Media Matters: Axings, searches and ad sales

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First up on the agenda is the cancellation of TV3’s 3D, marking the first time in the channel’s existence that it hasn’t had a current affairs show in primetime.

The decision – which seemed almost inevitable, given the language used in the announcement of the show’s review – was greeted with a now predictable gnashing of teeth from many quarters about the ongoing erosion of serious journalism in NZ. But is that a true reflection of the situation or are what we witnessing merely an evolution of form rather than substance when it comes to modern reporting?

Next up is the news that Story co-host and journalist Heather du Plessis-Allan had the Wellington flat she shares with husband and fellow journalist Barry Soper searched earlier this week by police, who were reportedly looking for evidence she committed a crime in the course of making an item about a loophole in NZ’s gun purchasing law.

Questions have been raised about the appropriateness of the search, including by a retired High Court judge.

Coming just days after it was revealed an academic had been blacklisted from gaining access to police data for what’s widely seen as spurious reasons – not to mention last year’s raid on the house of journalist Nicky Hager in the wake of the release of his Dirty Politics book – it arguably paints a disturbing picture of a culture of police over-reach.

Cops search our apartment in Wellington to find handwriting samples of @HDPA to prove gun charges against her. pic.twitter.com/ckLaA5AuzC

— Barry Soper (@barrysoper) November 30, 2015

Finally the conversation turns a story in NBR’s print edition this week – an update on the Kiwi Premium Advertising Exchange (KPEX). The platform, which enables agencies and clients the ability to purchase ads from NZME, MediaWorks, Fairfax and TVNZ in a single transaction, has been operating for a month.

More than 43,000 global advertisers have jumped on board to try it out, resulting in daily unique impressions of 750,000. KPEX consulting chief executive Duncan Arthur says he is pleased with the results but notes there’s still a fair amount of ramping up to do before its “third launch” in February.

However media buyers are raising some concerns about the exchange: one being the fact it contains only unsold remnant inventory; the other that the platform can’t provide the “brand safety” it’s guaranteeing.  

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