Latest news with #Stuff
Scoop
2 days ago
- Business
- Scoop
Stuff Wins Media Business Of The Year
Stuff Group has won the prestigious Media Business of the Year at the Communications Council's Beacon Awards, being named as New Zealand's leading media organisation for its bold vision and strategy implemented for success. The Beacon Awards celebrate outstanding media thinking and execution in Aotearoa and the Business of the Year is celebrated for its proven success across financial performance, industry reputation and audience growth and engagement. In 2024, commentators noted that no media organisation had gone further or faster than Stuff as it leapt into growing video audiences and revenue on the country's largest news website through strategic investment into technology, talent and training. The Comms Council judges said that boldness and positivity underpinned Stuff's winning entry which was titled 'Lights, Camera, Traction'. '(Stuff made) moves that benefitted not just their own business but also the wider media ecosystem in Aotearoa. This business took risks . . . and in doing so demonstrated undeniable positivity and forward momentum.' Stuff Owner and Publisher Sinead Boucher said the award was brilliant recognition of a year in which the company made good on its promise to 'Follow No One', accelerating its shift into video, taking on ThreeNews for Warner Bros. Discovery and navigating challenging waters with a focus on the future. 'I am so proud of all of our teams as they have seized opportunities, created value for our partners and continued to grow the largest digital and print audiences in the country,' she says. 'Media is such a dynamic business and being acknowledged for both our strategy and delivery is a real testament to our people who are committed to driving Stuff forward.' Commercial Director Jaana Collins says receiving industry recognition at a time of immense change in media is particularly important and the Communications Council award is a real honour for the whole team. 'Stuff is an organisation that makes strong strategic moves and is always looking to connect our partners with audiences in new and exciting ways,' she says. 'Innovating together with our partners is a vital part of that strategy and critical to the next stage of Stuff's evolution. 'A huge thank you to all of the agencies, brands and customers we work with every day for their support of independent New Zealand journalism, to the Communications Council for their leadership and to the other finalists NZME, TVNZ, Sky and Are Media who are all great local competitors in a fast-changing industry.'
Malaysian Reserve
2 days ago
- Business
- Malaysian Reserve
Dairy giant New Zealand endures butter price shock
WELLINGTON – Butter prices have soared in dairy export giant New Zealand, latest figures showed Thursday, with local supplies cut short as the industry chases fatter profits overseas. The dairy price shock spreads as far as cheese and milk, leading one economist to suggest locals face the grim prospect of cereal without milk if they want to save money. Butter prices leapt 46.5 percent in the year to June to an average of NZ$8.60 (US$5.09) for a 500-gram (1.1-pound) block, according to official data from Stats New Zealand. Milk prices surged 14.3 percent over the same period, while cheese shot up 30 percent. High dairy prices have hit the headlines in New Zealand, with media outlet Stuff reporting that 'exorbitant' prices are unlikely to 'melt away' any time soon. Wholesale and retail store Costco restricted butter sales to a maximum of 30 blocks per customer in June, but still sold out, according to the New Zealand Herald. The prices are hurting consumers, said independent economist Brad Olsen, chief executive of Infometrics. 'At the moment, I'm going with any other alternative I can find,' Olsen said of butter prices. 'I'd also say, the cheap option for breakfast at the moment seems to be to try cereal without the milk.' The phenomenon was driven by international prices and demand, Olsen said. Butter supplies had failed to keep up with rising demand over the past two years, he said. 'New Zealand exports the vast majority of our dairy products. So if you're a company that's exporting butter, you've got to make a decision. Do you sell it at the international price overseas, or do you sell it cheaper in New Zealand?' the economist said. 'No business is going to sell it cheaper… if they can get a better price overseas.' But while New Zealand consumers were feeling the price pinch, the overall economy was benefiting as exporters creamed off larger profits from sales overseas. 'The sort of returns that our farmers and the primary sector more broadly are getting, and the economic benefit that brings, is actually far more substantial,' Olsen said. 'It's an extra NZ$4.6 billion (US$2.7 billion) that has been flowing into the economy from the higher dairy payout. That's a significant boost.' New Zealand butter lovers are actually faring better than some, he said, adding they still pay 46 percent less than Americans. –AFP
