TVNZ Breakfast hosts (from left) Chris Chang, Jenny-May Clarkson, Anna Burns-Francis and Daniel Faitaua. Rieko Ioane chides Johnny Sexton at the Rugby World Cup last year. Photos: TVNZ, Getty Images
What’s really going on at TVNZ and whose roles are affected?; Grant Nisbett on an incredible All Blacks commentating milestone; Former TVNZ host hires KC in legal fight; Outdoor advertising contract delays cause frustration; Is Stuff eyeing new digs?; Regional news brand rises from the ashes.
They were the meeting invitations no one wanted to receive, let alone open. The emails started pinging into inboxes on Wednesday, some as early as 8.30am.
Those first invitations sent a ripple through TVNZ ranks, as much for those workers who hadn’t received one. Did that mean they were safe? Had they been spared?
But then – two hours later – another tranche. More invitations to more meetings on Thursday.
“Some got them around 8.30am, others around 10.30am. So when some people assumed they were safe, they were suddenly not,” said one staff member.
“It was cruel.”
And then yesterday, as formal meetings got under way, the full extent of TVNZ’s plans – the broadcaster calls them ‘proposals’, some staff might feel better describing them as ‘carnage’ – became apparent.
“It’s bad. Really, really bad,” another worker said.
“Super shit,” said another. “Yip, [my] job done.”
Most of TVNZ’s 600-strong workforce had been summonsed to meetings to hear their fate. They were each presented with a range of proposals – from the relatively minor (for example, a reporting line change) to the life-changing (proposed disestablishment).
Hosts. Journalists. Salespeople. Mid-tier leaders. Camera operators.
There were tears. Staff were already dusting off CVs, said one source. Later, some staff crossed the road, from TVNZ’s Auckland headquarters to the Empire pub. Beers replaced tears.
In total, TVNZ plans to cut some 50 of its 600 fulltime-equivalent (FTE) roles by the end of the year, in its quest to help find $30 million.
To achieve a reduction of 50 roles, the broadcaster plans to firstly disestablish 90.5 roles and then create 41 new jobs that people can apply for.
Some of the people caught up in the proposals are among the best-known names at the network; others are workers who have been there for years – not necessarily well-known but who nonetheless face the devastation of losing their jobs just weeks before Christmas.
One of the Breakfast hosts was seen in a one-on-one meeting. Later, reports emerged of plans to cut the number of hosts down to two. The show has three fulltime hosts – Chris Chang, Anna Burns-Francis and Jenny-May Clarkson, with Daniel Faitaua as a back-up.
While TVNZ won’t confirm specific details of its proposals, inquiries by Media Insider have revealed that many newsroom teams and roles are impacted.
For example, it is understood seven Auckland reporters need to apply for five roles and the role of Northland regional reporter is being disestablished. Four Auckland camera operator roles are likely to go, along with one in Christchurch. Reporting and producer roles on Seven Sharp are being lost.
Last night, a source said the existing digital team was being practically halved - an indication of just how much the broadcaster plans to shift away from 1news.co.nz to focus on TVNZ+.
Some mid-tier management roles in the newsroom and sales team are also understood to be affected.
Others – such as those in the recently formed current affairs team and senior correspondents – appear safe.
“It’s a really terrible day in a year of terrible days for them,” said E tū union negotiation specialist Michael Wood.
He said the mood was grim, with TVNZ making small to moderate chips in most teams, rather than the wholesale, full cutting of groups.
By Wood’s estimate, the 50 net job losses would equate to about $6m to $7m in savings - at best around a quarter of the $30m target.
There was obvious concern and sadness for people who were losing their jobs, he said, but also concerns for those who remained at the company. Just what would they be left with? How soon would it be before TVNZ had to make more cuts?
Quite simply, TVNZ’s traditional business model is broken, and it’s happened far more quickly than many people imagined.
Where the state broadcaster consistently commanded annual advertising revenue of between $310m-$341m a year until as recently as 2023, that fell sharply last year to just $289m. Its cost base came down slightly, but not enough.
Advertisers are following audiences online but digital advertising yield is nowhere near as strong as that of traditional linear television. Meanwhile, the likes of Google and Facebook are sweeping up much of the digital advertising on offer, with the tech giants’ business models boosted by journalism and content that TVNZ funds.
Furthermore, the economic recession has led to a loss of business confidence, and less spending.
