Hal Crawford is the head of news at Mediaworks, owners of Three and RadioLive. He has been here for two years and still has no idea why our TV is such an absolute mess. TV in New Zealand is odd. It’s odd in a whole lot of great ways – Hunt for the Wilderpeople-style – … Read more
For the greater good of television, three industry heavyweights put their differences aside for the launch of research and advocacy group ThinkTV in New Zealand. Jihee Junn tags along to see what the fuss is all about. It’s not every day you have the heads of New Zealand’s three biggest TV providers on stage at … Read more
Candid, considered and confronting, Three’s story of singer Stan Walker’s battle with cancer transcends the famous-person-facing-adversity form, writes Sam Brooks. “I went for a routine check about two months ago – a week later I found out I’ve got cancer. I know I’m gonna beat this …” He pauses. “… And then, nek minute, I … Read more
The Real Pod assembles to dissect the week in New Zealand pop culture and real life, with special thanks to Nando’s. This week on The Real Pod, the team begin warming up for an all-new Dancing With the Stars NZ following the announcement Gilda the Queen and David the Seymour will be joining the cast. We … Read more
Alex Casey watches Subject: Dad, a show that proves there’s still nothing funnier and sweeter than emails from parents. Everyone thinks their parents are the funniest people in the world, but it’s simply impossible for all of us to be right. If you’ve ever snorted at a weird, over-sharing text message, or gently hidden a … Read more
Television saddo Alex Casey watched both Seven Sharp AND The Project on Monday night to bring you this harrowing report. Following the return of Seven Sharp this week, surely tens of people across the country are now tearing their hair out trying to choose their ideal 7pm current affairs team. Do you settle into the comfortable … Read more
Alex Casey breaks down some of the key changes, newbies and returning old faves to local television in 2018. Take one more look at your crappy holiday viewing habits, because the last of the delicious summer TV wine has nearly run dry. Soon we are back to regimented programming, which means no more corny Lord … Read more
The Block NZ signifies everything that’s wrong with our tax system. Takapuna tax expert Terry Baucher fills Rebecca Stevenson in on how we can get a lump of cash, and keep it all to ourselves. This post was first published on September 19, 2017. After we all recovered from the horror that was The Block … Read more
As we brace ourselves for more hyperbolic post-radio survey self-congratulations, Henry Oliver talks to MediaWorks’ Leon Wratt, who argues it’s time for the radio networks to end the arms race and start reporting on the results even-handedly – for the good of all radio. It’s almost that time of the year again – or, now, … Read more
Duncan Greive reflects on the shambolic end to The Block 2017, and what the show has revealed to us about our housing market and crisis over that time. For the last six years – or two parliamentary terms, if you prefer to measure time in that unit – The Block NZ has been both New … Read more
The live auction final of The Block NZ tonight delivered more thrills and spills than Peter Wolfkamp on a motorised chilly bin. Devoted blockaholic Jane Yee was in the thick of it, and bring us this harrowing report. What a night to be at the Grand Millennium. I arrived expecting to be part of an … Read more
2016 saw the end of a 23 year career at TV3 for Hilary Barry, with her resignation also triggering the end of ex-Mediaworks CEO Mark Weldon’s reign of terror. A year on she’s happily ensconsed at TVNZ’s Breakfast, and sat down for a few beers with Duncan Greive to look back on her glittering career, that chaotic era and … Read more
Now that The Block NZ is back, Alex Casey recaps a marathon four hours of Mark Richardson television. Home renovation juggernaut The Block NZ returned this week, bringing with it two incredibly harsh realities. The first is that I’m going to feel very conflicted for the next few months as I wipe the mould off … Read more
It beggars belief for a damehood to be bestowed upon a cultural vandal, argues Simon Wilson. I don’t know why I even give a damn about this. Knighthoods and damehoods, who needs ’em, eh? But we do have them, and they’re our official measure of greatness, so we take notice. Actually, they’re not quite the … Read more
When Julie Christie was announced as recipient of one of our most prestigious honours on Queen’s Birthday, many were shocked and appalled. Duncan Greive, one-time recipient of a defamation letter from Christie, makes the case for her as a worthy Dame. “I pretty much decided that I was going to become a major commercial success … Read more
