Should popular reality TV shows be supported by a Government rebate?; Executive shake-ups at our biggest media companies; ThreeNews expresses “regret” over two 6pm reports; TV star’s new rugby podcast.
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Media Insider: Should reality TV shows such as The Block NZ and Married at First Sight NZ receive Government rebate support? Media executive shake-ups at Stuff, TVNZ, NZME and Sky TV; TV star’s new podcast
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The Block NZ host Mark Richardson; Masterchef New Zealand hosts Michael Dearth and Nadia Lim; ThreeNews host Laura Tupou.
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As the local screen industry battles an estimated loss of $50 million in annual production investment from TVNZ and Three, it is turning to the Government for support to get hit shows back in production and on air.
Most of the shows draw relatively big audiences and therefore also have commercial appeal. There have been nine seasons of Dancing with the Stars, the last of which was in 2020, while The Block NZ was canned last year, at the last minute, after 10 seasons.
TVNZ, Three/Warner Bros Discovery, Sky TV and a range of major production companies, including Great Southern Television, South Pacific Pictures and Greenstone, have appealed to the Ministry for Culture and Heritage to broaden the eligibility criteria for the screen production rebate (SPR).
“We are at a critical juncture which will decide whether New Zealand content will continue to push above its weight or instead collapse,” say the organisations in a joint submission on the Government’s media reforms package.
They have called on the Government to simplify, change and/or remove processes that inhibit investment, including “allowing domestic versions of international formats to access the SPR if made by a local company”.
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Screen Producers New Zealand (Spada) says in its separate submission: “While the IP may be developed offshore, the local versions of international format productions do reflect our culture – MasterChef New Zealand, The Block NZ, Dancing with the Stars [and] Married at First Sight New Zealand feature New Zealanders, and are loved by New Zealanders."
Spada executive director Sandy Gildea wrote that it would be a “shame” to lose the shows because of cutbacks at TVNZ and Three.
“These shows also create jobs and generate a good economic return to our sector and the wider economy,” Gildea said.
“One production company alone estimates a nearly $25 million [per annum] impact to their business, affecting 730 jobs across production, post-production, and talent (over 5200 weeks of work) with the reduction in direct commissioning of commercial programming (many of them international formats) from Three and TVNZ.”
In its separate submission on the Government’s media reforms, TVNZ urged a review of the screen production rebate ”to ensure it is flexible and maximises the opportunity to bring Aotearoatanga, or our unique ‘New Zealandness’ to screens".
It said local versions of international formats helped stimulate the local production sector and were designed “to bring a uniquely New Zealand flavour to ‘known brands’”.
This, in turn, created greater international marketability for onward sales and investment.
The rebate on qualifying international and domestic productions in New Zealand is used to attract and incentivise investment, boosting the local screen sector and generating economic benefits. International productions are eligible for a 20% rebate (with a 5% uplift in some circumstances); domestic productions are eligible for a 40% rebate.
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The New Zealand Film Commission, which administers the rebate, says it is essential for the growth of the screen industry.
In the eight years to 2022, about $1.15 billion has been paid out through the rebate scheme, with those productions spending about $5.2b in the same period in New Zealand.
The Film Commission has previously highlighted an economic impact assessment of the Netflix series Sweet Tooth, produced in New Zealand. It received $9.6m through the SPR scheme and was estimated to have produced $6.91 in GDP for every dollar of the rebate – a $66m contribution to New Zealand’s GDP in 2020. The series also created 1180 full and part-time jobs that year with $21m spent on wages and salaries.
Should live sport be eligible?
TVNZ also wants existing rules, which prevent the rebate from applying to live sport, lifted.
“Live sport production in New Zealand is expensive and increasingly out of reach for broadcasters and sporting bodies,” TVNZ said in its submission.
“Without production, there are no media rights to sell domestically or internationally, reducing the revenue to local sporting bodies. There is a risk that, given the high cost of production, certain sports will no longer be produced and ‘seen’ by New Zealanders.
“This creates negative flow-on effects to participation in sport and the health and social benefits associated.
