NZ On Air has been able to extend funding for two vital journalism initiatives that are reporting on public institutions, thanks to additional funding from Government in Budget 2025.
In May NZ On Air was allocated an additional $1.6m a year over four years “to support local journalism, with a particular focus on reporting on local democracy and justice matters of interest to communities”.
The Local Democracy Reporting scheme (LDR) run by RNZ and distributed on more than 30 other platforms, was originally initiated as part of a co-fund with RNZ in 2019. The Open Justice scheme run by NZME and available via approximately 40 print and online publications, including NZ Herald, RNZ, Whakaata Māori, Top South Media and Allied Media, was initiated under the time-limited Public Interest Journalism Fund.
LDR was created to boost coverage of local government issues across Aotearoa New Zealand. With an increase in funding in 2026 the scheme will expand from the current 17 reporters to 22, adding coverage for North and South Waikato, Manawatu, the greater Wellington region and South Canterbury. It will also triple the number of stories created.
LDR currently reaches a very wide audience, with 6.4m views of content in the first six months of 2025.
Open Justice specialises in court reporting and justice-related matters. It will expand to add a new South Island reporter covering the lower south, and a new reporter in Auckland. Open Justice has a significant audience – reaching 25.6 million views in the 2024/25 year.
In addition to these two initiatives, NZ On Air has continued support for returning specialist current affairs shows. Q+A with Jack Tame will return to TVNZ in 2026, while Paddy Gower Has Issues will be back on Three, ThreeNow, Stuff and social media. Tagata Pasifika will again bring Pasifika events and issues to TVNZ, TVNZ+ and TP+ in 2026. Also returning next year are trusted journalism shows Mata, Newsroom Investigates and The Detail.
NZ On Air’s Head of Funding Amie Mills says the agency acknowledges these are challenging times for news media.
“It is a very privileged position to be able to support expansion in local reporting at this time, recognising the vital importance of quality journalism in the coming election year when New Zealand audiences need trusted information.”
Funding Decisions
Local Democracy Reporting 2026, Radio New Zealand for RNZ and partner platforms including Newsroom NZ, NZ Herald, Stuff, TVNZ 1 and Whakaata Māori, up to $1,562,304.
Tagata Pasifika 2026, 30 x 23' and 1 x 46’, Sunpix for viewing on TVNZ 1, Sky Open, Whakaata Māori, Face TV and Pasifika TV plus 31 x 2’ video stories for TP+, up to $1,266,920.
Paddy Gower Has Issues 3, 8 x 44’, Believer Media for viewing on Three, ThreeNow, Stuff, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, up to $1,068,008.
Q&A with Jack Tame 2026, 39 x 59' and 2 x 118’, Television New Zealand for viewing on TVNZ 1 and TVNZ+, up to $860,962.
Open Justice 2026, NZME for NZ Herald with content shared on RNZ, Whakaata Māori, Top South Media and Allied Media, up to $659,527.
The Detail 2026, 266 x 22', Newsroom NZ podcast series for Newsroom NZ, RNZ and YouTube, up to $562,014.
Mata 4, 4 x 30' and 20 x 26’, Aotearoa Media Collective for viewing on RNZ, up to $469,335.
Newsroom Investigates 2026, 27 x 25’, Newsroom NZ podcast series for Newsroom NZ, up to $439,484.