Media Ownership in Aotearoa New Zealand 2023

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At a time when the media as such is the subject of controversy, here are some verifiable facts and informed analysis. This year’s Journalism Media & Democracy (JMAD) media ownership report finds that the basic pattern of national media ownership remains: shareholder and private-equity owned corporations, smaller private independent companies, and crown-owned broadcasters. The first sector is dominated by New Zealand Media and Entertainment (NZME), Sky, MediaWorks and Warner Brothers/Discovery. Overall, these entities are owned by financial institutions (listed and unlisted) and telecommunications/media entertainment behemoths with global holdings.

Our report reveals the following significant events:

  • TVNZ and RNZ merger process terminated.
  • Financially owned Mediaworks abruptly closes radio newstalk station, TodayFM.
  • The Fair Digital News Bargaining Bill provides a nationally inclusive statutory framework for negotiated agreements between news publishers and platform operators.
  • The Public Interest Journalism Fund (PIJF) ceases operation.

During 2023, broadcasters, print and online publications confronted, to varying extents, the economic power of platforms, streaming companies and financial media owners. The recently elected National-Act-New Zealand First Government won’t advance remedial measures. Broadcasting Media and Communications Minister Melissa Lee is unlikely to support the Fair Digital News Bargaining Bill, or compensatory levies for news publishers on social media platforms. New public journalism initiatives and the very principle of a new public media entity would be resolutely opposed by all coalition partners. Meanwhile, far-right disinformation from the dark web circulates outward into websites, podcasts and the blogosphere. At the same time, Māori broadcast media and their online networks maintain cultural resilience. Nevertheless, in Aotearoa New Zealand, the mediated public sphere is under siege.



23 COMMENTS

  1. What’s the difference between “far-right disinformation from the dark web” and the 6pm News?

    Oh, about 2 years.

    LOL

  2. This will be Winstones last hoorah! so, he might as well enjoy it. He will leave a legacy of turmoil and cultural upheaval. As he will be 81 years old at the next election that will be the end of NZF, a one-man band. Winstone is already showing he is losing it, must be from too much tin foil and it has affected his brain (fog), and to make matters worse he is shitting majorly on his own people. He has conspiracy theorist and a Hobson choice senior member in his ranks and how can we justify having a Hobson choice member in roles like the police and health, what hat will Casey Castello be wearing when she makes major decision.

  3. If you believe Stephen and TPM you’ll be sitting in a slit trench trying to defend your privilege
    Going to be an interesting few years.
    Maybe the MSM will believe in democracy at the end of it

  4. So it’s 2008 all over again. Willis cancels funding to Infrastructure of Picton ferry upgrade.
    So the underfunding in Infrastructure starts all over again. National/ACT and NZ First have destroyed this country, after it was just getting going again after Nationals previous 9 years.

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