RNZ News Analysis Framework
Arohaehae Kōrero Pāpāho • Critically Analysing News Media
📻 Why RNZ?
Radio New Zealand (RNZ) is Aotearoa's public broadcaster—funded by the government but editorially independent. This means:
- ✅ No advertising revenue influencing content
- ✅ Charter commitment to accuracy and balance
- ✅ Coverage of Māori and Pacific perspectives
- ✅ In-depth journalism on complex issues
However, even reliable sources require critical analysis. This framework helps you read any news critically—not just RNZ.
📋 Step 1: Identify the Article Type
Different types of articles have different purposes:
📰 News Report
Factual account of events
Should be balanced, factual, use quotes from multiple sources
💭 Opinion/Editorial
Writer's personal view
Clearly labelled; presents an argument or stance
📝 Feature/Long Read
In-depth exploration
More storytelling; background and context
🔍 Analysis
Expert interpretation
Explains why something matters; adds expert perspective
💡 Tip: Check the Label
RNZ often labels articles with tags like "Opinion", "Analysis", or includes "COMMENT" in headlines. If there's no label, it's probably a news report and should be more balanced.
❓ Step 2: Apply the 5Ws + H
Good journalism answers these questions. Check if the article addresses each:
WHO?
Who is involved? Who is quoted? Who might be affected?
WHAT?
What happened? What are the key facts?
WHEN?
When did this happen? Is it current?
WHERE?
Where did this take place? Local or national?
WHY?
Why did this happen? What caused it?
HOW?
How did this happen? How does it affect people?
🗣️ Step 3: Analyse the Sources
Who is quoted in the article? Good journalism includes diverse voices:
Questions to ask:
- Are multiple perspectives represented?
- Who might benefit from this story being told this way?
- Whose voice is loudest? Whose is missing?
- Are Māori perspectives included when relevant?
📝 Step 4: Examine the Language
Words carry weight. Analyse how language shapes the story:
Headline Analysis
Neutral: "Government announces new policy"
Loaded: "Government slammed over controversial policy"
Word Choice Spectrum
Examples: "protester" vs "activist" vs "advocate" | "claims" vs "says" vs "reveals"
🔍 Look For:
- Emotive language: Words designed to create strong feelings
- Passive voice: "Mistakes were made" (hides who did it)
- Qualifying words: "allegedly", "reportedly", "sources say"
- Statistics: Are they contextualised? What's the source?
📄 News Article Analysis Worksheet
Article Title:
URL/Source:
Date Published:
Article Type:
Summary (2-3 sentences)
Sources Quoted
List each person/organisation quoted and their role:
Perspectives Included
Language Analysis
Find 3 examples of language choices and explain their effect:
What's Missing?
What questions remain unanswered? What perspectives are not included?
My Assessment
Overall, I think this article is:
Because:
🔄 Extension: Compare Multiple Sources
For the same story, how do different outlets cover it?
Source 1: RNZ
Headline:
Key angle:
Source 2: __________
Headline:
Key angle:
Differences I noticed:
Why might they differ?
📚 Kupu Māori — Media Vocabulary
| Pāpāho | Media, broadcast |
| Rīpoata | Report |
| Whakaaro | Opinion, thought |
| Pono | Truth, honest |
| Tika | Correct, accurate |
| Arohaehae | Critical analysis |
👩🏫 Teacher Notes
Curriculum Links: NZC Level 4 English (Critical Literacy), Social Studies (Media & Society)
Suggested Activities:
- Compare coverage of the same event across RNZ, Stuff, NZ Herald
- Analyse RNZ's "The Detail" podcast episodes
- Track a developing story over multiple days
- Compare English-language coverage with Te Ao Māori News or Waatea News
Discussion Points:
- What does it mean for a broadcaster to be "publicly funded but editorially independent"?
- How does advertising revenue affect commercial media?
- Why is diversity in media voices important for democracy?