This is edition 2026/074 of the Ten@10 newsletter.
Hi all,
This is the Ten@10, where I collate and summarise ten news items you generally won't see in the mainstream media.
Enjoy!
1. Unreported for nearly a year: media misconduct in Parliament
Unreported for nearly a year: media misconduct in Parliament
Ani O'Brien
- 🍷 Pre-Budget Event: On 13 May 2025, Finance Minister Nicola Willis hosted a standard pre-Budget drinks event for journalists and staff, but it ended abruptly due to a disruptive incident.
- 🏳️🌈 Homophobic Slur: TVNZ political editor Maiki Sherman repeatedly shouted a homophobic slur at fellow journalist Lloyd Burr, reportedly in response to a racial slur Burr denies using.
- 🍻 Journalist Misconduct: The event was shut down after the verbal altercation, but the incident remained largely unreported by the media, despite corroboration from multiple witnesses.
- 📉 Media Double Standards: While politicians face intense scrutiny for even minor missteps, journalists, including Sherman, operate with little accountability despite their own ethical lapses.
- 📜 Parliamentary Rules: Journalists are expected to adhere to conduct standards in Parliament, but enforcement is lax, with a notable gap between the rules and real-world application.
- 🕵️♂️ Lack of Accountability: TVNZ, a state-owned broadcaster, has repeatedly refused to release information on complaints against its staff, undermining transparency and public trust.
- ⚖️ Unequal Scrutiny: The media system in New Zealand reveals a significant imbalance, where journalists are often shielded from scrutiny while politicians are relentlessly held accountable.
- 📰 Closed Ranks: Internal reluctance to report on the misconduct of prominent journalists, especially those like Maiki Sherman, reflects a broader issue of media protecting their own.
- 🏛️ Media’s Duty: The media, tasked with holding power to account, must also demonstrate accountability and transparency within its own ranks to maintain credibility in a democratic system.
- 🔄 Cynicism and Trust: The public’s growing awareness of double standards in media scrutiny breeds cynicism and erodes trust in both the media and political institutions.