Int'l Business Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Int'l Business Times
Dairy Giant New Zealand Endures Butter Price Shock
Butter prices have soared in dairy export giant New Zealand, latest figures showed Thursday, with local supplies cut short as the industry chases fatter profits overseas. The dairy price shock spreads as far as cheese and milk, leading one economist to suggest locals face the grim prospect of cereal without milk if they want to save money. Butter prices leapt 46.5 percent in the year to June to an average of NZ$8.60 (US$5.09) for a 500-gram (1.1-pound) block, according to official data from Stats New Zealand. Milk prices surged 14.3 percent over the same period, while cheese shot up 30 percent. High dairy prices have hit the headlines in New Zealand, with media outlet Stuff reporting that "exorbitant" prices are unlikely to "melt away" any time soon. Wholesale and retail store Costco restricted butter sales to a maximum of 30 blocks per customer in June, but still sold out, according to the New Zealand Herald. The prices are hurting consumers, said independent economist Brad Olsen, chief executive of Infometrics. "At the moment, I'm going with any other alternative I can find," Olsen said of butter prices. "I'd also say, the cheap option for breakfast at the moment seems to be to try cereal without the milk." The phenomenon was driven by international prices and demand, Olsen said. Butter supplies had failed to keep up with rising demand over the past two years, he said. "New Zealand exports the vast majority of our dairy products. So if you're a company that's exporting butter, you've got to make a decision. Do you sell it at the international price overseas, or do you sell it cheaper in New Zealand?" the economist said. "No business is going to sell it cheaper... if they can get a better price overseas." But while New Zealand consumers were feeling the price pinch, the overall economy was benefiting as exporters creamed off larger profits from sales overseas. "The sort of returns that our farmers and the primary sector more broadly are getting, and the economic benefit that brings, is actually far more substantial," Olsen said. "It's an extra NZ$4.6 billion (US$2.7 billion) that has been flowing into the economy from the higher dairy payout. That's a significant boost." New Zealand butter lovers are actually faring better than some, he said, adding they still pay 46 percent less than Americans. While New Zealand consumers are feeling the dairy price pinch, the overall economy is benefiting as exporters cream off larger profits from sales overseas. AFP
Otago Daily Times
3 days ago
- Otago Daily Times
Voyeurism: What to do if someone is covertly filming you?
By Serena Solomon of RNZ It is unclear how often people are recorded without their consent in intimate situations and settings, but advances in digital cameras are likely making it more common. Voyeurism has been in the news frequently over the last few weeks. On Wednesday, news broke that a Dunedin man in his 20s pleaded guilty to filming himself and a woman performing a sex act without her knowledge and sharing it on his rugby team's group chat. His flatmate also pleaded guilty to filming a video of her while she slept. He shared the content that contained images of her in her underwear with her breasts exposed. Last month, a Stuff investigation revealed the Prime Minister's deputy chief press secretary Michael Forbes recorded the audio of his sessions with sex workers without their consent. He also amassed covertly taken images of women in grocery stores, at the gym and filmed some in homes through their windows. The revelations resulted in his resignation but Forbes is yet to be charged with a crime by New Zealand police. Then came a court martial hearing of Corporal Manu Smith where he was sentenced for filming sex with a girlfriend without her consent. Whether it reaches the attention of the law, the media or even victims, it's possible that voyeurism - sexual gratification from observing others in private settings without their knowledge - is happening constantly. However, because of its secretive nature, we will never know how prevalent it is and whether the greater risk comes from strangers or if perpetrators are more likely to be known by victims, as is the case with other sexual abuse. What is voyeurism? The Crimes (Intimate Covert Filming) Amendment Act 2006 addresses voyeurism when a recording device is involved. The act makes it illegal to create visual recordings without the knowledge or consent of the person being recorded in a situation where that person 'would reasonably be expected to provide privacy..." It is generally legal to take unconsented images and video of others in public places, but not in private places such as a public change room or a toilet and if that person is 'naked, in underclothes, showering, toileting etc,' says Detective Inspector Rebecca Cotton from New Zealand Police. The 2006 law was introduced in response to increased instances of 'upskirting and downblousing,' according to Dr Cassandra Mudgway, a senior lecturer at the University of Canterbury's law school. At the time, digital recording technology paved the way for perpetrators to install, say, small cameras on their shoes and walk around town recording up women's skirts. 