Journalist Bernard Hickey joins host Duncan Greive for a wide-ranging chat about the challenges faced by New Zealand media and why he’s launched a new subscription-only daily email.

Working at the intersection of politics and economics, Bernard Hickey is one of the most interesting and unique journalists in New Zealand today. As you’ll hear in this episode, he possesses a rare ability to make even the most mysterious or boring-sounding topics within these areas feel urgent, exciting and accessible.

His latest venture in a long career (he’s a former managing editor Interest.co.nz, has held senior roles in the Fairfax/Stuff Business team and was one of the founders of Newsroom, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg) is The Kākā, a daily email which allows him to respond to unfolding stories in close to real time.

To talk about why he’s decided to launch a newsletter, as well as get stuck into government policy on media, the wage subsidy, Stuff’s recent acquisition and more, he joined Duncan Greive in the studio for a no-holds-barred, boots’n’all episode of The Fold.

Listen here, or download this episode (right click and save). Subscribe via Apple Podcasts, RSS or via your favourite podcast provider.