Midweek - BSA extends reach, a bad week for Big Tech, breakfast with Tova and an easter chocolate ban

This episode of RNZ's Midweek Media Watch, hosted by Emilie Tait with guest Phil Vine, covers a range of pressing media and political developments. The segment opens with the Broadcasting Standards Authority (BSA) asserting jurisdiction over online content hosted by broadcaster Sean Plunkett, sparking fierce debate over free speech and regulation, with critics including Winston Peters and the Free Speech Union calling the move authoritarian. The discussion then shifts to landmark U.S. court rulings against Meta and Google, where juries found the tech giants liable for harming children through addictive platform design, marking a potential 'big tobacco moment' for Big Tech. Legal experts highlight the significance of injunctive relief, which could force structural changes to product design—such as adding latency to slow user engagement—potentially undermining the core business model of attention-driven platforms. In New Zealand, coverage of these global verdicts is intense, with media outlets drawing parallels to corporate reckoning and the 'vampirism' of digital ad revenue. The spotlight then turns to the war in Lebanon, where Israeli strikes have killed over 1,100 people and claimed the lives of three journalists, raising urgent questions about the protection of media workers in conflict zones and the blurred line between military press and civilian journalists under international law. The episode closes with a lighthearted but insightful look at Tova O'Brien’s debut on TVNZ’s Breakfast Show, where her quirky use of terms like 'iterative' and 'pistor' drew praise and comparisons to Kim Hill for her fearless, unpredictable style. A brief but pointed dig at Donald Trump’s recent comment renaming the Strait of Hormuz the 'Strait of Trump' underscores the growing normalization of outlandish political rhetoric in 2026. Key takeaways include: 1) The BSA’s expanded jurisdiction over digital platforms signals a major shift in media regulation, challenging the boundaries of broadcast law; 2) The U.S. tech verdicts represent a turning point in holding Big Tech accountable for child safety, with injunctive relief offering real structural leverage; 3) Adding latency to social media could be a powerful, subtle tool to reduce addictive engagement; 4) The killing of journalists in Lebanon highlights the urgent need for clearer international protections for war correspondents; 5) Tova O'Brien’s debut exemplifies how authenticity and linguistic playfulness can redefine media presence; 6) The normalization of absurd political statements reflects a broader societal acclimatization to chaos in leadership; 7) The intersection of media, law, and ethics in digital and conflict zones is more complex than ever; 8) Humor and irony remain vital tools for navigating serious global issues.