Media Insider: PR ‘conflict’ claim – NZ Herald journalist Joe Los’e resigns

A senior NZ Herald journalist has resigned after allegations he was also working in a public relations capacity for a publicly funded trust headed by his sister.

Editorial staff at NZME – owner of the NZ Herald, Newstalk ZB and a suite of regional news brands – were advised of the journalist’s departure today.

“I’m writing to let you know Joe Los’e has resigned from the Herald, with immediate effect," NZME editor-in-chief Murray Kirkness wrote in an email to staff.

“We wish him well for the future.”

The Spinoff reported last week that Los’e had been acting in a PR capacity for the Pacific Business Trust, while also working at the NZ Herald.

Los’e was the kaupapa Māori editor of the Herald and has regularly written for the Kahu section.

An article about the Pacific Business Trust and its chief executive, Mary Los’e, was published in the Kahu section of the Herald’s website in February 2024. Mary Los’e is Joe Los’e’s sister.

The Spinoff reported that Los’e had tried to pitch a story about the trust and his sister to other media outlets in November 2023, before it appeared in the Herald.

The Spinoff reported Los’e had suggested to a journalist from another outlet “some angles for potential coverage, as well as offering a pre-written feature about his sister ... and her path from acting on Shortland Street to the upper echelons of business”.

The Spinoff reported Los’e had said the piece would be produced by a freelancer and supplied free of charge. “He had a headline in mind: ‘From green room to boardroom’.”

This was the headline that was used on the eventual Herald website piece.

“Los’e’s email raises a number of questions about the Herald’s editorial processes,” wrote The Spinoff’s Hayden Donnell.

“Kahu’s feature on Mary Los’e isn’t flagged as having been provided or commissioned by an outside organisation. Though it acknowledges that the subject’s brother works as an editor at the Herald, it doesn’t mention he had pitched the story to other media while doing PR for the trust.”

Los’e did not wish to comment when approached last week, referring Media Insider to Kirkness. Media Insider has sought comment from Los’e again on Thursday, following news of his resignation.

Last week, an NZME spokeswoman said: “We don’t comment on employment matters.” Today, she said: “We cannot comment on employment matters.”

Massey University associate professor of journalism James Hollings ran through possible scenarios in a response to Media Insider questions last week.

“I am not so concerned that he was promoting his sister’s organisation, and being paid for it, while an editor at the Herald. He is free to moonlight, if the Herald was okay with that,” Hollings said.

“As long as he declared that outside interest to the Herald, it would be up to them to manage that conflict, for example, by getting him to stand down from any editorial decisions that involved that organisation or stories about it.

“But that aside, I think many journalists would consider it morally questionable to be doing PR while also working as a journalist.”

However, if he did not declare that interest, “and used his position to place the feature in the Herald, that appears to be a clear conflict of interest”.

“It effectively deceives the readers of the Herald, by not disclosing that interest. If the Herald knew about his conflict, and agreed to publish the article without disclosure, that is poor judgment, and in my view, they should withdraw it and apologise to their readers for that lapse.

“If the Herald did not know about the conflict of interest, in my view that would be a serious breach of trust by an employee, and the Herald should take remedial action.

“In any case, the Herald should explain what it knew and when, if they wish the public to continue to have faith in their editorial content.”

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.