Suddenly – under relatively new chief executive Jodi O’Donnell – TVNZ is being forced to accelerate its digital strategy and direction.
Its five-year plan addresses where future audiences, and therefore advertisers, will be engaging with its content – on digital streaming platforms and mobile devices. The company is planning for a scenario where linear television can be turned off by 2030.
To reshape themselves they have to pull apart the bones of an operation that has sustained them for so long. That means bringing their cost base down – fewer staff and lower operational costs.
Whereas the likes of NZME and Stuff had more years and runway to build their digital business models, the TV networks’ revenue drop has been much sharper and more sudden.
It was too late to save Newshub and now TVNZ is having to reshape itself urgently to avoid a similar fate.
Meanwhile, in the background is a Government shareholder with rising expectations that TVNZ - a state-owned enterprise which suffered a $28.5m operational loss last year - must return to profit, and dividends.
“It’s a hard day for TVNZ,” a spokeswoman said yesterday.
“This is incredibly tough for TVNZers. These are not decisions we want to be making, but they’re necessary to ensure the future sustainability of the organisation.”
She said the proposals presented yesterday concerned all business areas.
“The proposed reduction in headcount is broadly proportionate to the size of each business area. Out of respect for TVNZers’ privacy, we won’t be providing details on specific areas or roles.”
The company was seeking feedback and aiming to complete the process by the end of the year.
She said the company was “not intending to reach our $30m target through reduced labour costs alone”.
“As a business of less than 600 people, that’s simply not realistic,” she said. “Given we’re a broadcast and streaming business, content and operational costs are significant expenditures and managing these tightly will play a more important role in achieving our target.
“The $30m target is for FY25, we are only part way through the financial year, but we will be providing further guidance at the interim and full year.”
What’s still unclear is the future of the 1News website. It’s been saved, but it remains to be seen just how much focus it will receive – TVNZ is clearly positioning its digital streaming platform TVNZ+ as its news digital platform.
“Last month, after consulting with TVNZers, we made the decision to retain 1news.co.nz at a reduced capacity level,” said the spokeswoman. “We have presented proposals in relation to this today, the outcomes of which will determine how the site will operate moving forward.”
As “TVNZers” headed to the pub, or home, the spokeswoman gave assurances last night that they would be looked after.
“We are committed to ensuring our people are supported during this time, with a range of free, confidential professional counselling and career support services available throughout the process.”
An extraordinary media milestone will be marked when Scott Barrett leads the All Blacks out to play Ireland on Saturday morning (NZT).
It will be the All Blacks’ 649th test match and the 350th time that Sky Sport commentator Grant Nisbett has called the game for New Zealand television audiences.
That’s no misprint – the Wellington-based broadcaster has been in charge of calling well over half of all All Blacks test matches.
Granted, the All Blacks play a lot more games each season compared with earlier decades, but this makes Nisbett’s achievement no less remarkable, particularly when it comes to the sometimes fickle nature of the media industry.
Nisbett, who turns 74 on Boxing Day, said: “It’s a triumph for longevity, really! It’s the old story – if you’re passionate about something, you want to get out of bed in the morning, don’t you?
“Like most Kiwis, I very much care about how the All Blacks play. I have to take a bit of a neutral stand when I’m broadcasting but I’m a dyed-in-the-wool All Black fan.”
He’s expecting a little bit of “bad blood” for this week’s test, in the context of the niggle after the All Blacks beat Ireland at the World Cup last year. But he’s also quietly confident the All Blacks can beat the world number one-ranked side.
Nisbett - who called his first test in 1984 - says he’s honed his commentary style over the past 40 years. Early on in his career, having come from a radio background, he felt he might have been speaking too much during the commentary. Now, he’s much more focused and adept at allowing the pictures tell the story. “Over the years, I’ve learned the value of silence and talking less – that would be the major change.”
The 2015 Rugby World Cup victory over Australia at Twickenham remains a major highlight of his 349 tests to date. “Had we won the World Cup last year, that might have superseded it!”
Nisbett is contracted until the end of next year, by which time we’ll know whether Sky will continue to have rights for All Blacks tests into the future. Nisbett will need to re-evaluate then just where his future lies. “Often these decisions are not in your hands.”
When the day does eventually come, who might take over?
“Obviously, Tony Johnson, who’s been around for a long time, does an outstanding job. Young Jeff McTainsh is in the wings as well. And I’m sure there are many others.
“Nobody is irreplaceable. And I’m sure when the time comes, somebody will step into the breach and do it pretty damn well.”
