MEDIAWATCH: Aotearoa Podcast Survey February 2026
The Daily Blog has commissioned me to conduct a monthly survey of online content from which to make a definitive list ranking of Aotearoa political podcasts. The survey and ranking system will follow my previous project on blogs so far as it is relevant: the NZ Blogosphere
(2007-2009). That project’s aim can be usefully reiterated for this project:
A comprehensive list ranking of New Zealand political and news podcasts with directory information for the NZ podcast community.
What is a podcast?
The question of podcast definition is far more complex than blog definition so I have taken a liberal and inclusive view as not to discount anything. This has meant monitoring online video of many different formats, some only a few minutes in duration, others two and a half hours; some clearly politics and news content, others only more loosely current affairs. The concept turns on “public discourse” – is the content expressing views to the public on public issues? The core subjects are news, politics and media; then secondary: economics, society, arts, science, people. From these categories and what emphasis a podcast has on them a list of “political” podcasts are derived.
Podcast definition:
- Audio or audio-visual format (available on commonly used file formats, not text based except for text-to-audio blogcasting).
- Original content (25% minimum total original content, not aggregated, not repeated, not a radio or TV broadcast unless also posted online).
- Serial programmes (episodic, chronological, not un-titled or one-off programmes).
- Free online (freely available without sign-up, paywall, subscription or membership, not exclusive to one single website, platform or app).
- Public focus (external facing discourse intended for public audience, not personal or internal group discussion).
- Self-identification (identifies, includes or brands itself as a podcast)
3 types: Editorial independence and corporate ownership
- “Corporate” podcasts: the podcaster is employed or contracted by an organisation which exerts editorial control or responsibility or branding over the podcast such that the podcaster does not own the programme (title, format etc.) to the extent that the programme stays with the organisation/platform if the podcaster left.
- “Collaboration” or “Collective” podcasts: the podcaster shares editorial control or responsibility over the podcast with other podcasters.
- “Independent” podcasts: the podcaster has full editorial control over the podcast and is not employed, contracted or supervised by an organisation such that the podcaster owns the programme (title, format etc.) to the extent that it goes with the podcaster if they left the organisation/platform.
Metrics
Views on Youtube (the average of the top four most viewed programmes in the calendar month) will determine the rankings initially and then other metrics will be brought in. There are three podcasts (G News, Ata Tu and Te Kaupapa) which are only on Facebook and their figures have been used. Other platforms’ viewerships will be incorporated as they become available.
The list of podcasts have come from reviewing other lists and then monitoring the activity of each podcast. If you know of a podcast who would qualify and is not on the list please email the Editor of The Daily Blog with the information.
Activity in 2025 – 2026
There were 57 active podcasts in January and February 2026. This was down from the 71 active podcasts in the Oct-Dec quarter 2025. The Spinoff stopped most of their podcasts last year, RNZ has throttled back, and some big ones like the NZ Herald’s The Elephant, haven’t returned as of February. Independent new entrants last year like Cross Party Lines and The Bradbury Group have established themselves and start 2026 strongly.
Leading politicians continue to drive audience numbers
Appearances by political party leaders as interview subjects continue to prove a key driver in audience figures, with noticeable increases in audience especially with populist/right leaders David Seymour (Act) and Winston Peters (NZ First). Chris Hipkins, Kieran McAnulty and Barbara Edmunds (Labour) and Maori Party leaders lift figures also, but to a lesser degree. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has very limited exposure to podcasts so has no impact as yet, but being election year this may change when the campaign may require wider engagement from the PM.
Rightist populism
Right wing and especially anti-Maori commentary is more popular then Left wing commentary which reflects the same situation as the blogosphere. Colonialist bigots such as Whangarei Tim and The Anglo Saxon have large audiences. Duncan Garner lifted his viewership of Editor-in-Chief by turning anti-Maori and this is a constant subject matter seemingly regardless of what the news of the day is. The Christian rightist, Bob McCoskrie, has built an eco-system of podcasts around his Family First organisation featuring ex-politicians Simon Conner and Rodney Hide.
Some rightists are having a harder go of it. “Dirty politics” blogger, Cam Slater, has had a very modest start through 2025 on his podcast, The Good Oil, which is videoed in his garage bar by the looks of it. And libertarian Damien Grant, who started Different Matters in March last year when he was delaying The Working Group collaboration (with Martyn Bradbury) before he killed that very successful podcast in April, continues to have his solo vehicle slip as his subjects become more obscure.
“Truther” or “Cooker” personalities are also popular: Vinny Eastwood interviewing David Icke (the OG of reptiles are running the globe) made over 4,000 views – far in excess of his usual numbers – and Chis Lynch scored twenty times that with a sit down with an anti-Jacinda film-maker. Penny Marie – a “journalist” – has a substantial audience and she seems mainly concerned with conspiracy material.