Every time the radio survey results come out we get the same amazing news: everyone killed it! Duncan Greive reads the press releases and tries to figure out what’s really going on. EVERY NZME STATION INCREASES LISTENERS MEDIAWORKS RADIO REMAINS THE NUMBER ONE RADIO NETWORK IN NEW ZEALAND WITH ITS LARGEST EVER REACH Record Audiences … Read more
Tara Ward watches in horror as Jono and Ben return and go live for the first time. Jono and Ben returned to our screens last night, promising a ‘star-studded, prank-filled show’ filmed — wait for it — LIVE TO AIR. Jono and Ben were more excited than the time my toddler found half a chocolate biscuit … Read more
Failed presenter Duncan Greive reviews the first episode of The Project, Three’s new 7pm current affairs show. The lights came on and, after two weeks of as-live rehearsals, they really were speaking to the nation. Even for the show’s guest Rove McManus, who has spent most of his adult life on live television, it was a big … Read more
For a strange week in November, The Spinoff’s editor Duncan Greive was on the longlist to host Three’s new 7pm current affairs show The Project NZ. Here he gives a blow by blow of a botching. “He’s a household name and needs no introduction – so why am I bothering? Ladies and gentlemen, would you … Read more
Rumour has it that when Mark Weldon threw Campbell Live down a well, a tearful John Campbell cursed the 7pm slot on TV3: Road Cops, Come Dine with Me and Story have all met grisly fates there since. But last night Spinoff prophet Calum Henderson watched a live dress rehearsal for The Project, and predicts … Read more
The Spinoff watched and listened to the first episode of The AM Show, Three’s new offering to the multi-platform breakfast news buffet. Here’s what we reckon. It’s bright. Maybe too bright. With the telly roaring to life at the fragile time of 5.58am to a visual feast of bright red dresses, searing hot pinks and scorching … Read more
A new promo video for The AM Show has unearthed a grisly revelation: Duncan Garner is not only replacing Paul Henry, he is… becoming him. Everyone is talking about +HR=E this week, be it the confronting new rebrand or the inexplicable colonial garb worn strictly by comedians in their bold new channel vision. But there’s … Read more
So farewell then, TV3. New Zealand’s third channel is now the 100% numeral-free Three, complete with a new visual identity that attempts the rare feat of being both “vibrant, playful and inspiring” and wholly mathematics themed. Madeleine Chapman, José Barbosa and Calum Henderson weigh in on the changes. Exclusive: The TV3 Pinterest board Following a convoluted … Read more
Tara Ward watches the new promo video for TV3’s new 7pm show The Project, and is overwhelmed with pumpkins, backflips and Jesse Mulligan’s cha-cha. Some might say that a song and dance routine has no place in the serious world of current affairs. To them, I kick-ball-change and pirouette in their face, for the promo … Read more
Alex Casey looks at the best of the worst of John Key on the commercial radio circuit. Caution: contains entirely too much information. It’s hard to know at this point in time what we will miss the most about John Key. Will it be the time he said that gender quotas in Cabinet were stupid? … Read more
A legend of NZ journalism, admired and adored by colleagues in newspapers and at TV3, Gordon ‘Flash’ McBride has died. David Slack bids farewell. Some people find the right words to say goodbye to a dying friend. I struggle. I stare at a blank card for an hour. Only at the funeral do I find … Read more
Fresh from reporting on the American Trumpocalypse, Newshub’s larger than life political editor Patrick Gower tells Toby Manhire about the lessons his US experience offers to NZ media, and how he’s preparing to tackle an election here in 2017, all over the course of a mere seven hours, in the latest instalment of On the … Read more
Who will host 7pm current affairs show The Project when it comes to TV3 next year? Tara Ward makes some very early, very plausible predictions. All my dreams came true in one press release when Mediaworks announced the launch of current affairs panel show The Project. Scheduled in the troublesome 7.00pm timeslot, Mediaworks promises The Project … Read more
The Spinoff was in the room for the MediaWorks 2017 launch today, and was treated to a speech from the “semi-retired” Paul Henry. Despite the recent interview re-exposing his atrocious attitude to women, Henry absolutely tore the swanky Northern Club apart – if only for using the word “squits” about 400 times. Here is his speech, … Read more