TVNZ staff: Breakfast hosts Chris Chang, Jenny-May Clarkson, Anna Burns-Francis and Daniel Faitaua; Hayley Holt; ANdrew Saville and Helen Castles.
Confidential document reveals concerns around rosters, resources and iPhone footage; Top TVNZ stars caught in ‘Hunger Games’ selection; Te Karere executive producer resigns; Political editor marries.
TVNZ has confirmed plans to axe as many as 50 roles, with a confidential document revealing the level of concern among news staff, some of them now out of a job or competing with colleagues for newly created positions.
The cuts affect every TVNZ division including sales, marketing, leadership and - in the news and current affairs team - several high-profile presenters and reporters, camera operators and other staff.
That includes confirmation that the existing Breakfast presenting team will be reduced to two roles - there are currently three (Jenny-May Clarkson, Chris Chang, and Anna Burns-Francis) with a back-up (Daniel Faitaua).
Similarly, the number of sport presenting roles on the 6pm news will be dropped from two (Andrew Saville and Hayley Holt) to one.
Across news and current affairs, there have been some small concessions from TVNZ but by and large, the proposals to axe a number of reporters, camera operators and other staff have been confirmed.
“The newsroom is freaking out about the state of journalism. We’ve just never seen things so bad,” said one source.
TVNZ had earlier said it was planning to disestablish 90.5 roles in the entire business and introduce 41 new roles for a net loss of 49.5 jobs. It won’t say how those numbers have been tweaked.
A contestable process now starts for some newly created newsroom positions, with confirmation of successful applicants by December 13.
“We’re resigned to the fact that there may now be a Hunger Games process, but there may not. Because people might just walk away.”
The changes are all part of an effort by the state broadcaster to try to find $30 million in annual savings (or revenue), and to fast-track TVNZ into a digital-first future where TVNZ+ becomes its critical platform for viewership and distribution.
TVNZ’s advertising revenue has fallen off a cliff in the past 18 months and the broadcaster finds itself fighting a rear-guard action in having to rapidly rebuild its business model based on audience and advertiser demand.
TVNZ staff and individuals were called to a series of meetings yesterday to learn their fate following earlier proposals and a November 7-20 consultation period.
While a handful of news staff have had their roles saved, most of the earlier proposals are going ahead.
A lengthy consultation outcome document leaked to Media Insider reveals the confirmed new structure in news and current affairs, including the disestablishment of executive editor of news and current affairs, a role currently held by Phil O’Sullivan.
It is expected O’Sullivan will be a contender for a new supercharged executive role that heads up all of news, current affairs, programming and content.
A range of other roles are being axed across the newsroom, according to the document of more than 40 pages, marked as “confidential to TVNZ”.
For example, in the digital news and content team, roles such as social media producer, digital lifestyle producer, opinion and explainer editor, Re:News editor and Re:News journalist are all being cut.
Aside from presenting changes, other Breakfast roles to be disestablished are supervising planning producer and sports producer. Seven Sharp loses its Wellington reporter.
A range of reporting jobs in Auckland fall from eight to six and in Christchurch from 6.2 roles to 6.
The confidential document gives an overview of staff feedback and concerns - some of it is centred around resourcing and rosters, and the demands on those who stay with the business.
TVNZ answers these concerns, broadly, by stating the organisation will need to adjust its operation accordingly, in line with the resources it has left and audience demand.
In other areas - for example in the reduction of camera operators - there are concerns from staff about the quality of footage if reporters are using iPhones. “The quality of camera is what gives TVNZ the competitive advantage.”
The company’s response in the document to that point is: “TVNZ appreciate that when phones are used that sometimes quality can be lost and there are limits to its capability.
“However, they are still considered a valuable part of audio/visual newsgathering across the industry. It is important to use phones for the right purpose so that the time of craft camera operators is preserved for more complicated shoots.
“7 Sharp (sic) and 6pm reporters have shot entire tracks on iPhones this year.”
Applications for contestable new roles in news and current affairs opened yesterday.
Staff have until next Friday to apply. Interviews will be held up until December 11, with confirmation of successful applicants by December 13.
It means individuals will learn if they have a job, or not, less than two weeks before Christmas. The new structure is expected to be in place by February.
A TVNZ spokeswoman said: “This is an incredibly tough week for TVNZ. The structural changes we’re making will see some talented people leave the business in the coming months.
“Like other local media organisations we’re having to make changes to better live within our means. Businesses around the country are challenged and there’s less money available for them to spend on advertising.
“While we’ve disestablished roles, we’ve also created a number of new ones. We’re recruiting for these internally. It will be up to individuals whether they would like to put themselves forward for a new role.
“Of course, we hope this will be the case. Our intention is to keep this process simple and to appoint quickly to give everyone certainty.”
She would not discuss specific positions.
“Out of respect for TVNZers’ privacy, we won’t be commenting on specific roles or individuals.”
On the question of Breakfast presenters, she said: “We don’t have Breakfast lineup changes to announce today.”
TVNZ’s changes are not the only big cutbacks unfolding in media, of course.
NZME, Stuff and MediaWorks have all had big change proposals in recent weeks - for example, NZME has announced the proposed closure of 14 community newspapers; Stuff is making big changes in its audio department; and senior MediaWorks staff have been caught up in structural changes.
And only yesterday, The Spinoff - which is cutting three roles and making another position part-time - outlined more of its own predicament, issuing an SOS to readers. “We cannot pretend everything is fine,” it said in an open letter.
A senior TVNZ executive producer has resigned after being on personal leave for several weeks - coinciding with the state broadcaster making inquiries into operational matters at the taxpayer-funded Māori language news show Te Karere.
