Mediawatch looks at how the media fared against the forces they faced in 2024 - and how one part of the media seems to be bucking the trend of decline. Also: Hayden Donnell's media Christmas wish.

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Mediawatch’s not-very-prestigious and not-at-all coveted annual media awards - including biggest flip-flop; best and worst jingle and nickname; state-of-media analysis of the year, the awrd for pushing musical boundaries - and the Billy Connolly Trophy for a single animal making national news.

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Mediawatch talks to two media bosses who’ve had the media’s economic headwinds blowing their hair back in 2024. What’s the state of the media now - and how might the state intervene in 2025? Also: how the government stepped in on two other businesses with big problems - racing and the ferries.

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Media hype local football fever; Kim Hill vs BoJo; RIP Hutt Valley stalwart Nicholas Boyack; could Stuff split itself up?

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Australia’s world-first social media ban for under-16s was cheered on by many media - including some of ours. But it's also highlighted their own dependency on big tech. Meanwhile one TV broadcaster that went all-in on TikTok has found a huge new audience. But what are the risks?

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PM's long-awaited appearance on Q+A, Atlas explored, Wellington ginger group's political contacts come to light, RNZ brought to book & Newshub's stuff survives on Stuff

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The tale of two towns which face losing their local news. Also: a bid to change the law so parody and satire doesn’t run the risk of breaking it - and clear up who owns digital media.

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Treaty Principles Bill and TJ Perenara’s controversial haka stir debate; the latest public funding for current affairs and journalism and Three's local stuff for 2025.

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This week’s Hīkoi mō Te Tiriti harvested heaps of headlines, hours of airtime and piles of print and pixels - media copped plenty of criticism for the coverage. Also: a deep-dive podcast that needed deep pockets - and warnings of ‘news deserts’ here.

This week’s big Hīkoi harvested heaps of headlines, hours of airtime and piles of print and pixels - and media copped criticism for the coverage.

14 local papers in the north island are set to close by Christmas, prompting ex-editors and experts in media to warn that the ‘news deserts’ we’ve seen overseas could spring up here in the absence of local papers. And when local elections come round in a year some places may have nowhere to go for locals politicians to air local issues.

We ask a leading paper publisher about if local papers have a future - and what might help to sustain them.

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/mediawatch/534657/plans-to-close-local-papers-spark-news-deserts-warning

We talk to Newsroom' Jonathan Milne, the brains behind deep-dive podcast Powderkeg which needed deep pockets to chase the story. How did they do it?

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Accusations of bias and a lack of impartiatality in coverage of Hīkoi mō Te Tiriti. Also the Herald v David Bain, Facebook scam surge and problems for local magazines.

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Why was an award-winning journalist dedicated to reporting abuse in state care briefly banned from the official apology for that this week? Also - NZME plans to close 14 local North Island papers, possibly leaving some towns without coverage.

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