Walls has been ZB political editor since January 2023, after joining the station in 2021 as chief political reporter and later becoming deputy political editor.
He replaced Barry Soper as political editor – Soper is now Auckland-based and ZB’s senior political correspondent.
“I’m very excited about this new opportunity,” Walls told Media Insider on Monday. “I started as a business reporter straight after university and enjoyed that role for a number of years; so I’m thrilled to be getting back into it, in a new media format.
“Of course, I will miss ZB. We depart on fantastic terms and the network still holds a very important place in my heart, as does the Herald.”
NZME head of talk Will Maisey said Walls’ “unbridled positivity” would be missed.
“Jason has been a huge asset to the newsroom and to our political coverage in particular…
“His sharp analysis and understanding of the political landscape has helped shape our reporting and maintained our strong presence in the press gallery.”
A TVNZ spokeswoman said Walls would start in the Wellington newsroom before relocating to Auckland in 2026.
“The business correspondent role is an important one for 1News. It files across our programmes and platforms and requires an individual with strong connections and business acumen.
“Jason’s deep experience across business and political reporting makes him a natural fit.”
Walls, a former Herald, NBR and interest.co.nz reporter, told Media Insider today: “I will miss the daily grind of politics. I’ve been in the gallery for almost nine years and in that time, I’ve covered three elections, four Prime Ministers, a global pandemic, a terror attack, a riot outside Parliament, countless leadership changes and more post-cabinet press conferences than I can count.”
Walls has been nominated as one of four finalists for best news and sports reporter at next month’s radio awards. He has won a number of awards, including best new broadcaster at the radio awards in 2023.
Aside from Walls, Sophie Trigger and Azaria Howell also work in ZB’s political press gallery, alongside the NZ Herald political gallery team of Thomas Coughlan, Adam Pearse, Derek Cheng, Julia Gabel, and Jamie Ensor. Audrey Young is the Herald‘s senior political correspondent.
Media Insider revealed in February that Bradford would be leaving TVNZ in April for a corporate role at Infrastructure New Zealand.
“Katie is a hardworking and tenacious journalist,” a TVNZ spokeswoman said at the time.
“She has been an asset to our newsroom and viewers have benefited from her thoughtful analysis and clever reporting.
“We’ll miss having her in the 1News team, but we wish her all the best for her new role with Infrastructure NZ.”
Like most other major media organisations, including NZME, TVNZ has been forced into several rounds of cost-cutting across the business over the past two years.
More recently, TVNZ has appointed Stuff Digital managing director Nadia Tolich as its new chief news and content officer, an influential new executive role.
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.
