The Concern:
The main players in NZ Media
TVNZ is a state-owned commercial broadcaster. It operates without direct government subsidies, deriving over 95% of its revenue from advertising, and additionally secures contestable production grants—for example, from NZ On Air and Te Māngai Pāho (about 1.5% of its revenue)
Originally named 3 News, this news service was operated by MediaWorks and sold in December 2020 to Discovery, Inc.(now Warner Bros. Discovery NZ), which fully funded Newshub until its closure in mid-2024en.wikipedia.org+2en.wikipedia.org+2en.wikipedia.org+2. It has since been replaced by Stuff under a commercial agreement.
Stuff is now a privately owned digital and print publisher (owned by Sinead Boucher since 2020). Its funding comes primarily from commercial revenue—advertising, subscriptions, sponsored content—and notably, it also receives public journalism funds (e.g., NZ On Air grants to support local democracy reporting)
RNZ is a Crown entity/public service broadcaster. Approximately 95% of its funding comes from government channels, including NZ On Air ($35 million/year), the Ministry for Culture & Heritage ($1.9 million), and Parliamentary Services (~$1.3 million)
NZME (New Zealand Media and Entertainment) is a publicly traded company listed on the New Zealand Stock Exchange (NZX: NZM). Its ownership is primarily held by institutional investors, hedge funds, and individual insiders. As of early 2025, major shareholders include:en.wikipedia.orgsimplywall.st
Spheria Asset Management – 19%
Pinnacle Investment Management – 9.7%
James Grenon – 9.3%
Osmium Partners – 6.5%
Repertoire Partners – 2.65%
Michael Boggs (CEO) – 1.6% simplywall.st+1marketscreener.com+1
In March 2025, Canadian private equity investor James Grenon acquired a 9.3% stake in NZME and proposed a complete board overhaul, including his appointment as chairman. He has garnered support from investors holding approximately 47% of the company’s shares, including Spheria Asset Management and Caniwi Capital. This move has led to a governance dispute, with NZME’s board and the New Zealand Takeovers Panel scrutinizing the potential coordinated actions among shareholders, which could trigger mandatory takeover obligations .
NZME’s revenue is derived from several key areas:
Advertising – Both print and digital platforms
Subscriptions – Digital and print editions of publications like the New Zealand Herald
Broadcasting – Radio stations such as Newstalk ZB and The Hits
E-commerce – Online real estate platform OneRoof
Events and Sponsorships – Including branded content and live eventsrnz.co.nztheaustralian.com.au+1rnz.co.nz+1en.wikipedia.org+1businessdesk.co.nz+1
In February 2025, NZME reported a NZ$16 million net loss for the 2024 financial year, primarily due to a NZ$24 million non-cash write-down on its publishing assets .en.wikipedia.org
The company has engaged UBS to advise on its strategic direction and governance amid the ongoing shareholder dispute
| Organization | Ownership/Status | Main Funding Source |
|---|---|---|
| TVNZ | State-owned, commercial broadcaster | Advertising revenue (95 %) + contestable grants (~1.5 %) |
| 3 News/Newshub | Commercial, part of Warner Bros. Discovery | Advertising/commercial backing via Discovery NZ |
| Stuff | Private company (Sinead Boucher) | Commercial revenue + public journalism grants |
| RNZ | Crown entity, public broadcaster | Government funding via NZ On Air & ministers (~95 %) |
TVNZ: Primarily advertising revenue, with some contestable grants.
3 News/Newshub: Fully funded by Discovery Warner Bros. (commercial).
Stuff: Privately funded, supplemented by public journalism grants.
Radio NZ (RNZ): Government-funded via NZ On Air and related Crown allocations.
| Pharma Company | Advertises On | Has WEF / UN Partnership? |
|---|---|---|
| Pfizer | TVNZ, Newshub, Stuff | ✅ Yes (WEF Partner; UN equity programs) |
| GSK | TVNZ, Newshub, Stuff | ✅ Yes (UN Global Compact; WEF/CEPI collaborator) |
| Others (MSD, etc.) | Also advertise | Likely yes—many engage with UN/WEF health initiatives |
New Zealand allows direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) of prescription medicines, meaning drug companies can legally advertise on TV, radio, print, and online platforms—unlike most other high‑income countries
Consequently, TVNZ, Newshub, and Stuff have carried pharmaceutical ads from major companies over the years. These adverts focus on branded prescription medicines, typically highlighting both benefits and side effects—standard DTCA practice .
In 2019, a campaign by Priorities NZ (funded by Medicines New Zealand, representing Pfizer, MSD, GSK, etc.) featured sponsored content on Newshub advocating for increased access to cancer drugs linkedin.com.
“Stories profile cancer sufferers’ struggles … include criticism over how Pharmac decides when and what medicines to fund.” facebook.com+10linkedin.com+10youtube.com+10
While Stuff hasn’t been flagged for specific pharma ad campaigns, as a major digital publisher, it inevitably runs similar DTCA ads alongside other advertisers. No publicly listed, exclusive long‑term pharma deals are evident—but they participate in the wider advertising ecosystem.
As a publicly funded Crown broadcaster, RNZ does not accept advertising, including pharmaceutical ads .
Pharma DTCA has been legal since the early 1990s; it’s been ongoing across TVNZ, Newshub, and Stuff for 30+ years nzherald.co.nz.
Notable drug makers involved via Medicines New Zealand include Pfizer, MSD, GSK, and others through collective campaigns like Priorities NZ
| Organisation | Pharma Ads? | Known Pharma Partners | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| TVNZ | ✅ Yes (DTCA ads) | Major pharma via DTCA | Since 1990s |
| Newshub | ✅ Yes + sponsored content | Pfizer, MSD, GSK (via Medicines NZ) | Prior to 2019 (sponsored), DTCA Ads (since 1990s) |
| Stuff | ✅ Yes (DTCA ads as publisher) | Likely various, no exclusive deals found | Since 1990s onward |
| RNZ | ❌ No | N/A | N/A |
Points: