Media musical chairs: A new role for the former TV3 newsreader at the state broadcaster; Senior leaders at NZ Herald and TVNZ swap newsrooms; and will rugby return in some form to TVNZ?
One of broadcasting’s most familiar faces has a new role at TVNZ and sport is being givena new focus as the state-owned broadcaster becomes a possible “kingmaker” to determine the future of All Blacks and other top rugby rights.
Breakfast executive producer Carol Hirschfeld - a former senior leader at RNZ, Stuff and Māori Television and an ex-TV3 6pm newsreader - has been appointed to the role of GM production operations at TVNZ, one of two new roles in its new-look news and content leadership team.
“Carol is well known to everyone at TVNZ, and has unparalleled experience in our industry with a proven track record on both sides of the camera. Her calm leadership and vast experience will be huge assets to the team,” interim chief news and content officer Brent McAnulty told staff in an internal email on Tuesday.
A TVNZ spokeswoman said: “This is a well-deserved internal promotion that acknowledges Carol’s calm leadership and the respected role she occupies within our newsroom.”
The move means the state broadcaster is now recruiting for executive producers for both Breakfast and Seven Sharp, after the 7pm show’s EP, Paul Moor, was poached by NZME to become the new head of streaming for the soon-to-launch Herald Now video streaming channel.
Hirschfeld’s name was one of several being floated as a potential contender for TVNZ’s new news executive role - chief news and content officer. McAnulty told staff that recruitment was under way, and an appointment was expected to be announced by early April.
TVNZ could be rugby kingmaker
In another significant move, TVNZ head of sport Melodie Robinson would now “report directly to me while we look at our sports portfolio in the coming months”, McAnulty told staff in the email.
Sky TV has had a New Zealand Rugby broadcasting deal for three decades. Photo: Libby Law / www.Photosport.nz
“It’s really clear that sporting bodies are keen to have TVNZ in their mix, and there are several opportunities in play,” said McAnulty.
Robinson’s move comes as TVNZ is set to play a pivotal role in the future of New Zealand rugby rights - incumbent broadcaster Sky TV is in a battle with British-based streamer DAZN for the rights.
Sky’s existing five-year deal expires at the end of this year; it is understood to have offered $85 million a year for the next five years, well down from the existing $111m-a-year contract.
TVNZ head of sport and former Black Fern Melodie Robinson. Photo / Dean Purcell
On Friday, Media Insider asked TVNZ chief executive Jodi O’Donnell directly: Are you talking to NZ Rugby about being the free-to-air partner for the successful bidder?
“We talk to lots of people all the time,” she said. “We’re open to partnering with anybody in that space.
“I think New Zealanders would love to see rugby free-to-air.
“We’ve seen how much New Zealanders have enjoyed having cricket free-to-air and the audiences that has brought in have been really encouraging for us to understand the role of what free-to-air rights is.
“It’s obviously a balance between the commercial broadcast rights around that, but we’ve certainly got some great data that proves the strength of free-to-air.”
TVNZ chief executive Jodi O'Donnell. Photo / Michael Craig
TVNZ, under its five-year digital transformation, will have the capability in future to offer subscription television, although O’Donnell reiterates it will be a free-to-air operator first and foremost.
Nevertheless, having pay-TV capability - and a new revenue stream of digital subscriptions - would likely allow TVNZ to compete for sports rights on a more even playing field with the likes of Sky TV.
Some of that capability could kick in as early as 2026, O’Donnell said.
She said she was “disappointed” that TVNZ was not given the opportunity to bid for future cricket rights. Sky has reclaimed local Black Caps and White Ferns matches in a new six-year deal from 2026/27.
TVNZ has the rights for one more summer, after taking over the contract when Spark Sport finished in 2023.
“It’s tricky, I appreciate that broadcast rights with free-to-air partners are tricky, but it was a shame that we didn’t get the opportunity to bid for those rights. We’ve been a great partner for New Zealand Cricket.
“We’ve proven the strength of a free-to-air audience, and we would have put our best foot forward.”
She said TVNZ would continue talking to NZ Cricket about other rights.
Herald editorial leader joins TVNZ
TVNZ, meanwhile, has lured one of the Herald’s senior editorial leaders to its newsroom.
Oskar Alley is joining TVNZ as the broadcaster’s new general manager, digital news.
One of the Herald's senior editorial leaders, Oskar Alley, is heading to TVNZ.
Alley, a former reporter of the year, has been with the Herald for the past eight years, most recently as the head of editorial digital acceleration. Previously, he had roles with Stuff and TVNZ.
In a note to editorial staff on Tuesday, NZ Herald editor-in-chief Murray Kirkness said: “We’ll miss Oskar’s news sense, insights, his drive for our teams to succeed, his media law knowledge and feel for what our audiences and subscribers want from us.
“His eight-year stint at the Herald has seen him put his incredibly wide range of skills to use across almost every facet of digital and print and he has excelled at them all: he’s a complete professional.”
Alley will start at TVNZ in April, replacing Veronica Schmidt who has joined NZEI Te Riu Roa as the director of communications.
Meanwhile, NZ Herald head of content/strategy (video/audio) Sarah Bristow said she was excited TVNZ’s Paul Moor was joining NZME, to bring Herald Now to life.
“Paul is an extremely experienced producer, having worked previously at Sky and in various television news producing roles. He is currently executive producer of Seven Sharp at TVNZ.”
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.
