve opted to retain a team of four presenters to kick off 2024. We’ll plan for Anna’s maternity leave closer to the time.”
TVNZ news bosses were left to scramble the announcement of Faitaua’s appointment at 8pm on Thursday, after Media Insider earlier sought comment about his new role.
It’s an interesting move for the talented Faitaua, having already served a three-year stint on Breakfast, between 2016 and 2019.
Having then moved on to become TVNZ’s London-based Europe correspondent, and more recently as a backup newsreader for the 6pm news, one source said his heart had been focused on primetime newsreading opportunities.
TVNZ has a strong roster of 6pm newsreaders, with Simon Dallow, Melissa Stokes, Wendy Petrie and Faitaua.
In the official statement last night, Faitaua said he was thrilled to be returning to Breakfast.
The spokeswoman told Media Insider: “Daniel has been a regular fill-in at 6pm and he’ll continue to present this bulletin on occasion. We know viewers love seeing him at both ends of the day.”
Meanwhile, McLean starts his new role - co-host of The Hits radio station’s Drive show with PJ Harding - on Monday.
One of the country’s most enduring and endearing mastheads and media firms is for sale - a business proposition and transaction in a corner of Auckland that is likely to be replicated across other parts of the country and media industry this year.
Times Media, the publisher of the reputable Howick & Pakuranga Times and a range of other titles, has been operating for 52 years and employs 17 staff, including advertising reps and journalists.
Its respected and colourful owner, managing director Reay Neben, the matriarch of community newspapers in New Zealand, was diagnosed with cancer four years ago and continues to fight health complications.
She says that - combined with the pressures of operating a media business following the pandemic and now a tough economy - means it’s time for her to exit.
“I have been better,” she said, matter-of-factly, as we caught up this week.
She had just advised staff of the sale. “They were amazing.”
She says there’s a high price personally for her - “One, health and two, the cost of keeping it going” - and she now wants to spend time on her own wellbeing and looking after her husband Brian.
She won’t divulge an asking price but says it’s not expensive.
“Once upon a time, Fairfax offered me a lot of money for it, but those were different days.”
She has cut costs over the past year to strive to keep the firm in the black.
In August, she changed distribution systems. Instead of the paper being delivered door-to-door, there is now a network of 70 distribution boxes throughout the community, where people can pick up the paper.
“People have been queuing up, waiting for it. It’s been amazing. It’s going to happen to lots of community papers because distribution is just so hard to control - it has been for 52 years.”
The company has also been focused on digital transformation, through its website times.co.nz and developing a news-focused East Auckland app.
“We’re ready to fly,” says Neben. “You [the Herald] don’t run stories about Howick and what’s happened with the drain down the road or whatever. Where do people find that out?”
An advertisement for the business reveals annual revenue of just under $1.8 million.
“This long-established media player has developed its famous masthead portfolio into market relevance for the digital age,” says the advertisement.
“The hard work is done and the retiring owner is now ready to hand over to a new operator who understands modern news media, consumer behaviour, news, journalism and the advertising revenue dynamic.”
Neben says she would love to see a local buyer - an individual or group connected to the community.
“The paper is so loved,” she says. “It needs to survive. That’s the most important thing - that it survives.”
Media Insider is aware of some leading local businesspeople who have expressed interest in the past. I wouldn’t be surprised if the likes of NZME, Stuff or community newspaper operators, such as David Mackenzie’s Good Local Media, also take a look.
Mackenzie is expanding his community newspaper network in the North Island, having announced yesterday the purchase of the King Country News (previously Waitomo News).
Neben points to a proud heritage of awards and local stories and campaigns - including Best Website at the Panpa awards (covering the Pacific, Australia and New Zealand) in the early 2000s. It beat the likes of the Sydney Morning Herald.
In 2010, the newspaper led a campaign, “Our Place, Our Name”, to retain the Howick name, in a precursor to the political debate raging these days.
“We’ve raised money for groups and it just goes on. Without a paper - that’s my worry - what happens to this fabulous small town that we think it is?”
Some people don’t think of the newspaper as a business, she says.
It’s a little like the council rubbish collection.
“If they don’t get it, they’ll ring up and complain. And then they might complain about everything [in it] but then they want a story in the paper.
“They never think that it is a business but it is like everything else, it has to survive. It’s not just a charity.
“I’m sad but, you know, I can’t afford to keep going on. It’s been such a hard decision.”
In what feels like another lifetime, I worked as an 18-year-old cub reporter at the Howick & Pakuranga Times in 1989.
Fellow ATI journalism graduate Sheryl Blythen and I cut our teeth in a buzzing community newsroom under the astute leadership of chief reporter Kathryn Calvert (nee Vivian) and a room full of experienced editors and senior journalists including Peter Barclay, Barbara Weil and Ivan Agnew.
