Jason Heale
Auckland, March 11, 2024
The recent announcement that Newshub will shut down its news broadcasting operations elicits understandable disappointment.
Three hundred jobs were lost, many of them recognisable faces like newsreader Mike McRoberts. And for over 30 years, Newshub (in various forms) has delivered news and analysis to Kiwi living rooms.
However, lamenting the loss of a familiar name misses the more profound implications of this closure. More than a nostalgic farewell to a free-to-air TV news platform, it is helpful to view Newshub’s closure as a warning sign for our country’s economic and cultural self-determination.
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The collateral damage
On one level, the shutdown stems from the collateral damage of changing media diets.
Primetime news slots do not hold viewer attention like they once did; our phones are our TVs now. The days of dedicated evening news audiences are fading as on-demand streaming and social media fragment how we consume information.
However, the implications stretch far beyond broadcast mortality.
Newshub’s closure comes in part because TV3 is owned by American entertainment giant Warner Bros Discovery. National priorities (and differences) matter less to multinational corporations targeting global digital audiences.
Plugging into these worldwide platforms increasingly determines the content and conversations Kiwis see.
The wider concern beyond Newshub’s demise is who and what fills the void left in local media. Make no mistake, the loss of spaces that spotlight homegrown stories and talent makes it even easier for our unique worldview to get drowned out by louder foreign voices. Global digital giants prioritise reaching the most eyeballs possible, not preserving regional diversity, distinctiveness, or voices.
Risk to National Identity
Here is my question: At what point does this pose a risk to our distinctive national identity? Due to YouTube’s influence, my daughter now speaks with a slight American accent.
When most opinion, news, and entertainment platforms come from beyond our shores, we risk becoming a cultural colony, relying on outsiders to understand ourselves. What do China, America, or any other nation have to teach us about what it means to be Kiwi?
However, the transformations in media consumption also allow for new, creative ways to champion local narratives on our own terms.
Our country already has many platforms that are not funded by the government and report on the news, so why not start supporting some of these? The Spinoff, The New Zealand Herald, Newstalk ZB, Stuff, Newsroom, and The Platform are just some.
In addition to prioritising local voices, we can harness our spirit of digital innovation to create new models for spotlighting Kiwi stories. Crucially, boosting our media ecosystem must not come from government intervention.
Surveys reveal that as a nation, we harbour understandable skepticism towards state-backed journalism.
The end of one TV news outlet need not sound the death knell for homegrown perspectives. But preserving our distinct voice requires embracing new models and making conscious choices to choose local over global. The preservation of our unique culture hangs in the balance.
Jason Heale is the Communications Manager at the Maxim Institute, an independent think tank working to promote the dignity of every person in New Zealand by standing for freedom, justice, compassion and hope.