“Including live sport production in scope has wider economic and cultural benefits as a result, as well as direct benefits to the production sector, specifically supporting the skills required for live and outside production and broadcasting.”
Shorty St and the SPR
One of TVNZ’s shows, Shortland Street, was saved from possible axing this year thanks to the Government changing the eligibility for the SPR.
The hospital drama, in its 34th season, now screens in its reduced, three-days-a-week format with the added financial support of the rebate as well as a $3m public grant from NZ on Air.
That has all helped reduce the financial burden on TVNZ, which is understood to have been paying up to $20m a year for the show until this year. The exact new TVNZ contribution is unclear, given the show has also made a number of production cost cuts, but it will still be stumping up millions.
There were whispers earlier this year the Government might look at the rebate as part of its Budget considerations.
“The rebate schemes are demand-driven and require regular top-ups, so consideration of ongoing funding for the schemes is, as in previous years, part of Budget discussions,” Finance Minister Nicola Willis told Media Insider in February.
Arts Minister Paul Goldsmith, who also holds the Media and Communications portfolio, said at the time: “I have stated publicly we are committed to having ongoing rebates. Any future Budget decisions will be made by the Minister of Finance.”
Earlier this month, Willis – while attending the New Zealand premiere of the Minecraft film, which also benefited from the SPR – told The Post the rebate was safe. She was asked whether that meant no changes and she reportedly responded: “That’s right.”
In upcoming columns, Media Insider will analyse more industry responses to the Government’s media reforms package.
One Good Poll
ThreeNews’ ‘regret’ over 6pm report
Stuff’s ThreeNews bulletin broadcast its “regret” this week over two stories which were found to have breached several broadcasting standards last July.
Stuff took over production and responsibility of the 6pm ThreeNews bulletin for Warner Bros Discovery last July. On July 26, it broadcast a story alleging links between anti-smoking group Ash and the pro-vaping lobby in Australia.
In a scathing decision, the Broadcasting Standards Authority (BSA) found the first story breached fairness, balance and accuracy standards.
“The BSA concluded the broadcast created a misleading, unbalanced and unfairly negative impression of Ash by favouring critical perspectives and failing to adequately present Ash’s position,“ ThreeNews newsreader Laura Tupou said during Tuesday evening’s bulletin.
A second report on July 30 claimed a school had refused to allow its students to participate in Ash’s annual Year 10 vaping survey “due to concerns about Ash’s stance on youth vaping”.
“The BSA found this misleading and unfair as it presented outdated information as breaking news without telling viewers the information was from 2021,” Tupou said.
“The BSA concluded that ThreeNews failed to ensure accuracy by not providing important factual context.
“The comment from Ash included in the report did not adequately respond to the issues raised.”
Tupou said the authority “highlighted shortfalls in editorial processes and oversight, emphasising the need for accuracy and fairness in reporting”.
“ThreeNews regrets the errors that were made in these circumstances.
“The authority ordered the broadcast of this statement to publicly acknowledge the breach of broadcasting standards to our audience and to remedy the potential damage done to Ash’s and its director’s reputation.”
Warner Bros Discovery earlier referred comment to Stuff.
Stuff editor-in-chief Keith Lynch said in a statement: “Stuff regrets the errors that were made in this circumstance and accepts the authority’s findings.
“We are committed to upholding the highest journalistic standards across all of our channels and products. We have now produced almost 300 ThreeNews bulletins for Warner Bros Discovery, with this BSA decision the only finding against our reporting.”
The full BSA decision can be read here.
Media executive shake-ups
In the disrupted world of media, it is little surprise there have been changes at the very top of our biggest commercial media firms over the past 12 months.
But the sheer number of executive moves – and the speed of change – is illustrative of the challenges within the industry, and the digital disruption that continues to wreak havoc (and create opportunities) on business models.
There are common challenges for most companies – a loss of advertising revenue, a recovering economy and massive shifts in audience behaviour – as well as some specific issues for each.
Stuff
The press release from Stuff less than two years ago was typically exuberant.
“Big news today,” Stuff’s then communications director wrote in a cover email in June 2023.
