Duncan Greive is joined by two of New Zealand's most successful Substackers in Bernard Hickey (The Kākā) and Lucy Blakiston (Shit You Should Care About) on stage in Wellington as part of the Fringe Festival. They explore the origin stories of their brands, while delving deep into their relationship with institutional media and the different incentives of a paying audience versus advertising. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tim Burrowes is the author of a book and a Substack called Unmade, which are truly essential guides to media in Australia – and a useful way of understanding the similarities and differences which define our two closely linked markets. He joins Duncan Greive ahead of Unmade's first Auckland live event to talk about a torrid decade in Australian media, the forces which are driving that and whether there are reasons to be optimistic amid the carnage.A reminder: The Fold is live in Wellington this week! Get your tickets here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duncan Greive goes solo to break down a discussion document with profound implications for local media. He explains why he thinks this is the best and most coherent policy outline we've seen in a decade, what's in it, what the challenges are and how it would impact local media if it went through. A reminder: The Fold is live in Wellington next week! Get your tickets here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Recorded on the sandy shores of the mighty North, guest hosts Liam Ratana and Lyric Waiwiri-Smith (along with regular producer Te Aihe Butler) take over The Fold for a behind-the-scenes look at how the media covers Waitangi. After three days of politician stand ups, haukāinga-led forum panels and more story leads than we had time to cover, what stood out? What did we learn? And how can The Spinoff get a golf cart for Waitangi 2026? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Toby Manhire joins Duncan Greive on The Fold to discuss a minor diplomatic incident involving Texas senator Ted Cruz, and what it says about the chaotic information space we now operate in. They also discuss former Spinoff writer Madeleine Holden's new Substack, which launched with a tirade for the ages about a recent Apple ad; Sky TV's satellite woes and an Auckland Council campaign which could very easily have been something else. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Glen Kyne, a seasoned media commentator, dives into the recent shake-up in New Zealand's media scene, highlighting NZME's shift from text to video journalism. He discusses the explosive rise of Chinese AI startup DeepSeek, which is shaking up the industry with its innovative approaches. The conversation also tackles the challenges TVNZ faces as it adapts to a digital-first audience. From monetization issues in podcasting to the evolving landscape of media consumption, Glen provides sharp insights into the future of content.

Anna Rawhiti-Connell, a social media philosopher and contributor to The Spinoff, joins Duncan Greive to discuss significant shifts in social media. They dive into Meta’s controversial pivot towards a MAGA mindset and its implications for users and advertisers. The duo also tackles the uncertain future of TikTok in the U.S., analyzing its potential ban and privacy concerns. Lastly, they ponder Shayne Currie's predictions for New Zealand media in 2025, forecasting transformations amid evolving digital landscapes.

The Fold is taking a break over summer. We’ll be back soon with new episodes but, until then, here’s one of our favourites from 2024:In an effort to get out of his doom spiral, Duncan Greive takes a tour across the Tasman to see how our close neighbours are dealing with a similar set of challenges. From a social media ban, to local content quotas, to news bargaining, to an activist competition authority, Australia is a global leader, while New Zealand is nowhere to be found.In the first of two episodes focused on Australia, former Newshub boss Hal Crawford joins Duncan to discuss a raft of legislation aimed at big tech, which has either been proposed or passed – sometimes with bipartisan support. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Fold is taking a break over summer. We’ll be back soon with new episodes but, until then, here’s one of our favourites from 2024:Glenn McDonald spent more than a decade with a very mysterious and specific job title: data alchemist at Spotify. It's possible – even likely – that no one on Earth knows as much about music streaming. He is in New Zealand for the Going Global music industry conference, and joins Duncan Greive on The Fold to talk about how Spotify does and doesn't work for artists, why Spotify doesn't stretch your listening habits, and what he really thinks about its big move into podcasting and audiobooks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Fold is taking a break over summer. We’ll be back soon with new episodes but, until then, here’s one of our favourites from 2024:The 2024 edition of NZ on Air's Where are the Audiences is a bombshell – largely because so little has changed. The past decade has been characterised by a sharp and consistent rise in UGC, social and SVOD platforms, while local media has slid precipitously. This year that slide has arrested – and in some cases reversed.Duncan Greive is joined by The Spinoff's Ātea editor Liam Rātana, dissecting the findings as they take turns drafting their five favourite data points from WATA 2024. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices