The paper says there is no definitive news mapping project in New Zealand, making it difficult to pinpoint where coverage-deprived areas exist. But, it says, we are “certain” to have them.

“It is likely that parts of the Far North constitute a news desert,” writes Ellis.

“Wellington’s northern suburbs and much of Auckland will be deprived of local coverage. Regional areas such as Taupō and South Taranaki will have (at a minimum) reduced coverage, and Central Hawke’s Bay has no local news outlet, following the closure of the CHB Mail.”

The paper outlines how New Zealand’s two biggest publishers, NZME and Stuff, have closed about 40 community newspaper titles in the past seven years. (NZME does still publish The Northland Age, a weekly Far North-focused newspaper).

Entire news organisations – such as Newshub – have disappeared. TVNZ axed Sunday, its midday and late-evening news bulletins and many newsroom staff last year.

Even publicly funded RNZ has not been immune – it recently called for voluntary redundancies and has been proposing other editorial and broadcasting cuts in response to the Government slashing its budget over the next four years.

A survey by The Spinoff in 2024 estimated New Zealand had about 1400 journalists left.

“This is fewer than the number of journalists employed by the New York Times,” writes Ellis, citing the Times’ website stating the company has 1700 journalists.

All of this is leading to an existential crisis in New Zealand media and the emergence of “news deserts” and other phenomena such as “ghost” or “zombie” newspapers, writes Ellis.

“These are publications that nominally continue to exist, but which have lost most or all local news reporting.

“Community newspapers have been deeply problematic for the large groups. Before their closure, Stuff’s Auckland community newspapers shared large amounts of content as revenue decline reduced resources for local reportage,” wrote Ellis.

He studied the 16-page editions of Auckland’s Central Leader and Western Leader on December 12 last year. He found “only two news stories in each newspaper that were not shared with its stablemate, including their respective front page lead stories”.

“In the United States, these would be in danger of qualifying as ‘ghost’ or ‘zombie’ newspapers.”

The term “news desert” – actually “communications desert” – first emerged in a US newspaper article 14 years ago and was described then as “a place where vital information does not reach one’s neighbourhood”.

Over time, the definition of “neighbourhood” has extended to communities with “limited access to the sort of credible and comprehensive news and information that feeds democracy at the grassroots level”, says the paper, quoting the University of Carolina.

“This definition points to the fundamental impact on democratic societies when principled newsgathering and dissemination ends or is curtailed to the point where it can no longer adequately inform people on matters vital to their participation in civil society.”

Ellis does point to a couple of recent positive moves, including Times Media in East Auckland, now producing 72-page editions of its community paper Eastern Times, and the rescue of Integrity Community Media, publisher of five community and rural titles.

Is social media a solution?

If you think social media can replace media, think again, says the paper.

It says social media has, at best, a palliative effect and at worst is “highly detrimental” to social cohesion and democratic health.

“To a degree, Facebook allows ordinary people to find and share information from councils, local agencies and retailers that would otherwise have been in the local newspaper,” writes Ellis.

“However, the information is both unmediated and unchallenged by the professional scrutiny that should be applied by journalists.

“Importantly, it rarely seeks out that which those in power do not wish to see disclosed (perhaps out of self-interest). Nor are the ‘conversations’ generated by users necessarily constructive or even accurate.”

Hope for the future

The paper highlights a number of countries where news deserts already exist, including the UK, US and Australia.

It also places the onus on media companies, governments and communities themselves to find solutions. A broad approach was needed.

“Many governments at national, state and local levels have acknowledged the need for intervention and have implemented measures to prevent or ameliorate the impact of news deserts,” says Ellis.

“Recognition of public interest journalism as a public good is justification for comprehensive initiatives by government, the media industry, and the community.

“Central and local government have fundamental roles to play in structural reform, fiscal support, incentivisation, technological development, education and professional standards.

“Communities must help themselves by supporting local news outlets, encouraging alternatives where commercial enterprises have failed, and supporting innovation.”

Ellis is a supporter of publicly funded initiatives such as the Local Democracy Reporting and Open Justice journalism schemes.

“New Zealand public attitudes to funding of private sector news media are somewhat at odds with other countries, thanks in no small part to a highly successful disinformation campaign that alleged New Zealand media had been bribed by the Public Interest Journalism Fund (PIJF), which closed to applications in 2023,” he writes.

“Such attitudes persist. This is partly due to [a] limited and ineffectual media sector response to the allegation, and partly to ambivalence on the part of some politicians and direct support for the disinformation campaign by others.”

He said there were lessons to be learned from the PIJF scheme. “We warn against being too prescriptive in setting out expectations relating to content.”

Very similar funds in other jurisdictions, with less prescriptive provisions, had “far higher levels of public approval”.

He also raises possible solutions in the form of tax relief for local news operators, mandates on councils and government authorities to advertise in local media and a better education campaign, led by government and media, in the importance of the fourth estate and its role in democracy.

Without significant changes, the paper sounds an ominous warning.

“We will face the consequences experienced elsewhere: negative impacts on participation in local democracy, reduced scrutiny, increased misinformation, fracturing of sources of basic information, and the loss of a regular repository for local business advertising.

“Our best estimate is that – without intervention – the first significant manifestation will make itself felt during this year’s local government elections. We believe that by the time local candidates begin campaigning for the 2026 general election, the phrase ‘news deserts’ will be in common use.”

‘Sobering’

Koi Tū trustee and executive director Sir Peter Gluckman describes the report as a “sobering analysis”.

“This issue should not be a partisan political matter: it is a needed service for communities now compromised by changed market realities. New Zealand’s small scale makes it even more challenging to find a market-based solution,” says Gluckman.

“Our role in Koi Tū is to promote the conversation; we hope policymakers at central and local levels and actors in the media and community find the report valuable in considering a vital sector of our society.”

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.