Indeed, the news was big: three former top leaders at NZME would form the nucleus of a new-look Stuff executive team: Laura Maxwell as Stuff’s new chief executive, Nadia Tolich as Stuff Digital managing director and Matt Headland as managing director of Stuff Brand Connections, a fancy title for overall commercial boss.
“Now feels like the perfect time to hand over the daily leadership of the business to a fantastic new CEO, who will bring her own talents, experience and perspectives for the next chapter of the company,” Stuff owner Sinead Boucher said at the time.
“Laura has significant experience in building and scaling businesses and has a proven track record of crafting and delivering strategies that result in accelerated revenue and profit growth in large-scale businesses.
“As well as her huge professional experience and success, she is also someone I have a lot of admiration and respect for, whom I personally enjoy working with and who I know is committed to building success for Stuff and its people.”
Stuff described Maxwell’s appointment, along with the new managing director roles, as the first step “in a multi-year change designed to enable Stuff Group to capitalise on opportunities of the new era”.
Less than two years later, Maxwell and Headland have already left and Tolich has resigned.
Media Insider understands it hasn’t always been a happy time around the Stuff executive table – the trio’s short tenures might be the biggest indication of that.
Maxwell is now in Brisbane, working as managing director of Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp Queensland operation, while Headland has gone to MediaWorks as chief digital officer.
Tolich, meantime, is on her way to TVNZ, as the new chief news and content officer, a powerful new executive role that has ultimate responsibility for the newsroom and all programming.
It is a massive promotion but she is also likely to face a lengthy gardening leave period given the competitive battle between Stuff and TVNZ, especially given Stuff produces Three’s 6pm news.
A press release last week sparked the biggest clue that Tolich was on the outer. Boucher praised the work of Keith Lynch, Stuff’s editor-in-chief, for the company’s latest monthly audience numbers. Lynch might well figure large in a future executive mix for Boucher.
Of course, all of this will be dependent on the future shape of the company. Trade Me is understood to be keen to buy into Stuff Digital, with a deal apparently in the works.
Stuff and NZME had also been in discussions about the sale of Stuff Masthead Publishing, which owns Stuff’s print and digital assets such as The Post, The Press and the Sunday Star-Times.
Boucher still has other respected lieutenants, including Stuff Masthead Publishing managing director Joanna Norris and chief financial officer Dale Bridle.
Depending on the future shape of the company and whether Boucher wishes to relinquish the reins again, Norris appears to be the most likely internal candidate to be Stuff chief executive.
NZME
Most focus over the past seven weeks has been on NZME’s board battle, with businessman Jim Grenon leading a charge for a refresh of the media company’s directors at the annual shareholders meeting in early June.
There has been ongoing coverage of the situation, as potential and existing board members trade letters and commentary.
But there is also a significant change unfolding around the company’s executive table with chief digital and publishing officer Carolyn Luey resigning to take up a senior executive role at Contact Energy.
Media Insider understands Luey might not be replaced by one person. Certainly, there is an argument to be made that the editor-in-chief position, which currently reports to the chief digital and publishing officer, should be reinstated to the company’s executive team.
If Grenon is successful, he plans to create an editorial board to help oversee the company’s newsroom endeavours.
One of Grenon’s board nominees, Philip Crump, has been vocal this week, outlining why he thinks the editor-in-chief position should be back at the top table.
NZME has not responded to Media Insider’s questions and a request for comment in response to Crump’s blog.
TVNZ
She has been in the role of TVNZ chief executive for just over a year and Jodi O’Donnell is now stamping her mark, with the announcement of several new executives to help drive the broadcaster’s digital revolution over the next five years.
Nadia Tolich fills the critical new role of chief news and content officer – there is understandable relief among many in the TVNZ newsroom that a person with a journalistic background has filled the position.
Tolich effectively replaces two people on the TVNZ executive team – chief content officer Nevak Rogers has left TVNZ while news and current affairs executive editor Phil O’Sullivan comes off the executive but retains the most senior newsroom leadership role, reporting to Tolich.