'These days, we don't have good numbers around prevalence and of course, this is covert so by its very nature it is secret,' says Mudgway, adding that technology advances makes voyeurism easier to pull off and likely more common. The covert recordings Forbes made have highlighted gaps in the 2006 law, where audio recordings are not covered. The images he secretly took of women in public likely didn't meet the law's threshold of an "intimate visual recording". Advocates and survivors of voyeurism are pushing to change that. When it comes to sexual abuse in general, the vast majority of victims will know their perpetrator such as a family member, a teacher, or a co-worker. No such data exists for crimes involving intimate and covert recording or peeping tom cases, voyeurism that does not involve a recording. However, Auckland-based clinical psychologist Barry Kirker has noticed a pattern in his work with perpetrators. An adult victim is more likely to be filmed in public by a stranger, and a young person is more likely to be filmed in their home, he says. Why is voyeurism a violation? It's true that many victims of voyeurism will never know that a crime has been committed against them. It's also true that a perpetrator may never lay a finger on their victim, but that doesn't make the crime any less painful for those who know they have been recorded, says Ruth Money, the government's chief adviser for victims of crime. 'It's violating because it is... somewhere where you should be safe and feel completely private and safe and that's what sexual assault is - power and control - and that is why people feel incredibly violated and vulnerable.' Some victims might be able to brush it off. But many will not - and shouldn't. It could also trigger the trauma of past abuse, says Money. '...then you go take yourself down a very understandable route of thinking, 'Well, what has this person done with the content? Because it's unauthorised images.' In the case of the New Zealand soldier and the Dunedin men who themselves himself having sex with women without consent, they were accused of sending that content to others. Social media and now AI's ability to generate deep fake images including pornographic photos and videos has also changed the game. '...Something like online harms or harms that involve technology, we're seeing increasing prevalence from strangers, people that you don't know [as perpetrators] which is something that's quite new, I think', says Mudgway. What to do if you think you are being recorded? If you believe you are being recorded in breach of the Crimes (Intimate Covert Filming) Amendment Act 2006, you should report it to police by calling 105, according to Detective Inspector Cotton. 'Police would then assess the information provided to determine whether any criminal offending had taken place and/or if any further investigation was required.' If the incident occurs in a gym or a pool, inform the manager. This could result in the perpetrator losing their membership or facing a ban from the establishment, says Mudgway. 'I've actually just looked at all of the gyms that have chains around New Zealand and seen that almost all of them have some kind of [voyeurism] policy. '... even if nothing comes of it, I think it's really important that people understand that it's still a breach of your right to privacy and your right to personal dignity, even if there is no specific law that covers that, you still have those rights.' A civil suit - essentially suing the accused perpetrator - is also a possible but potentially expensive option, according to Mudgway. 'The difference between criminal and civil is that civil has a lower burden of proof, which means that you only have to prove that it's more likely than not that in that place [the victim] had a reasonable expectation of privacy versus a crime where it has to be beyond reasonable doubt.' Finding help if you're a victim of voyeurism New Zealand still has room for improvement when it comes to reducing the burden on victims and survivors when it comes to seeking help, says Money. 