We chipped away diligently on Olivetti typewriters and thrived on the thrill of our first fulltime jobs, complete with passive smoking, as colleagues puffed away on cigarettes.
It was a bulging newspaper, chokka with display and classified ads - another era.
We covered the local Howick Borough Council, police stories and local personalities. It was a short but fondly remembered stint - The Evening Post in Wellington came calling later in the year - and a valuable lesson for me of the importance of local stories and people.
Neben says the paper has been a fertile training ground for young journalists - one of our latest recruits in the Herald newsroom, Benjamin Plummer, was hired from there.
The paper boasts a very famous paper boy - Christopher Luxon delivered the Times as a young boy and is now a columnist.
“I had the headline - From Paper Boy to Prime Minister,” says Neben.
In my conversation with Neben, she mentioned her first husband, Roger Smith, with whom she set the paper up 52 years ago, had established a set of eight commandments - in old-style format and font.
They’re framed in the office. The principles hold as true today as they did more than half a century ago.
Here they are:
I caught up with broadcaster Simon Barnett earlier this week, and a full interview with him will appear on nzherald.co.nz and in the Weekend Herald tomorrow.
Barnett will return to his Newstalk ZB Afternoons show next Tuesday. It has been and continues to be a traumatic and deeply sad time following his wife Jodi’s death in early October.
He has spoken articulately and emotionally of the heartbreaking loss of - and grief for - Jodi, but also of finding strength with his faith and family.
“We can’t wait to have Simon back on air,” NZME chief audio officer Jason Winstanley told Media Insider.
“We’ve all missed Simon - not least of all our listeners, thousands of whom have reached out to offer their love and support over the past several months. Radio is an incredibly personal medium, and our listeners feel very attached to Simon. We know that with the support of co-host James Daniels and producers Tyler Adams and Andrew Topping, Simon will feel nothing but love across the airwaves.”
Former MediaWorks and NZME leader Dallas Gurney left the industry last year to set up shop, literally, in Northland. He and his wife Donna, another former high-flying media executive took ownership of the Whananaki general store.
We’ll take that as a no!
The New Year has brought an inevitable string of media movements among sales teams, newsrooms, the c-suite and the wider industry.
The highest-profile resignation over summer, to date, has been that of Jessica Mutch-McKay’s departure as TVNZ political editor. As Media Insider revealed on January 1, Mutch McKay is heading to ANZ to be the bank’s head of government relations and corporate responsibility. Meanwhile, TVNZ’s new CEO Jodi O’Donnell starts in her role on January 30.
NZME has lost an executive, with chief people officer Tracey Taylor’s resignation. The former Yellow chief executive joined the Herald publisher in October. “After some reflection over the holiday period, Tracey has made the decision to take a break with family before she looks to take on a new challenge leading a business. We wish her all the very best with her future endeavours,” said chief executive Michael Boggs. Meanwhile, NZME’s new general counsel, Gen O’Halloran, starts in March.
Stuff’s commercial boss Matt Headland announced a new-look senior commercial team on Thursday, filled with many of his former NZME and MediaWorks colleagues, including Jaana Collins, Lee Piper and Deidre Bailey. Meanwhile, Sarah Stuart, who was director of Stuff’s Harakeke commercial editorial unit, is understood to be moving to an editorial role, although she would not confirm that yesterday. Andrew Reinholds takes over leadership of Harakeke.
One of the highest-profile media roles, yet to be announced, is Warner Bros. Discovery/Newshub’s head of news. Sarah Bristow departs in February, with no news yet on her replacement.
RNZ announced yesterday that Kim Hill would return with a special podcast this year - no details have been released. The broadcaster has yet to say who will replace her on Saturday Morning, but a raft of names have been in the mix including Stacey Morrison, currently host of NZME’s Flava breakfast show; award-winning author and broadcaster Noelle McCarthy; former Morning Report presenters Susie Ferguson and Guyon Espiner; and Nine to Noon host Kathryn Ryan.
Media Insider sources say RNZ has even been considering the option of co-hosts.
Keen media observers have been quick this week to compare Stuff’s new-look homepage design with that of The Spinoff.
Stuff describes the look as fresh but our friends at The Spinoff might take issue with that descriptor, given its design has been in the market for more than two years.
The colour palette, fonts, use of white space all seem, to me - and a few others - to be remarkably similar.
To quote an infamous line from Metro magazine from years gone by... we wonder if, by chance, these two are related...?
The Spinoff
Stuff’s new homepage, unveiled this week
To the Australian PR agency rep who sent an email to one of our senior journalists yesterday, with the opening line: ‘I hope you’re having a GREAT Junior FriYayyyy.’
Yes, we think she meant Thursday.
Who's in line for influential TVNZ role?; $1 sales: Five NZME community newspapers saved.