Hosking, du Plessis-Allan lead NZ Herald, Newstalk ZB live Election Night Coverage

MEDIA RELEASE – 15 October 2020

Mike Hosking and Heather du Plessis-Allan lead NZ Herald, Newstalk ZB live Election Night Coverage

Broadcasters Mike Hosking and Heather du Plessis-Allan will lead an all-star line-up of NZ’s best political journalists, experts and analysts in a special, live Election Night show across nzherald.co.nz, Newstalk ZB and iHeartRadio on Saturday.

Hosking and du Plessis-Allan, supported by a team of expert panellists and political journalists reporting from the major parties’ election-night headquarters, will anchor NZME’s broadcast coverage - including a livestream video show and radio broadcast.

Whether they’re out and about or at home on the couch, New Zealand Herald and Newstalk ZB audiences will have access to the very latest party and electorate vote data, interviews, breaking news and in-depth analysis. The live coverage will showcase NZME’s focus on delivering trusted news and information for Kiwi audiences.

“A special Election Night hub has been set up in the heart of the NZ Herald and Newstalk ZB newsroom.  From here, Heather and a team of commentators including Fran O’Sullivan, Liam Dann, Simon Wilson and Claire Trevett will analyse ballot box trends throughout the night. In the ZB studio, Mike and ZB Political Editor Barry Soper will team up for latest interviews and breaking news angles,” said NZ Herald Head of Content Development Nadia Tolich.

nzherald.co.nz will also be the home of the most up-to-date Election Night developments with NZ Political Reporter of the Year*, Audrey Young - leading her team of political specialists. Kiwis accessing interactive graphics available via nzherald.co.nz will be able to test their own Vote 2020 predictions and study the Parliamentary make-up in real-time.

NZME’s regional publications The Northern Advocate, Whanganui Chronicle, Rotorua Daily Post, Bay of Plenty Times and Hawke’s Bay Today will also all provide live and local updates from the electorates they cover.

“The absolute immediacy of a radio broadcast along with the speed of our nzherald.co.nz livestream gives us brilliant flexibility. We can go to the leaders wherever they are - at home, or in their cars on the way to party HQs,” said NZME Head of Talk Jason Winstanley.

And on Sunday and Monday, Herald on Sunday, NZ Herald will be treated to bumper, special editions of their favourite newspapers, with full electorate-by-electorate results and even more results analysis and the fallout for the losers.

“Our teams are ready to provide the best news coverage,” said NZME Managing Editor Shayne Currie. “We’ve got our audiences covered, no matter where they’ll be on Saturday night and across the weekend – on every platform possible.”

New Zealand Media and Entertainment – Live Election Night Special, Saturday October 17 from 7pm Newstalk ZB and NZHerald.co.nz

Radio, Web, Mobile, App, iHeart Radio

 *2020 Voyager Media Awards

CLIFF JOINER, GM COMMUNICATIONS

New Zealand Media and Entertainment

M:  +64­ 212709995 / E:  cliff.joiner@nzme.co.nz