Te Karere executive producer Rapaera Tawhai has been away since October. He told Media Insider on Tuesday morning he was on leave for personal reasons and did not know if he would be back.
Later on Tuesday, TVNZ said Tawhai resigned on November 18. He is serving out his notice but is not at work.
It is understood his leave has coincided with inquiries TVNZ had been making into Te Karere operational matters.
TVNZ receives taxpayer funding for Te Karere, through funding agency Te Māngai Pāho (TMP). In 2023/24 the show received $2.8 million for 260 shows.
TMP chief executive Larry Parr said he had been advised on Tuesday TVNZ was conducting an investigation.
“I’ve had a brief conversation with TVNZ. They indicated there was some sort of investigation going on ... that they don’t think there’s anything I should be worried about.
“All they said is that from their initial investigation, there are no issues and they will continue to go through a process.”
Tawhai, when asked if anyone at TVNZ had raised any specific concerns or allegations with him, said, “What you’re talking about...? No”.
Could he say what TVNZ had raised then? “No, I cannot, because I am on personal leave.”
“You might want to talk to someone over there [at TVNZ] - they will let you know I’m on personal leave.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I think you need to talk to somebody else. I’m actually still there. I’m just on leave at the moment.”
Asked if he expected to be back, he said “It just depends on my current situation.”
A few hours later, in response to questions, a TVNZ spokeswoman said: “Rapaera Tawhai resigned from his role with Te Karere on 18 November. TVNZ does not comment on individual employment matters, including the reasons for TVNZers departing the organisation.”
Later on Tuesday afternoon, one of TVNZ’s news leaders, Sophie Baird, sent an email to newsroom staff announcing Tawhai’s resignation.
She paid tribute to his work and thanked him for his friendship, hard work and “his passion for the kaupapa of Te Karere”.
There would be an opportunity to say a proper goodbye at some point, she said.
TVNZ would not clarify what it had meant with its reported comment to TMP that an investigation was under way.
“We are regularly in touch with our funders, including Te Māngai Pāho to provide necessary information on Te Karere’s production.
“We’re also regularly in touch with the Minister’s office under the no-surprises policy. These conversations are of course confidential and often commercially sensitive.”
She added: “Receiving media inquiries about a funded show would of course require us to be in touch with our funders.”
Three News host Sam Hayes has been mourning the loss of one of her best friends which meant she was a notable absentee from last week’s TV Awards.
It is understood awards organisers had originally wanted Hayes, who is now employed by Stuff, to present a series of awards early on in the 7pm show, alongside TVNZ’s Melissa Stokes.
Part of the long-running tradition at the awards is an arms truce and the industry puts on a united front with the likes of co-presenters from rival networks.
Media Insider was told Stuff had suggested Hayes and Mike McRoberts could present together - a reunion of the former Newshub newsreaders.
However, a Stuff spokesman said yesterday: “The suggestion for Samantha Hayes and Mike McRoberts to present together at the recent TV Awards was made by Warner Bros Discovery as an acknowledgement of the year that had been.”
He said Stuff’s preference was always for Sam to present Three News on the night of the awards.
“... this was conveyed to organisers who offered to find a later timeslot for Sam to appear. There was no issue regarding silos - Mike McRoberts now also works for another media organisation.”
He said Hayes had a deep respect for Stokes, and provided a comment from Hayes: “She is a great presenter and journalist and a beautiful person too.”
Of course, all of this was put into perspective when Hayes made a mercy dash across the Tasman.
“Tragically, Sam had to drop all work commitments prior to the awards and fly to Cairns after learning that her life-long friend Jess was in a coma and on life support.
“She spent several days alongside Jess while she was in intensive care and has only just returned to New Zealand following Jess’ funeral.”
Some happy media news!
Newstalk ZB political editor Jason Walls and social entrepreneur and advocate Jacinta Gulasekharam are celebrating their recent nuptials.
The pair wed at the Orlando Country Club in Palmerston North last month.
“We had roughly 95 guests, including two tables full of press gallery reporters. I was concerned some major news was going to break and they would all have to leave,” Walls said. “But luckily the news gods smiled upon us and it was a slow news day.”
He described it as the best day of his life.
“I was so nervous until I saw her, and when I did — I just felt such a sense of joy. At the end of the night, my face was hurting from all the smiling.”
Gulasekharam: “The day was perfect and I couldn’t be happier to have a lifetime of memories and banter with Jason.”
Jeff McTainsh made his ‘debut’ as an All Blacks test commentator for Sky TV last weekend - following in the footsteps of Grant Nisbett and Tony Johnson. The future of rugby commentary appears in great hands with the likes of Elliott Smith, Rikki Swannell, and McTainsh, among others.
For more than 150 years, The Press has been stationed in central Christchurch - but is there a change in the wind?
Media Insider understands The Press publisher Stuff is considering a move from its Gloucester St premises, where it pays a hefty lease.
“We are continually reviewing our leases in cities and regions across the country,” said a Stuff spokesman.
“This is an ongoing process as leases near the end of their term to make sure our teams are in fit-for-purpose offices.
“We’ve had preliminary discussions with our landlord about the future of our lease in our Christchurch CBD office but have no firm plans or timelines for any move.
“We signed into the building prior to the Canterbury earthquakes and our needs have evolved over the past decade. Our staff are spread over two disconnected floors, and we have a growing need for flexible spaces as we deliver more video and multimedia content.”
Editor-at-Large Shayne Currie is one of New Zealand’s most experienced senior journalists and media leaders. He has held executive and senior editorial roles at NZME including Managing Editor, NZ Herald Editor and Herald on Sunday Editor and has a small shareholding in NZME.
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