A snackable summary of interesting things that have happened in and around our industry over the last month or so.
Stuff owner Sinead Boucher gifts 10% of company to staff
Sinead Boucher, Owner and Chief Executive of Stuff, has generously gifted a 10 percent share of the company to its 900 staff members. The announcement formalises a promise made by Boucher in May last year, when she purchased the business from Nine Entertainment for a mere NZ$1 – a celebrated move which both kept the company operational, and brought it back to local ownership. The gifting arrangement will see staff receive a share of any dividends paid out by Stuff, and 10 percent of the proceeds if the company were sold – without facing any tax liabilities or having to invest money.
David Cameron exposed for his digital lobbying campaign on behalf of Greensill Capital
Former UK Prime Minister David Cameron’s reputation has been left “in tatters” in the wake of his text and WhatsApp lobbying campaign to drum up ministerial support for the controversial bank, Greensill Capital. Cameron stepped into the role of adviser and lobbyist at Greensill exactly two years after he left the post of Prime Minister. He has repeatedly refused to tell MPs how much he stood to make from the bank – which collapsed last year – and denied it was driven by fears that the chance to make a large sum was at risk.
A blockbuster media deal could tie up Three with CNN and HBO
The global media landscape is getting a shake up with the proposed mega-merger including massive household names like HBO, CNN, Discovery and Warner Brothers. With the potential to become one of the most diversified screen media companies in the world, the behemoth media merger would also sweep up NZ’s very own Three. This could mean a fantastic opportunity for local content to be amplified to a global audience – or (on the flip slide) may see Three scaled right back to a miniscule domestic presence. It’s unclear if the merger will go ahead, but if it does, it’ll have a major impact on the local market.
The 2021 Voyager Media Awards
Friday evening saw the best of New Zealand journalists wined, dined and celebrated at the 2021 Voyager Media Awards. The team from One Plus One was proud to be in attendance in support of our client, nib, as they awarded their illustrious Health Journalism Scholarships. This year’s Junior and Senior recipients were Zahra Shahtahmasebi from New Zealand Doctor, Cecile Meier from Stuff respectively. Some other notable winners were Newshub/Discovery NZ and Michael Morrah who won Best Coverage of a Major News Event for his reporting on the Covid-19 crisis, while Reporter of the Year was taken out by Alison Mau from Stuff.
Dominic Cummings says Boris Johnson ‘unfit for job’ of PM amid Covid crisis
Dominic Cummings, former chief adviser to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, has presented a raft of extraordinary evidence criticising Johnson’s COVID-19 response. During the seven-hour session, held as part of a Commons inquiry into the British Government’s handling of the pandemic, Cummings denounced the Prime Minister by claiming he is media-obsessed and ‘unfit for the job’. Describing the chaotic response, Cummings claimed the Prime Minister regretted the first lockdown, and that his hesitancy to impose further restrictions later in 2020 had meant “tens of thousands of people died who didn’t need to die”.
An inquiry into BBC Martin Bashir’s reporting tactics raises questions of integrity
The BBC is currently under fire following an inquiry led by Lord Dyson, which concluded that reporter Martin Bashir had used deceitful tactics to secure his now-infamous interview with the late Diana, Princess of Wales. Dyson’s report questioned the BBC’s integrity, sparking rumours of a possible restructure. The BBC remains confident given the significant governance changes that have been made in the 25 years since the interview was conducted, including that the senior executives involved are no longer employees. However, the incident raises questions regarding ethics within the media industry and threatens the integrity of the BBC.
Newstalk ZB Sportscaster under fire for toxic workplace conduct
Newstalk ZB sports host, Martin Devlin, has once again been taken off the air, pending an independent investigation into a raft of allegations of inappropriate and unprofessional conduct. The incidents include Devlin lashing out at a junior colleague (a story first brought to light by Stuff last month) and sending inappropriate messages and unwelcome advances to multiple women. Following the Stuff article, Devlin took a short leave of absence from his show, before an internal investigation determined that he could keep his job – but Devlin’s employer, NZME, claims it has since been made aware of issues which require further investigation.