Long-time TVNZ executive Brent McAnulty, who is currently filling the chief news and content officer role, will depart the organisation once Tolich starts.
Meanwhile, Rob Hutchinson will take on the role of chief digital officer in a permanent capacity from May 1 and Bernadette Kelly is joining in a new role of chief people and corporate officer.
Tolich inherits a TVNZ newsroom that has been through a massive change during the past 12 months and she will be part of a new-look executive team embracing a five-year digital-first strategy.
TVNZ, like other commercial media companies, has had to make a range of cost cuts over the past year while battling declining advertising revenues in a tight economy.
In TVNZ’s case, it has ditched long-running shows such as Sunday and Fair Go and its staff numbers are now understood to be just over 500, compared with more than 700 two years ago.
Sky TV
Sky has had one of the biggest turnovers of executives in the media industry since 2019 – the latest being chief financial officer Ciara McGuigan, who resigned less than a year into the role, and chief content and commercial officer Jonny Errington, who resigned last week for a new leadership role at the New Zealand Olympic Committee.
Could Errington’s departure see the elevation to Sky’s executive team of Marshall Heald?
Heald and Tolich were seen as the two leading contenders for the new TVNZ executive role. Now that Tolich has the role, Heald – who has been working as a consultant in recent months for Sky – might well be in line for an executive role.
Other potential internal candidates are Gary Burchett and Adam Crothers, while – externally – former TVNZ executive Cate Calver (previously Slater), now chief executive of Great Southern Television, could be a possibility.
Mystery still surrounds the abrupt resignation and departure of McGuigan in early February, just two weeks before Sky announced its half-year results.
There had been speculation of some discord at executive level, with questions over the working relationship between McGuigan and Sky TV chief executive Sophie Moloney. Both are highly respected within the industry.
Dan Kelly stepped down as Sky’s chief customer officer in December with little to no publicity.
Just two of the nine executives who were there in 2019 remain today.
In an interview in late February, Sky TV chair Philip Bowman would not comment specifically on McGuigan’s departure, or on others over the past six years.
Bowman did say a number of the executives who departed earlier were “appointments made by Sophie’s predecessor”, Martin Stewart.
“The only observation I would make is that I don’t find that uncommon in the turnaround situation. Doing a turnaround is quite stressful and you can hire people who are a good fit in terms of technical capability, but maybe they don’t actually like the stress that comes with ... that. I’m not talking about this specific instance; I’m simply saying that’s what can happen.”
Bowman said Moloney had his full confidence.
“She’s very energetic, she expects performance from people, but in my view that’s a good thing. She’s done a good job. It’s been a very stressful time for her over the last six months and she’s come through that pretty well.”
MediaWorks
While there has been a lot of focus on the future shape of NZME and Stuff, MediaWorks is undergoing its own big ownership change with outdoor company QMS buying out the other major shareholder, Oaktree Capital, and now holding 99.5% of the company.
Although the tender process is starting all over again, MediaWorks seems to be in the box seat to win the lion’s share of lucrative new Auckland Transport outdoor contracts.
Under that scenario, the company suddenly becomes an even stronger outdoor advertising firm and QMS might be keen to test the waters for an international buyer.
Then it becomes a question of whether the radio assets stay or whether a local or international firm might be keen to pick up brands such as The Breeze, The Rock and More FM.
So far, MediaWorks chief executive Wendy Palmer – one of New Zealand’s most esteemed radio bosses – has assured staff it’s business as usual but there’s little doubt the QMS acquisition opens up new opportunities.
Despite QMS being a specialist outdoor advertising business, QMS and MediaWorks chair Barclay Nettlefold earlier said there were no plans to sell the radio division.
“This transaction materially expands QMS’ scale and presence in the New Zealand market,” Nettlefold said.
TV star’s new rugby podcast
His face is a familiar feature on our screens. Now Rawiri Jobe will be hoping his voice becomes just as recognised.
Jobe, a former Shortland St actor now starring in a lead role as Detective Harry Henare in My Life is Murder, has created an irreverent new rugby podcast with another screen industry collaborator, producer and comedian Gareth Williams.
