New Zealand Herald Video Content Takes a Local Focus

New Zealand Herald Video Content Takes a Local Focus

19 September 2016 – The New Zealand Herald is launching NZ Herald Local Focus, an innovative partnership between New Zealand Media and Entertainment (NZME), Very Nice Productions and NZ On Air.

NZ Herald Local Focus is an extension of the successful NZ Herald Focus brand, presented by Laura McGoldrick and Tristram Clayton, which launched in April this year. NZ Herald Local Focus will shed light on stories across the North Island, sharing regional content on a national platform. On average, the team will produce eight regional news videos each week, housed on nzherald.co.nz and across the wider NZME network.

Belinda Henley, Executive Producer of NZ Herald Focus says, "This is a win for journalism in the regions. Herald Focus has shown that this video model is engaging and relevant and we’re excited to bring it to the regions is association with Very Nice Productions and NZ on Air. Working in partnership with their newsroom colleagues from NZME, the strong, experienced NZ Herald Local Focus team are looking forward to uncovering stories that deserve to be told in regional New Zealand.”

Funded by a $400,000 grant by NZ On Air, NZ Herald Local Focus brings together two of New Zealand’s most experienced television and broadcast news professionals as well as a team of video-journalists based in regional New Zealand.

Alistair Wilkinson is the Executive Producer of NZ Herald Local Focus. A broadcast journalist and newsroom leader with over 20 years in the industry, Alistair is one of the most experienced managers of the video-journalism model in the country.

The Herald is partnering with Very Nice Productions to bring this initiative to life. Myles Thomas, Managing Director of Very Nice Productions has 25 years of experience in the television business. Wilkinson is thrilled to have Thomas on board, and says “Myles brings technical, craft, creative and organizational expertise to this project at the highest professional level. He is a huge asset to this team.”

Hunter Calder, Ingrid Jellick, Kaysha Brownlie and Sieska Verdonk, from the Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Hawke’s Bay and Whanganui respectively are the NZ Herald Local Focus team. The journalists will be embedded in these communities, bringing the stories that matter in their regions to the mainstream media.

Watch the first NZ Herald Local Focus video here.

ENDS

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