Coverage of the outcry sparked by the sudden change to legislation for pay equity claims - and how one rude word in one newspaper column derailed the debate. Also - AI at the BBC: how the world’s biggest broadcaster is using AI in news and programmes.

Read more about this episode of Mediawatch on the RNZ website

The sudden change to legislation for pay equity claims sparked a huge political outcry pumped up when one columnist used one very rude word in one newspaper column. How did the media sift the facts from all the political friction?

Also: this week the BBC’s top boss said social media platforms and disinformation endanger democracy – but the world’s biggest broadcaster could help reverse this.

Cutting-edge AI technology will be blended with BBC journalism for “a healthy core of fact-based news” that could benefit the world.

The BBC boss tasked with looking into the future of technology tell us how the BBC already puts AI into news and documentaries in ways you might not expect.

In this episode:

01:10 – Hayden Donnell on coverage of pay equity legislation sidetracked by the party political spin.
12:17 – Colin Peacock on the so-called c-bomb in the Sunday Star Times also derailing the debate.

20:00 – Laura Ellis tells us how the BBC is deploying AI for news and programmes.

Learn more:

1. Mediawatch: Political rows and newspaper column blur focus on pay equity | RNZ News
2. Mediawatch: AI and the BBC | RNZ News

Guests:

Laura Ellis - BBC head of technology forecasting

If you have any thoughts for us - or ideas for us to follow up - get in touch. E-mail mediawatch@rnz.co.nz. You’ll also find us @MediawatchNZ on X.

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Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details