Mediawatch

How media managed the message of a 'sugar-free' Budget, and highlighted entitlements for MPs. Also what the Budget might mean for our media, and why an award-winning youth service closed down for good this week.
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In this episode:
1:05 How the government managed expectations of a sugar-free Budget 2026 via the media - while media zeroed in on treats and entitlements enjoyed by MPs.
10:36 Budget 2026 cut the budgets of public media, though Māori media funding was boosted to ward off a ‘fiscal cliff.’
13:21 TVNZ’s closing its award-winning news service for youth Re:News after nine successful years.
17:20 Former head of content Anna Harcourt on what Re:News achieved, what will be missed when it’s gone and how to get news to younger Kiwis.
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Awards in tense times between politics & media, RNZ's ratings, pondering papers' future, journalism by numbers - and the death of Dame Jools Topp.
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Media-weigh up cuts to public service and claims AI can fill the gap. Also: RNZ's long-serving boss flags his exit amid political calls for change, AI for programme-makers and podcasters.

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Two mayors mouth off and get a little loose in long-form chats - and a former one blasts the media in a Waitangi Tribunal inquiry. Also: Stuff papers dump the weather page- and some talkback callers aren't happy.
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Politicians vs media: the worst it’s ever been, and getting worse? Or just more of the butting heads between the powerful and the press we’ve always had? Also: live sport’s not just a TV and radio game these days, radio is a cockroach (and cheap) and an MMP maths fail.
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