She said she had a conversation with a person – the name is redacted – “and gone through where I think the story was lacking in balance”.
Collins’ report focused on gang member numbers in New Zealand, and how they now outnumbered police officers.
While the story was accurate, it raised the ire of Mitchell and other Government ministers because Collins had not referenced new data, released that day, showing a big drop in violent crime.
The story led to discussions at the highest levels, with the PM’s office unhappy, and TVNZ chair Andrew Barclay raising it, in passing, during a phone call with Media and Communications Minister Paul Goldsmith.
Mitchell’s Facebook post described the reporting as “unbalanced” and “absolutely unbelievable”.
TVNZ has released a series of internal and external email correspondence following “multiple” Official Information Act requests, including from Wellington’s Post, which reported on the documents today.
The documents include the email from Sherman to O’Sullivan.
“I have just gotten off the phone with Minister Mitchell and offered an apology as political editor of the office, outlining to him where I think the coverage could have been improved,” Sherman told O’Sullivan.
“He thanked me for the phone call and appreciated the genuine acknowledgement of the concerns raised. I told him that maintaining trust and integrity is important to us and is a priority for our newsroom.”
TVNZ broadcast a follow-up story five days later in which it outlined the drop in crime.
Collins himself defended his reporting in an email to O’Sullivan.
“Our focus with the track was to break an exclusive law and order story showing gang members now outnumber cops, something Luxon had promised wouldn’t happen under his watch – this is important to highlight,” he wrote.
“There was no deliberate lack of balance.”
Other parts of Collins’ email have been redacted by TVNZ.
TVNZ chief executive Jodi O’Donnell was overseas when the story was broadcast. As the company’s editor-in-chief, she said she raised the matter with the newsroom when she returned the following Monday.
“They were already doing a review and they came to the conclusion that whilst the story itself was accurate and factual, there was some facts that were missing,” O’Donnell told the Herald on March 5.
“And so balance wasn’t achieved.”
On the same day that she spoke to the Herald, O’Donnell wrote an email to staff, according to the documents released under the OIA
“As you will be aware, Minister Goldsmith said he spoke with our Chair, and the story was brought up in passing. I was not party to that conversation.
“I want to be clear: that call did not influence our editorial decision-making and at no time did I feel any pressure from directors to raise the story with newsroom leadership,” O’Donnell wrote in her email.
“I understand why the sequence of events here has created a perception and has put TVNZ under scrutiny. I don’t take that lightly, and it’s a frustrating position for the newsroom to be in.”
READ TODAY’S FULL MEDIA INSIDER COLUMN HERE
PM office concerns
Earlier, the Prime Minister’s chief press secretary emailed O’Sullivan, concerned about the “lack of balance” in Collins’ story.
This was particularly concerning “as we head into an election campaign”.
“The data Benedict had is newsworthy but to omit brand new data announced yesterday … looks like a deliberate lack of balance,” wrote Luxon’s chief press secretary Finn Stichbury.
He sought an answer from O’Sullivan on how TVNZ would ensure its political coverage was balanced heading into the November election.
Another email reveals 1News’ “newsgathering editor” also felt the story was unbalanced.
“Lots of thoughts. I think this item did lack balance,” the editor wrote. Their name and the rest of the email have been redacted.
In another set of emails a staff member asks Sherman if they can raise the matter with another person. The unnamed person states: “…useful lessons in here, particularly the need for all on a story to check for balance and call out the lack if they see it”.
Sherman responds: “Yes that’s fine. Good reminder for us all and better now than closer to election”.
READ TODAY’S FULL MEDIA INSIDER COLUMN HERE
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.