Minister Megan Woods acknowledged in questioning that the government had paid money in exchange for mass media editorial content on ‘climate change’.
The story broke yesterday on Twitter via citizen journalist Thomas Cranmer (@CranmerWrites).
Responding to questions from National MP Stuart Smith, Woods said the government had paid legacy news outlets TVNZ and Stuff.co.nz $300,000 and $200,000 respectively for media ‘packages’ consisting of prime time specials, interviews with ‘experts’ and stories on ‘climate change’. According to Cranmer, many of the experts were hand-picked by the government.
The Stuff.co.nz package included:
- Five articles on the Stuff.co.nz website
- Display advertising across the Stuff.co.nz website, for a mimimum of 5 million impressions
- Video advertising on the Stuff.co.nz website to launch the campaign
- Five newspaper articles in Stuff.co.nz publications Sunday Magazine and Your Weekend and Life Magazine
- Five stories on Neighbourly.co.nz
- A ‘digital hub’ on Stuff.co.nz to hold all editorial content and stories created
- 104 images and image licensing rights
The Stuff.co.nz deal was purchased as a ‘tailored media package’, and costs were not itemised.
TVNZ package
‘In May last year the government approached TVNZ with a view to creating a climate change ‘special relationship’. The deal was signed off in October to coincide with COP27 [the 27th United Nations Climate Change Conference held in Egypt]’, wrote Cranmer.
The TVNZ package included:
- One hour primetime climate change special aired on TV1
- Online content at tvnz.co.nz and 1news.co.nz, which included a dedicated web page, advertising banners, logo placement and ‘pre-roll’ commericals
- Five articles on the 1news.co.nz website
- Five 1news social media posts
- Five interviews on the Breakfast show with EECA (Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority), climate and energy ‘experts’
- Seven Sharp interview with an EECA ambassador
- Joint press release
- Hosting of the climate special on TVNZ+ for 1 year
‘Reverse Chequebook Journalism’
The practice of ‘reverse chequebook journalism’ or ‘payment for exposure’ is considered controversial because it calls into question the impartiality and independence of the media outlet. TVNZ’s Charter claims the broadcaster aims to provide ‘independent’ and ‘impartial’ analysis, while Stuff.co.nz’s Code of Practice claims the outlet works ‘in the public interest, independent from political or corporate influence.‘
Experts agree that where payment for exposure is made, the content should display that fact prominently, so readers don’t confuse it with ‘actual journalism’. Principle 10 of the Media Council’s ‘Statement of Principles’ requires members to ‘be independent and free of obligations to their news sources… Where a story is enabled by sponsorship, gift or financial inducement, that sponsorship, gift or financial inducement should be declared.’
‘It doesn’t appear that these interviews [on 1News and Breakfast] were marked as being “paid or sponsored content”,’ wrote Cranmer.
‘So the five 1News articles, the five interviews on TVNZ’s Breakfast, an interview on Seven Sharp, as well as a full hour “Climate Change Special” on prime time TV were all part of an advertising campaign paid for by the government with the full knowledge of a Crown Minister but not disclosed as such to the public.’
At the tme of writing DTNZ is unable verify if a complaint has been made to the Media Council over the government payments.
In a briefing paper in December 2020 to the Prime Minister titled “Strengthening New Zealand’s Resilience to Mis/Disinformation” proposals were made for implementing “coordination mechanisms for addressing mis/disinformation”.
The paper observed that “New Zealand government… pic.twitter.com/Vs0foPV7Ld
— Thomas Cranmer (@CranmerWrites) August 22, 2023
The government approached TVNZ about a “special partnership” relating to climate change on 23 May 2022 which was signed on 31 October timed to coincide with COP27. Minister Woods received written updates as negotiations progressed and has confirmed that she has been “paying close… pic.twitter.com/OcNKBNPuBF
— Thomas Cranmer (@CranmerWrites) August 22, 2023
The government pays the state-owned broadcaster to run news stories and interviews with hand-picked “experts”. Pure political propaganda. pic.twitter.com/Q8cARQLbNA
— Thomas Cranmer (@CranmerWrites) August 22, 2023
Thinking NZer’s guessed it would be this scenario.
Journalism is a dead, it has always been the case with Stuff. I cannot believe anyone actually opens the file when they see a headline from them. I simply can’t watch any news on the TV. Well done for exposing this. How would anyone even know it was government paid so to make a complaint to the media council and besides they are useless when you do make a complaint.
I haven’t watch TV news for years. Just talking head muppets. Stuff I don’t read because well, they’re stuffed
I have complained to the media council about other things. It gave me the impression that the media council relates to the media in the same way as the FDA relates to Big Pharma. That is: not at all independent.
we in europe go through the same process. TV and Press are just propaganda tools no to be trusted any more.
I read now DTNZ, substack.com( seymour hersh/scott ritter/katherine watt a.o) and watch video on rumble/ odysee etc when i have time
🌎 👩🚀🔫👩🚀 Always has been.
Who the hell cares what Matti and his wombats spout on the oozebox?
These creatures have lost ALL credibility if they ever had one. ALL MSM is propaganda. Goebbels would be proud of ya, Matti.
As for the government which perpetrates such indoctrination and brainwashing, I think these stooges are too stupid to realize that time is up. They are too stuck in their keepers’ **** to see what’s coming.
I get the popcorn ready and a bottle, to celebrate the bewildering gaze in their eyes when time is coming for ‘reflections’.
“ALL MSM is propaganda…”
Amen to that 🙏
They are the king’s court of liars, government mouth pieces through and through. Literally every word is an angle in some twisted scheme wrapped in a lie.
Caught them tonight, purity testing David Seymour and making him squirm over ANTIVAX (😱) comments made by his party members. Never seen a more spineless, cowardly reaction in my life, lol.
Saw that too and it reminded me acutely of when Seymore gave a speech during total lock=downs in 2021 in front of empty parliament seats, where he tried to out-do Jabby and demanded that Auckland be hermetically sealed and ALL traffic out of Auckland should be halted.
A ferret in a lamb’s hide.