TVNZ news in the spotlight following a Government call to build trust levels and amid some politicians’ increasing tetchiness with media outlets. TVNZ reveals a content review and its latest financial forecast - a big operating loss as it invests in new technology.
TVNZ is commissioning an independent review of its news - checking for balance and bias - following Government pressure on the state broadcaster to improve its trust levels.
The state broadcaster has revealed the review in its statement of performance expectations (SPE) for the next 12 months - TVNZ told Media Insider it would bring in a respected former Australian television news boss to lead the review.
TVNZ staff would also be provided additional training on trust, and the company would “constantly monitor” for the separation of fact and opinion, with “additional signposting” for audiences, says the SPE.
The company said it would also issue “a full disclosure on corrections made and of formal complaint statistics and upholds”.
The move comes after the Government told TVNZ it expected it “to play a stronger role as a national broadcaster, strengthening its own performance in earning trust”.
It also comes as politicians become a lot more direct in their targeting of media who they don’t think give them a fair go - recent examples include NZ First leader Winston Peters with RNZ’s Corin Dann and Labour leader Chris Hipkins with NZME.
Act leader David Seymour brought his own camera operator to a recent interview with TVNZ’s John Campbell, and uploaded the full footage to YouTube.
Campbell pondered whether his interview was being ‘weaponised’; Act said it was holding media to account and giving viewers the full picture.
Seymour said he was removing the power of media to edit interviews - and produce inaccurate reports - but TVNZ defended its position, saying it provided exactly what the Act party liked to see.
It says it posted its own full and unedited footage of the interview on TVNZ+ before Act’s YouTube post, “allowing viewers to make up their own mind”.
For the financial year 2026, the SPE said TVNZ would aim to have less than 1% of complaints made to the Media Council and the Broadcasting Standards Authority upheld.
In the 2024 financial year, that number was 0.11%, and in the 2025 financial year to May, it was sitting at 0.2%. (TVNZ’s financial year runs to June 30).
“Trust is important to us and it’s an area of increased focus,“ a TVNZ spokeswoman told Media Insider on Monday.
“We have commissioned former ABC and SBS executive Alan Sunderland to undertake some refresher training.
“To do that successfully and meaningfully, we want him to review a week of our content (and others’ news content in market) to see what we are covering, what we are not and how we are covering it.
“This additional training will be completed in 2025.”
TVNZ has traditionally fared relatively well in corporate reputation and media trust surveys.
It recently rose to fourth in the Kantar Corporate Reputation Index (behind Toyota, Pak’nSave, and Air New Zealand) and it was third-equal, behind RNZ and the Otago Daily Times and alongside the National Business Review in this year’s AUT trust in news survey, on 5.6 points.
Seven outlets (NZ Herald, BusinessDesk, interest.co.nz, Newsroom, Stuff, The Listener and Three News) were next, each with an average score of 5.5.
According to the SPE, TVNZ is aiming to reach six points and number one spot this year.
Media and Communications Minister Paul Goldsmith, in his letter of expectation to TVNZ chair Alastair Carruthers in March, said declining trust trends in the media sector remained “a significant concern”.
“Trust is complex, but critical to our democracy and social cohesion,” wrote Goldsmith.
“It is easily damaged and, once lost, is challenging to rebuild and enhance. We continue to expect... that TVNZ preserves and enhances its reputation as a trusted Crown-owned media company, reflecting New Zealand’s values and serving the public interest.
“We appreciate TVNZ is consistently considered one of New Zealand’s most trusted media organisations, supported by editorial and operational independence arrangements.
“This position is why we expect TVNZ to play a stronger role as a national broadcaster, strengthening its own performance in earning trust, and sharing insights and experience to strengthen the public’s trust in the media sector.
“As a Crown-owned media company, we, and the public, expect TVNZ to lead by example.”
TVNZ has already indicated it expects to announce an operating profit of close to $5 million for the 12 months to June 30, 2025.
However, this new financial year will bring more red ink, as the state broadcaster invests tens of millions of dollars in new technology for its five-year digital-first strategy.
The company is forecasting a $48.5 million operating loss for the 12 months to June 30, 2026, according to the SPE.
“Significant efforts were made in FY25 to reset TVNZ’s operating cost base,” a TVNZ spokeswoman told Media Insider.
“In FY26, we are forecasting that our operational cost base will continue to be less than the revenue we bring in. Our investment Opex will generate a negative NPAT [net profit after tax].
“We are making a significant technology investment to address tech debt and support our digital audience and revenue aspirations. The dollar figure of this investment is commercially sensitive.”
Previously, the company has indicated up to $100 million in cash reserves would be earmarked for the digital strategy; the company has said it will be working hard to ensure the final cost is lower.
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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