Newshub fronts for 6pm bulletin on the back of ‘bombshell’ day

Wednesday, 28 February 2024

Newshub is set to close at the end of June

Newshub Anchors Mike McRoberts and Samantha Hayes fronted up for 6pm bulletin following the news that they will be shut down in June.
Staff members were alerted to a private meeting via email 48 minutes before the “bombshell“.
Head of Asia Pacific for Warner Brothers James Gibbons told Newshub it was a “loss making operation”.

Mike McRoberts and Samantha Hayes put on a brave face as they led their 6pm bulletin with the closure of their own place of work.

'Going, going but not quite gone… The future is looking bleak for Newshub,' McRoberts said to open the programme.

Mike McRoberts and Samantha Hayes put on a brave face as they led their 6pm bulletin on Wednesday.

'After providing daily news for almost 35 years Three looks set to lose Newshub live at 6 and all its associated news programmes, including its online news platform.'

Hayes said they were “all feeling it” and Newshub's closure was 'not the story we thought we'd be covering today.'

Newshub's bulletin said that staff were emailed 48 minutes before they were informed of the proposed closure on Wednesday morning.

A clip of the staff meeting was shown, featuring Glen Kyne, the boss of Warner Bros Discovery’s New Zealand arm, speaking to staff.

'This is a terrible announcement, there is no sugar coating it and I wish I could be standing up here with better news,' Kyne could be heard saying in a tearful voice.

Kyne told Newshub he was made aware of the proposal in late January and was open to feedback on the closure and would listen to proposals to keep the newsroom operating.

Mike McRoberts comforts Ryan Bridge following the news that Newshub is closing.

McRoberts described the meeting on Wednesday as “a bombshell”.

“We’re TV3, we’ve had cuts and we’ve survived cuts in the past, but to lose the whole news operation and entity so entwined in the fabric of our society here in Aotearoa, It’s absolutely heart breaking.”

Head of Asia Pacific for Warner Brothers James Gibbons told Newshub it was a “loss making operation”.

“We couldn’t see how that was going to turn around therefore we proposed this option to be considered.”

Gibbons said 75% of staff are impacted which is about 300 people.

Morrah told Hayes that the news of the closure was reverberating across the media landscape and “will change the entire landscape of journalism in the country”.

Former weather presenter for TVNZ Jim Hickey contacted the Newshub team to share he was devastated that “one of the most accurate and non-partisan news bulletins is facing the chop”.

Wrapping up the evening bulletin, Hayes said “that's Newshub live at 6 for today,' before McRoberts added 'and every other day for the next couple of months so keep tuning in, we really appreciate your support.”