Financial journalist Frances Cook has accused her former employer NZME of taking control of her podcast Cooking the Books, a project she initially created in her spare time.
Despite assurances that the podcast was not part of her job, Cook alleges she was pressured into surrendering it and ultimately resigned after new management suggested she might need to shut down her own business providing financial education.
NZME disputes her claims, and has since rebranded the podcast as The Prosperity Project.
Legal experts note that intellectual property rights typically favour the employer, though specific agreements between the parties could alter that. Cook has encouraged fans to unsubscribe from the rebranded show.
