To detractors, Al Jazeera, the Qatar-based television network, is anti-American and anti-Semitic, a propagandist for al Qaeda that screened videos from Osama bin Laden.

Religious hardliners have declared a jihad against the television talent shows that have taken Afghanistan by storm.

Many of TV3's top shows are on the block, as Prime and TVNZ fight to take them off Mediaworks while the company is in receivership.

This is the golden age of entertainment television. Never has Hollywood spent so much on the small screen.

You know it's big when they get special graphics made, crashing and zipping across the TV with a flashy soundtrack to match.

Mediaworks' receivership has several implications for the future of TV3, Four and the New Zealand television market in general.

The future of the MediaWorks network Four is at stake as the cash-strapped company tries to renegotiate programming deals with Hollywood studios.

TV3's loss of Home and Away to its rival could see 3 News ratings take a hit after steadily building its audience after the last year, a media commentator says.

The third series of Almighty Johnsons - which was revived at late notice - will be launching during a pivotal time for TV3 owner MediaWorks.

MediaWorks NZ, the broadcaster whose lenders look likely to seize control, narrowed its annual loss in 2012 after massive writedowns a year earlier.

Sky Sport has copped angry feedback from viewers annoyed over two screening errors during the All Blacks versus France test on Saturday night.

Has the latest receivership been solely driven by MediaWorks' desire to avoid paying $22 million to the IRD?

The loss of English Premier League soccer to online broadcaster Coliseum Sports Media may signal the end of Sky's virtual monopoly of quality sports content.

Fran O'Sullivan asks: "Is the MediaWorks receivership simply the first move in a long-running play that will ultimately return more media assets into NZ ownership?"

KordaMentha, the receivers for MediaWorks, could hand over control to a new firm by the end of next month, according to insiders.

New owners for MediaWorks have been trying to renegotiate a Fox TV deal that provides top shows like Homeland, Family Guy and Bones.

Taxpayers may wind up covering for MediaWorks again with a restructuring deal that could free them from a potential $22 million obligation to the IRD.

TVNZ broadcaster Shane Taurima will talk to his bosses this week about what role he will have after unsuccessfully contesting Labour's Ikaroa-Rawhiti candidacy.

TVNZ broadcaster Shane Taurima announced his bid for Labour's Ikaroa-Rawhiti byelection candidacy yesterday on Te Karere, the news programme he usually edits.

Sky Television is refusing to spell out the uptake for Igloo, its pay television joint venture with Television New Zealand.

Maori Television executives Carol Hirschfeld and Julian Wilcox are putting their names up to lead the organisation - an appointment which will be one of Maoridom's most anticipated.

I can't believe we're doing this again," said Neil Grimstone, who is of course always known as Grim because he used to be a top cop and so that nickname was always going to be irresistible.

The Conservative Party leader Colin Craig stands by his defamation warning against the satirical website The Civilian this week.

Television presenter Phillip Schofield has admitted he was "bad at taking drugs" and once took a pair of German prostitutes for lunch instead of watching the Berlin Wall being brought down.