Leftist rallying
Pat Brittenden has expanded BHN into a network with (now Labour candidates) Craig Renney, Locked Out, and Dr Gary Payinda, The Frontline. Renney’s show has a popularity in excess of BHN and his appearances on other podcasts lift their views which tells us he has a significant personal following. Tania Waikato was also mentioned last year as a possible stable-mate but nothing has eventuated. The Bradbury Group, being a livestream ending immediately before the BHN livestream starts, is jokingly referred to by commenters at “the BHN pre-show;” acknowledging that the audience overlap is considerable and the relationship of these two programmes are symbiotic.
The Shubz phenomenon
The Mozzie social media character “Shubz” in just a few months turned his “Heal the Nation” grift into a chaotic and pathetic escapade – a train wreck, hikoi wreck – that we couldn’t look away from. Like a real life “Mr X” in the Simpson’s episode where Homer makes defamation and rumour his online career. Tapping the vast right wing pool of bigotry mentioned above his audience surged on the back of criticism of Maori, but as the hikoi ground on with social and climatic misfortune following, his audience waned most of them there with popcorn not concern. Sad moments aplenty: stranded at the busstop, koha of a bag of milo in Wellington, the fight in the park when they had to abandon the trek. That’s entertainment!
Top 10 Political podcasts
n=24
- EDITOR IN CHIEF
- Q+A with Jack Tame
- RYAN BRIDGE TODAY
- MATA with Mihi Forbes
- LOCKED OUT with Craig Renney
- THE VINNY EASTWOOD SHOW
- BHN Big Hairy News
- THE BRADBURY GROUP
- PENNY MARIE NZ
- CROSS PARTY LINES
Top 10 Livestreamed podcasts
n=19
- EDITOR IN CHIEF
- SHUBZ
- HERALD NOW – RYAN BRIDGE TODAY
- LOCKED OUT with Craig Renney
- THE VINNY EASTWOOD SHOW
- McBLOG
- BHN Big Hairy News
- THE BRADBURY GROUP
- BHN Bright Hairy News (Fri)
- THE HOON
All active podcasts
n=57
- POLITICS STUFF
- CHRIS LYNCH INTERVIEWS
- EDITOR IN CHIEF with Duncan Garner
- THE PLATFORM with Michael Laws
- Q+A with Jack Tame
- WHANGAREI TIM
- THE PLATFORM with Sean Plunket
- TFS TV
- THE FRONT PAGE with Chelsea Daniels
- BETWEEN TWO BEERS
| 11. THE DOM HARVEY PODCAST |
| 12. SHUBZ |
| 13. THE ANGLO SAXON |
| 14. MIKE’S MINUTE |
| 15. G NEWS The Good News |
| 16. RYAN BRIDGE TODAY |
| 17. MATA with Mihi Forbes |
| 18. UNFILTERED with Dave Letele |
| 19. LOCKED OUT with Craig Renney |
| 20. THE PLATFORM with Leah Panapa |
| 21. THE VINNY EASTWOOD SHOW |
| 22. McBLOG with Bob McCroskrie |
| 23. BUSINESS WITH MADISON |
| 24. BHN Big Hairy News with Pat and Chewy |
| 25. THE BRADBURY GROUP with Martyn Bradbury |
| 26. MICHAEL MORRAH INVESTIGATES |
| 27. TE KARERE |
| 28. PENNY MARIE NZ |
| 29. THE NBR PODCAST |
| 30. WAKA HUIA |
| 31. CROSS PARTY LINES |
| 32. BHN Bright Hairy News (Fri) |
| 33. THE HOON with Bernard Hickey |
| 34. STRAIGHT TALK |
| 35. PAUL POLITIK |
| 36. ATA TU |
| 37. PACIFIC MORNINGS |
| 38. TE KAUPAPA |
| 39. POLITICAL PLAYBACK |
| 40. DAYBREAK |
| 41. THE GOOD OIL with Cam Slater |
| 42. THE FRONTLINE with Dr Gary Payinda |
| 43. PAUL… THE OTHER ONE |
| 44. SOLID GROUND |
| 45. GONE BY LUNCHTIME |
| 46. DIFFERENT MATTERS by Damien Grant |
| 47. THE FOLD with Duncan Greive |
| 48. FAMILY MATTERS |
| 49. RCR 360 UNPLUGGED |
| 50. THE DETAIL |
| 51. MEDIAWATCH |
| 52. NINE TO NOON POLITICS |
| 53. THE ORDER PAPER |
| 54. BIG JIM |
| 55. THE HOUSE |
| 56. FOCUS ON POLITICS |
| 57. MAPUNA |
