[Temps]

Ok...

So, I'm university educated, enjoy literature and film, I'm vegetarian and politically liberal.

In short: In the UK - I read the Guardian.

NZ Newspapers - what's the equivalent?

What are the major papers and where do they sit on the political spectrum?

[neilw71]

Just remember that NZ is a SMALL country! Your choices diminish very quickly when you arrive here :)

One paper per major region with an additional rag on Sunday in Auckland.

Strong political leanings are not realistic when there is only one paper, although from the odd time I do read it at work, the Herald does seem to lean towards National.

To be honest - I would bookmark the Guardian website and read that over your morning coffee :)

Neil

[DMcG]

Nearly every major newspaper has an online version these days and I occassionally catch up on UK news via either BBC news or the main Scottish paper - The Scotsman.

In NZ, I don't think there's anything to compare with the Guardian: The New Zealand Herald is heavily Auckland centric, while the Dominion Post is wellington centric - and I'm not sure what's around in the South Island.

Dougie

[Carol]

To be honest - I would bookmark the Guardian website and read that over your morning coffee :)

Neil

Definitely!

[James 1077]

I've done the same with the Torygraph website and I'm pretty sure the Guardian's website is one of the better ones as well (although don't tell anyone that I've had occasion to look at it or I'll never live it down! :) ).

There isn't really a national Newspaper in New Zealand as different papers are printed in different areas. I imagine that these reflect, to some extent, the political persuasion of the local area but not to the same extent as the UK as they can't afford to alienate readers. You won't, therefore, get papers like the Grauniad or Torygraph as there aren't the levels of readership to make a left wing or right wing paper viable.

[dharder]

You won't, therefore, get papers like the Grauniad or Torygraph as there aren't the levels of readership to make a left wing or right wing paper viable.

You have a very different perception of the NZ Herald than I have... :)

But yes, online is the way to go. One of my most depressing moments I had here in NZ was picking up friends from the airport on a Sunday (Auckland INTERNATIONAL Airport), and I thought I'd pop in to get some newspapers. They had two: NZ Herald on Sunday, and some Racing Post rag. I almost broke down in tears right then and there.

Daniela

[James 1077]

You have a very different perception of the NZ Herald than I have... :)


Lol - I find that the NZ Herald is reasonably balanced which probably means that it is a little right wing (something like the Independent which is meant to be neutral is very left wing to me!). There are, however, some pieces (like one of today's opinion pieces) that could come straight out of the Guardian!

That's not to say that I'm a viciously right wing person though - oddly enough all of the "fun" tests that I've done put me in the centre but probably due to my libertarian views on personal rights and responsibilities (if it isn't hurting anyone other than you then it isn't any of my or anyone else's business) offsetting my views on the role of government (the name consists of "govern" and not "do" - so governments should provide a legal framework setting out the governence and let everyone else get on with actually doing stuff)!

[benandclare]

We've The Press down here

http://www.stuff.co.nz/thepress/0a6530.html?source=nav

[Sam B]

Oh Temps, prepare to feel a bit bereft. There is NO choice of paper. There is just one per area, and they are NOTHING like the Guardian ...... sob!

fellow (ex) Guardian reader

[bartons]

You can get the International Guardian once a week (expensive though...). Otherwise: bookmark.

Another two bereft Guardianistas

[chocolate cake]

Also a guardian reader here too, well w/ends anyway with the observer as there was usually enough reading material to last well into the week. I've not been greatly impressed by the NZ Herald, especially the sports coverage which is basically loads of pages of Rugby plus a page of other sports which includes results, I tend to read the Waikato Times and Sunday Star Times.
Other than that it's the web, still find myself logging onto the excellent beeb site and guardain too.