The pair, both steadfast rugby fans, have launched Super Smack, a weekly podcast unpicking the latest round of Super Rugby Pacific results – and each other.
“We’re big fans of rugby and we had a little chat group with a couple of mates called Super Smack, which gave us the name,” says Jobe.
“We just used to give each other crap ... we all support different teams every week. We just really went to town on each other.
“That’s not something that could probably see the light of day, I’d probably get in trouble with some of the comments that were in that chat, but it definitely inspired us to think about doing [the podcast].”
While both are lucky enough to be working on projects in the sometimes fickle and challenging screen industry – Williams is currently producing Ms X, an upcoming dark comedic drama series for Three – they have been keen to focus on their own collaboration.
In the past, there have been projects they’ve tried to get funding for, but “just not quite hitting on some of them”, says Jobe.
“We saw this opportunity to make something independent that we have full creative control over.”
The pair have drawn inspiration from the likes of Ric Salizzo’s Sports Cafe and Formula One podcast The Red Flags. In Australia and the US, there are many off-the-wall, fan-based podcasts, focusing on specific sports.
And in New Zealand, of course, Mike Lane and the Alternative Commentary Collective have certainly taken an irreverent approach to live sports coverage and offshoot platforms, including a range of podcasts.
Jobe and Williams are purposely not taking themselves too seriously, aiming to steer clear of what they view as rather staid and serious rugby analysis in New Zealand.
“It’s something that is pure enjoyment and something that we would be doing anyway but now we’re just putting a microphone and camera in front of it,” says Jobe.
The pair’s own playing careers did not extend past their teen years, Jobe as a yappy halfback for the Tauranga Boys’ College Fourth XV and Williams as a lanky lock for the Upper Hutt College First XV.
They have not forgotten their roots, however. Jobe remains a diehard Chiefs fan, Williams backs the Hurricanes – their support for those teams works as a base upon which to deliver regular jibes at one another.
The pair’s podcast can stretch to more than an hour but they are slicing and dicing content for their social media channels, including TikTok, Instagram and Facebook.
“We’ve tried to be smart about that and give it that sort of professional edge that we bring from our other work,” says Williams.
“It definitely helps that we’re both writers, actors. That certainly helps inform the flavour of the podcast.
“A lot of the other stuff out there is obviously from sports people and people much more in the know than we are, but they come from that background, whereas we come from the entertainment industry and we just love rugby.”
They want to ensure it remains a fan-focused podcast, not to be taken too seriously.
“It’s something that is dedicated to bringing a bit of a laugh and a bit of levity to the games each week,” says Jobe.
Williams: “And a bit of silliness around the personalities, too. In our Kiwi way, some of these rugby players tend to be a bit neutered sometimes.
“We’re trying to offer that up and have a little bit of fun. We’re not intending to be mean, that’s not our angle. We just want to take people and lift them up on a pedestal but have a laugh with people.
“We just love sports. I think it’s a nice angle to offer up into the sphere. It’s different and people will hopefully gel with it. They seem to really appreciate the different take.”
The pair are focused on creating an authentic product rather than looking too far ahead about its business viability.
“We want to make sure the product is true and honest and that it is really entertaining. That’s our drive right now,” says Jobe.
“At the end of the day, whether that turns into something that does become viable is certainly something that we want to do, but it’s not the driving force behind it right now.
“Right now it’s about creating that great product and that honest, independent voice.”
The rise of podcasts
Rugby podcasts are growing in number and popularity – either through mainstream media, such as NZME’s Rugby Direct, hosted by Elliott Smith and Liam Napier, or through personalities such as former All Black Stephen “Beaver” Donald and Kirstie Stanway’s The Aftermatch.
The breadth of sports podcasts was also on display with the announcement this month of four finalists in the best sports podcast category at next month’s radio and podcast awards: Sportscafe-ish, Sportsfix, The Agenda Podcast and The BYC Podcast.
Media Insider
My colleague Katie Harris picks up the Media Insider reins over the next week, while I take a short break.
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.
