New Zealand's newspapers: NZ Herald, Stuff and RNZ

In New Zealand, news comes mainly through the New Zealand Herald, the Stuff website, public broadcaster RNZ and TVNZ's 1News, in English and increasingly in te reo Maori; most of these outlets can be read free of charge online.

From colonial papers to Auckland newsrooms

The New Zealand press was born in the nineteenth century in the settler towns. The Press has appeared in Christchurch since 1861, the Otago Daily Times in Dunedin since the same year, and the New Zealand Herald in Auckland since 1863, all three still published.

NZME and Stuff, two rival groups

The New Zealand Herald belongs to the NZME group, which also owns radio stations such as Newstalk ZB. Stuff, the former New Zealand subsidiary of Fairfax, was bought in 2020 by chief executive Sinead Boucher for a symbolic dollar, then rebuilt around regional papers.

Christchurch, Wellington, Dunedin: the city papers

The Press covers Christchurch and Canterbury, The Post, formerly the Dominion Post, covers the capital Wellington, and the Waikato Times the Hamilton area. The Otago Daily Times, published in Dunedin by an independent family company, remains an exception in a highly concentrated market.

English and te reo Maori, two official languages of news

English dominates, but te reo Maori is gaining ground in the media. Te Karere, TVNZ's Maori-language news bulletin, has existed since the early 1980s, and Whakaata Maori, formerly Maori Television, broadcasts news and programmes. Iwi radio stations also serve the tribes.

Newsroom, The Spinoff and digital-native journalism

Newsroom, an investigative site launched in Auckland in 2017, and The Spinoff, known for its offbeat tone and political analysis, complement what the big groups offer. Scoop publishes official releases and statements around the clock, a raw source useful for checking a quote.

Why is there no longer a national news agency?

The New Zealand Press Association, a newspaper cooperative, ceased operations in 2011 after the main publishers withdrew. Since then, newsrooms rely on their own networks, on AAP wire copy for Australia and on international agencies such as Reuters or AFP.

RNZ and TVNZ, pillars of public broadcasting

Radio New Zealand, funded by the state, runs RNZ National, a free and very comprehensive website and RNZ Pacific for neighbouring islands. TVNZ, a public company with a commercial remit, produces 1News. Private channel Three closed its Newshub service in July 2024.

Following Pacific and Asian communities

Auckland has large Samoan, Tongan and Chinese communities, served by community radio stations and websites. RNZ Pacific relays news from the archipelagos, useful for cross-checking with the media of Tahiti and French Polynesia or the press of Oceania as a whole.

Rugby, business and markets in Wellington

The All Blacks and Super Rugby take a major place in the sports pages of the Herald, Stuff and Sky Sport. For the economy, BusinessDesk, now part of NZME, the National Business Review and interest.co.nz follow the Reserve Bank and the NZX exchange.

Media Council and press freedom

The New Zealand Media Council, formerly the Press Council, handles complaints against newspapers and news sites according to published ethical principles. The Public Interest Journalism Fund, managed by NZ On Air between 2021 and 2023, sparked debate about newsroom independence.

Paywalls and free access in New Zealand

The New Zealand Herald keeps its Premium articles for subscribers, as does the National Business Review. Stuff, RNZ, 1News and The Spinoff remain largely free. Stuff's regional papers, such as The Press, have however developed their own paid digital plans.

Comparing with Australia and checking the news

Australian media often cover New Zealand, and the Australian press of Sydney and Melbourne helps place a Wellington decision in its regional context. Before sharing a story, compare the RNZ version with the one published by the Herald or by Stuff.

Keeping up with New Zealand from Europe

1. Start with the free RNZ website, which covers politics, the regions, Maori affairs and the Pacific with a public-service approach.
2. Add the New Zealand Herald or Stuff for Auckland news, sport and crime, noting how differently they treat stories.
3. Sign up for the newsletters of The Spinoff or Newsroom to receive a summary of Wellington politics every morning.
4. Watch 1News on demand on the TVNZ platform, bearing in mind geographic restrictions on some programmes.
5. Check Scoop to read the original text of a ministerial statement before trusting a quote repeated elsewhere.
6. Mind the time difference: the morning edition in Auckland corresponds to the previous evening in Europe.

New Zealand media: free or paid?

Landmarks for reading the New Zealand press

• Languages: English and te reo Maori, an official language recognised in 1987
• Public radio: RNZ; public television: TVNZ and its 1News bulletin
• Leading daily: New Zealand Herald, published in Auckland
• Business: BusinessDesk, National Business Review, interest.co.nz
• No national agency since NZPA closed in 2011
• Time zone: UTC+12, and UTC+13 in summer
• Currency: New Zealand dollar (NZD)

Common mistakes with New Zealand media

• Still looking for Newshub or the Dominion Post: the first closed in 2024, the second now appears as The Post in Wellington.
• Confusing The Press of Christchurch with a generic namesake from another country when searching online.
• Treating a release published on Scoop as a verified news article, when it is the raw text of a party, a company or an association.
• Sharing an old earthquake or volcano alert: only GeoNet and civil defence publish up-to-date official information.
• Assuming that all TVNZ content can be watched from Europe, when broadcasting rights restrict some sports programmes.

Questions about New Zealand's newspapers