Media Council partially upholds complaint from Mr Barry Bruce

The New Zealand Media Council has upheld a complaint against Crux News over an article published during the 2025 local body election campaign, finding it breached Principle (4) Comment and Fact. The ruling, highlights concerns about blurred lines between opinion and fact reporting.

The article, headlined Wanaka’s Councillor Barry Bruce launches attack on John Glover, was published on October 5 and labelled “Analysis.” It claimed Councillor Barry Bruce attempted to undermine mayoral candidate John Glover by alleging Mr Glover received council funds to run a charitable trust. The piece also described Mr Bruce as “invisible and silent” at council meetings and accused him of sending “insulting” emails.

Mr Bruce argued the article was inaccurate, unfair, and lacked balance, portraying him as derisory without offering him a right of reply. He said the tone was mocking and subjective and complained that an advertisement for Mr Glover appeared above the article, raising concerns about perceived bias during an election period. Justin Wright lodged a similar complaint, stating the article presented personal opinions and insinuations as fact, with no evidence or quotations to support claims about Mr Bruce’s emails or motives.

Crux News defended its coverage, saying the article was clearly labelled as analysis and based on the editor’s observations and comments from another councillor. It denied any control over ad placement, which it said was managed remotely by an external agency.

The Media Council found the article failed to clearly distinguish between fact and opinion. While labelled “Analysis,” it did not provide rigorous examination or supporting evidence for its assertions. “Using a label such as ‘analysis’ does not give a licence to publish an article that says anything the writer likes,” the Council stated, noting that the piece fell “well short of the highest professional standards.”

The Council did not uphold complaints under Principle (1) Accuracy, Fairness and Balance or Principle (10) Conflicts of Interest. It also rejected calls for censure, saying the article did not meet the threshold for such action despite its shortcomings.

The ruling underscores the need for clear labelling and factual foundations in opinion or analysis pieces, particularly during election campaigns.

The full Media Council ruling can be found Media Council - Barry Bruce and Justin Wright against Crux News