'When your world is turned upside down, when you are violated and there is a trauma response, it means that you don't necessarily think rationally or in a linear fashion anymore.' When you report a crime to the police, they can refer you straight to local agencies such as rape crisis centres or women's centres that help victims of sexual crimes. However, sometimes referrals fall through the cracks or agencies lack the funding to truly help all referrals, says Money. Victims can also self-refer to those agencies including Victim Support, a national organisation that supports those who have experienced various crimes. ACC's Sensitive Claims Service accepts self-referrals and provides help for mental harm caused by sexual assault or abuse. The Safe to Talk hotline is another avenue for help. 'I do acknowledge it's difficult being a survivor and navigating the system so, I just want to encourage people not to be afraid to ask for help because it is out there,' says Money. 'It does exist.' Where to get help Call the Safe to talk hotline on 0800 044 334 or visit their website Need to Talk? Free call or text 1737 any time to speak to a trained counsellor, for any 0800 543 354 or text HELP to 4357 . any time to speak to a trained counsellor, for any 0800 543 354 or text to . Suicide Crisis Helpline: 0508 828 865 / 0508 TAUTOKO. This is a service for people who may be thinking about suicide, or those who are concerned about family or friends. Depression Helpline: 0800 111 757 or text 4202 . . Samaritans: 0800 726 666. Youthline: 0800 376 633 or text 234 or email talk@ or email talk@ What's Up: 0800 WHATSUP / 0800 9428 787. This is free counselling for 5 to 19-year-olds. Asian Family Services: 0800 862 342 or text 832 . Languages spoken: Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, Vietnamese, Thai, Japanese, Hindi, Gujarati, Marathi, and English. . Languages spoken: Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, Vietnamese, Thai, Japanese, Hindi, Gujarati, Marathi, and English. Rural Support Trust Helpline: 0800 787 254. Healthline: 0800 611 116. Rainbow Youth: 09 376 4155. OUTLine: 0800 688 5463. Eating Disorders Carer Support NZ: Also on Facebook. If it is an emergency and you feel like you or someone else is at risk, call 111.
NZ Herald
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- NZ Herald
Media Insider podcast: Markets with Madison host Madison Malone – why I'm going it alone; the rise of independent journalists
'I watched Judy Bailey growing up – the mother of the nation – I was obsessed. 'I used to watch the TV and from when I could speak, I said 'I'm going to do that' to my parents. I pointed at the TV and said, 'That's me'.' Malone says she saw the power of the screen at an early age. 'It was never about the fame, nor wanting to be on screen or anything. I genuinely just reckon it's the best way to speak to an audience. It's show me, don't tell me.' Over the past decade, Malone (her maiden name was Madison Reidy) has worked at Stuff, RNZ, Newshub and NZME, where she has established her Markets with Madison show and quickly built her reputation as one of New Zealand's most talented business journalists. She has a dossier of interviews with some of the biggest entrepreneurial names in New Zealand business, and even become a leading name herself: Last year, she was named as one of Forbes magazine's 30 under-30 stars in the media, marketing and advertising category in Asia. Now she's going it alone, taking her show – with a new name (it's revealed in today's podcast) – independent. She's one of a number of high-profile journalists who are forging new careers with their own direct-to-audience platforms - think the likes of podcast hosts Dom Harvey and Steven Holloway (of Between Two Beers fame, alongside Seamus Marten) and Substack newsletter hosts David Farrier and Dylan Cleaver. Malone will contract back to NZME for a few more months, but after that, she's on her own. In today's Media Insider podcast, we talk to Malone about the risk she's taking – the excitement and anxiety that comes with it – as well as her time in media to date, including the perils of a live cross; and her recent trip to the US, where she met executives from a broad range of New Zealand companies and start-ups who are taking America and the world by storm. Malone also talks about her approach to interviews and - as she builds her content model around business success - why she thinks a new generation of journalists are ignoring any notion of a tall poppy syndrome in New Zealand. She admits her new move is 'an absolute risk', but she's focused on ensuring she's fully independent. 'I really have to force myself out into this world where I am truly on my own. And that's terrifying and isolating, but I feel like if I don't do that, then why did I leave?' Editor-at-Large Shayne Currie is one of New Zealand's most experienced senior journalists and media leaders. He has held executive and senior editorial roles at NZME including Managing Editor, NZ Herald Editor and Herald on Sunday Editor and has a small shareholding in NZME. Watch Media Insider – The Podcast on YouTube, or listen to it on iHeartRadio, Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