For now, and using one of his familiar catch-cries, “all is in readiness” to mark an outstanding milestone.
TVNZ is continuing to deal with the fallout of the Kamahl Santamaria case.
The former Breakfast host - he resigned from TVNZ in May 2022 after just 32 days in the job, following a female colleague’s complaint of inappropriate behaviour - has now hired a KC to join his legal team.
“While the ERA has been deliberating on a preliminary jurisdictional issue since May 2024, I have discovered yet more information about my time at TVNZ, and how it shaped the situation which surrounded my departure,” Santamaria said on his website this week.
“I’ve also taken further legal advice, which has resulted in the addition of Daniel Kalderimis KC to my legal team.”
Santamaria said he had now “widened the scope of my claims against TVNZ to include additional employment-relationship issues” and applied for the case to be heard directly by the Employment Court, rather than the ERA.
“My claim involves several complex legal issues which I believe are better suited to the Employment Court forum.”
Santamaria appears to now be partly focusing on the actions of newsroom staff.
“TVNZ characterises its newsroom as entirely distinct from its corporate operations and suggests that it cannot be held responsible for the words and actions of its newsroom. I say this is wrong, both factually and legally.”
Pressed for further details this week, he said: “Out of respect for the ongoing process, I cannot go into details about the new claims.
“However, what they address are the relationships between all parts of TVNZ – specifically the newsroom and management – and how their interactions affected my departure.
“The expansion of the claims includes some novel and developing legal matters – like the relationship between TVNZ’s newsroom and its corporate operations, and how that relates to my rights against TVNZ.
“In their coverage of my resignation, TVNZ’s reporters were always at pains to point out the apparent separation between news and corporate, but I was (and they are) employed by one entity called TVNZ – which is responsible for all its actions and conduct.”
A TVNZ spokeswoman said: “TVNZ’s newsroom operates with complete editorial independence from the rest of the organisation. You can see this from the way our newsroom robustly reports on TVNZ regularly.
“Mr Santamaria’s departure from TVNZ 2.5 years ago has already been widely reported on. Our position remains the same as it was in 2022, we do not comment on individual employment matters.”
At the time of Santamaria’s departure, TVNZ initially said a “family emergency” was behind his absence – a statement that was later discredited after the female colleague’s complaint emerged of inappropriate behaviour. This was followed by claims of inappropriate messages to female colleagues at Al Jazeera.
Santamaria has said the alleged incident at TVNZ was instinctive, with no ill-intent and that it was “never alleged at the time by the complainant to be sexual and/or harassment”.
He apologised later for making his colleague feel uncomfortable. The public has not heard the colleague’s side of the story.
Santamaria, who has a number of legal manoeuvres in play against TVNZ, said costs had been significant.
“However, my family and I have made the decision to commit ourselves and our resources 100% to the case. The detrimental effect of TVNZ’s conduct on my whole family can’t be underestimated, which is why we’re still fighting two and a half years later. In the end, we want the truth out there.”
This week we catch up with Newstalk ZB host Ryan Bridge, who also presented the NZ Herald’s live video show of the US election this week.
The advertising industry is becoming increasingly frustrated at unexplained delays in the awarding of some of New Zealand’s most lucrative outdoor contracts – potentially impacting on client campaigns.
For more than a year, many of our biggest and best-known outdoor companies have been focused on trying to secure a slice of the Auckland Transport (AT) contracts – they have been described by AT as “the largest media procurement in New Zealand history”.
The five contracts – which allow outdoor companies to look after advertising on AT assets such as bus shelters, buses, billboards and at train stations for the next 10 years – are worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
There is a lot at stake – for AT and especially the outdoor companies.
One source previously called it “the biggest pitch” in media right now. Another insider said everyone had something to gain, and possibly something to lose, depending on how AT ultimately lands on the contracts.
Successful bidders will likely need to gear up; others are likely to face cost-cutting.
The existing two big contracts – oOh!media looks after bus shelters and MediaWorks the buses and some billboards – expire on December 31.
The new contracts were expected to be announced by August/September. Even that was later than expected, after AT suspended the original ROI and RFP process, redrafting it after a “material change” to the scope of the street furniture asset portfolio.
We’re now in November - 53 days before the existing contracts expire – and there’s still no word on who might be the new suppliers.
One source said the process appeared to be “stuck” internally within AT. “As a result, the agency market is becoming very frustrated with the distribution the delays are causing.”
