The Fold

Glen Kyne joins Duncan Greive for a two-part finale, ranking the performances of New Zealand’s scale media companies. They take on MediaWorks, NZME, RNZ, Sky, Stuff and TVNZ, based on public facing metrics, conversations and general vibe-based diagnosis. There’s a clear winner, but wide disagreement on the losers. PLUS an instant reaction to the Netflix-WBD deal. RNZ’s Paul Thompson on that bombshell radio report Sky CEO Sophie Moloney on the NZ rugby and Three deals and the depth of its moat Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

2025 has been a year of profound change in the regulatory landscape for Australian media. There is a social media ban for under 16s, which goes live next week. There are new local content spending rules for the big paid streaming platforms. And there is a revised version of the news bargaining code which aims squarely at Meta. Tim Burrowes has covered all this at Mumbrella, and rejoins The Fold to update Duncan Greive on what our near neighbour is doing – and what our government could copy (but probably wont). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join Rachel Bayfield, Chief Technology & Innovation Officer at PHD; James Davidson, Chief Strategy and Planning Officer at PHD; and Helen Brown, Chief Investment Officer at PHD, as they dive into the trends shaping local media. They dissect pivotal deals like Trade Me's stake in Stuff and Sky's acquisition of Three, the rise of clean-room technology, and the evolving creator economy. With compelling predictions for 2026, they also tackle the challenges of TV fragmentation and the potential risks of AI on trust in advertising.

Duncan Greive goes solo to deliver a quick response to the NZ Screen Awards, which fused film with television in a way which showed a lot of promise while also needing some serious tightening. There were big wins for The Convert, and a big beautiful crowd, but Tinā felt neglected and the randomised nature of the awards meant that energy came and went. The highlights more than justified the exercise – but a more streamlined and sequenced show should be the aim for 2026. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join Anna Rawhiti-Connell, Head of Audience at The Spinoff, as she delves into the changing landscape of children's media in New Zealand. Discover how YouTube's dominance has overshadowed traditional TV and learn about the struggles local content faces in terms of discoverability. The conversation also tackles the Broadcasting Standards Authority's research on trust in news, revealing generational divides in media consumption. Anna highlights how trust varies based on content type and age, painting a nuanced picture of modern news engagement.

Toby Manhire, editor-at-large at The Spinoff, discusses a journalistic blunder that involved misidentifying a wine importer as ex-New York Mayor Bill de Blasio. He shares a personal story about a mistake he made at the Guardian and examines how AI is exacerbating errors in newsrooms. The conversation shifts to succession planning at RNZ and TVNZ, evaluating potential hosts and the challenges of finding the right fit. Toby emphasizes the importance of managing talent wisely for a smoother transition in local broadcasting.

Liam Rātana, editor of The Spinoff Ātea and a commentator on Māori media, dives into the recent upheavals in the Māori news landscape. He discusses the funding cuts to iconic shows like Te Karere and The Hui, explaining how shifting audience preferences towards digital platforms have shifted the funding focus. Rātana highlights the rise of agile regional providers targeting younger viewers and reveals innovative strategies using local content to engage audiences. With a looming fiscal cliff, he emphasizes the need for transformation in how news is delivered to Māori communities.

Glen Kyne returns to The Fold to discuss the background, stakes and possible outcome of a small battle that sets up a much larger question: how do we regulate the internet? It's one successive governments have thought about then studiously avoided. The BSA might just have forced them to confront it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The biggest phenomenon in pop culture released her latest album a week ago. Taylor Swift’s The Life of a Showgirl smashed records wherever it went, but was also greeted by an unfamiliar reaction: indifference. Not just by critics, but by her fans too. Duncan Greive is joined by The Spinoff’s Alex Casey and Lyric Waiwiri-Smith – two lifelong Swift fans who also felt the bubble pop this week – to discuss an album that promised much but felt like a letdown to many. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices