Labour Gains Ground
Latest poll results show a gain of 10 seats by Labour but don’t forget the voter disenfranchisement laws and NZME’s Editorial Direction is still to come
NZME
Foreign Buyers Ban Will Be Lifted Under Urgency
PM Luxon has said he wants the repeal completed by the end of the year
Canadian billionaire linked to right wing websites buys a near 10% of NZME shares
James “Jim” Grenon spends almost $10 million to buy a ~10% stake in the publisher of NZ Herald and owner of Newstalk ZB.
Media crisis may be most problematic
The government is simultaneously grappling with the Covid, economic and housing crises, but its failure to act urgently and boldly on the crisis in our Fourth Estate may have the most damaging longer-term effect. Bernard Hickey has lashed out at Broadcasting and Media Minister Kris Faafoi and Jacinda Ardern, for their fiddling-while-Rome-burns response to an industry in meltdown.
StuffMe not
As widely reported this morning, the Commerce Commission has declined the proposed merger of the country’s two biggest media companies.
Fairfax-NZME merger declined
Good call from the Commerce Commission.
Fairfax and NZME and merger talks on
As previously discussed here, bad for the media, bad for democracy.