In a written statement this week in response to questions, AT did not specifically explain the delays.
“Our focus continues to be getting the best result for Auckland ratepayers,” said AT media partnerships and experiences lead Simon Soulsby.
“Given the scale of the negotiations, this has taken longer than expected. We anticipate that the new contracts will still roll out in January.
“Agencies and direct clients looking to book campaigns that span into the new year can continue to do so with the incumbent media partners.”
As recently as early October, AT had said none of the outdoor companies were “in or out”.
“We are aware of the stakes for all involved here and it’s challenging (for all) to hear the rumours,” said Soulsby at the time. “We can categorically state that no participant is ‘in or out’ at this stage, despite these rumours. We can also state that we are not yet at the ‘negotiation’ stage of our RFP.”
Earlier this year, Soulsby said: “This isn’t just about Auckland Transport extracting as much revenue out of the market as possible. It’s about a win-win, long-term partnership that’s going to work for everybody. And if the partners are making a financial commitment to a 10-year contract, then we’ve got to make it fair, and we’ve got to work it in a way that suits them.”
Comms Council boss Simon Lendrum told Media Insider he wasn’t across details of the matter but added: “All tender and pitch processes are challenging for participants and deeply stressful, so of course delays add to that stress. I wish everyone well who is participating.”
The drums are beating that Stuff wants to move from its Ponsonby offices to a new location.
But the media company says “we currently have no plans” to relocate despite well-placed sources saying it has been quietly considering options. Its Ponsonby lease is not cheap.
The digital publishing company has this week started producing the 6pm ThreeNews bulletin out of a new studio in Boston Rd, in Auckland’s Grafton. It had previously used Three’s Flower St studios.
“Stuff’s broadcast operations team moved into their new, state-of-the-art, high-tech studio this week after months of planning and build,” said a spokesman.
“It will be used for a multitude of purposes by Stuff Group and our partners. We currently have no plans to move from our Ponsonby offices but are keen to bring our Auckland editorial teams closer together and have allowed for some desks at the studio to be used for this purpose.”
Reports of South Island regional news website Crux’s demise have been premature.
While the company has had to lay off its small team of staff recently, owner and managing editor Peter Newport is launching a new digital subscription service, through the Substack platform, to keep the Crux name and its investigative journalism alive.
He will operate as a one-man band for the foreseeable future but is returning to his roots and the frontline to produce investigative journalism that he hopes people will help fund.
“Since we announced our hibernation, we really have had a groundswell of support from readers,” says Newport.
“The response is so strong ... and having started working with Substack a little bit, it just occurs to me that I’m going to give it a go. It’s early days. I’m not saying I’ve got all the answers. I’m not saying it’s going to be perfect and it will just be me.
“One of the things that, clearly, I’ll be concentrating on is the investigative side, because that’s what people value most. It’s also quite a rare commodity in the regions. Community journalism tends not to concentrate on that investigative area, partly because it’s expensive and time-consuming.”
His first subscriber newsletter will appear next week. “This content will be for paid subscribers only, but shorter versions of some content will be published free of charge to the Crux website after a time delay.”
While he’ll focus on the region where Crux has made its name – Queenstown, Wānaka and Cromwell – he’ll be targeting local stories of national significance and interest.
He is adamant a broader regional news network in New Zealand will eventually work, especially by building scale that is attractive to national advertising agencies.
While that dream might be on hold for now, he’s not letting the idea go.
“Now, for necessity, I have to roll up my sleeves and be like the best journalist ever, because that’s what my paying subscribers expect. I think that’s going to be potentially quite satisfying.”
We’re on the road again – from coast to hinterland – in a new editorial series to gauge the mood of the nation and celebrate the very best of New Zealand.
As we head into summer and out of a post-pandemic economic recession, it’s time to reset and uncover some of New Zealand’s great stories.
Join us for the Great New Zealand Road Trip during which we’ll be meeting notable and everyday Kiwis helping make a difference in their towns, regions, country, and the world. Or there might be a strong story in the plight of your town and community.
In association with MTF and with the help of our NZME teams, editor-at-large Shayne Currie is travelling the country – starting in Northland from Wednesday, November 20, and winding his way south for the following fortnight.
Do you have a story that’s worth us covering or a person in your town or city worth speaking to?
We’d love to hear from you.
PLEASE EMAIL: roadtrip@nzherald.co.nz
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.
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