Mediawatch Who’s winning the war, where the ad money goes, Chathams spending scandal
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Mar 28, 2026 Alex Radford, chair of IMANZ and co-founder of D3, explains how offshore digital platforms are reshaping ad spend and local media economics. He discusses automation, the need for local agencies, and better measurement methods. The conversation also highlights the consequences for onshore jobs and why preserving local media matters.
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Conflicting Media Claims Mask War Reality
- Media narratives about who is 'winning' the Iran war vary widely and can be unreliable.
- Colin Peacock contrasted optimistic US/minister claims with continuing strikes and Iran controlling the Strait of Hormuz, showing conflicting sources.
Offshore Platforms Dominate NZ Ad Spending
- Offshore tech platforms capture the vast majority of New Zealand's digital ad growth.
- The 2025 Advertising Revenue Report showed digital ads near $3 billion, with Google/Meta/TikTok taking most revenue offshore.
Ad Shift Is Undermining Local Journalism
- The ad revenue shift is starving local journalism of funds needed to represent New Zealand.
- Gavin Ellis argued the offshore extraction reduces capacity to report and urged reinvestment into domestic media.