“It is a fact that New Zealand’s news market is rapidly shrinking if measured by the number of players,” states Dr Merja Myllylahti, co-director of Auckland University of Technology’s Journalism, Media, and Democracy Research Centre.
She writes that New Zealand’s news market is facing a rapid decline in the number of publicly accessible news websites.
In the wake of the recent closure of Newshub.co.nz, Myllylahti says this is a pivotal moment for New Zealand’s media.
She warns that closing news websites may diminish public access to news, further shrinking the country’s media landscape.
Discovery shut down its TV channel, leaving a gap in the news cycle. TVNZ is also eyeing significant cuts. The potential closing of its 1News website as it shifts towards a video-focused future could weaken its brand and reduce audience engagement.
The closures come at a time when Google has threatened to stop linking to New Zealand news in response to the government’s proposed Fair Digital News Bargaining Bill, which would force tech companies to pay for content.
While major sites like Stuff.co.nz and NZ Herald dominate web traffic, smaller outlets are vanishing, and it’s uncertain where audiences will turn next.
Some New Zealanders have gravitated towards RNZ’s site, which saw an increase in visits following Newshub’s closure.