GroupM NZ launches ‘Back to News’ programme to support responsible journalism

GroupM New Zealand is introducing ‘Back to News,’ an industry-first programme aimed at enabling brands to support quality journalism by reallocating media budgets to credible news publishers.

The programme provides New Zealand advertisers with access to high-quality, brand-safe ad environments on vetted local, national, and international news sites.

GroupM is working with Internews, the world’s largest media support non-profit, as part of a global partnership announced in February. In New Zealand, GroupM and Internews are launching with a list of 25 metro and regional news sites on board that have been vetted. These include Stuff, NZME, Business Desk, Newshub and 1News, and will continue to expand. 

The initiative was launched with a panel event with New Zealand journalists; Newshub’s multi-award-winning Investigative Reporter Michael Morrah, NZ Herald Editor-at-Large Shayne Currie, and Nadia Tolich, Managing Director of Stuff Digital, to showcase the importance of strong, local journalism in New Zealand.

Back to News is the latest initiative that sits under GroupM’s Responsible Investment Framework designed to drive results for clients and demonstrate the power of media to positively impact society. 

New Zealand has been called a nation of news junkies, with 82 percent of Kiwi’s accessing news at least once a week (Nielsen 2023).

Investing in news delivers results for brands: ads seen on high quality news sites are perceived as 74 percent more likeable and receive 20 percent higher engagement than the same ads on lower quality sites (IAS). 

Back to News is backed by global research from the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) that shows that advertising in news environments has a positive or neutral impact on 84 percent of consumers. News advertisers benefit from purchase consideration among 43 percent of consumers, while 39 percent agree they are comfortable recommending brands that advertise in news environments.

John Halpin, GroupM New Zealand CEO, says: “News Media plays an important role in democracy and the economy but there has been a drop in ad investment in news in recent years and the newsroom has borne the brunt of the erosion on advertising revenue. We as buyers and advertisers have a role to play to ensure that advertising investment supports a credible news media ecosystem here in New Zealand. Advertising allows publishers to invest in journalists, which leads to responsible and reliable information that consumers can trust. This then attracts audiences and provides a quality environment for advertisers. We hope that Back to News will facilitate advertisers investing more media dollars in news.” 

Back to News is underpinned by Internews’ Ads for News initiative, which was founded in collaboration with the World Economic Forum, and the World Association of News Publishers (WAN-IFRA). Ads for News helps brands and agencies reach engaged news audiences on more than 12,000 trusted local news websites from more than 50 countries. 

The news sites vetted by Ads for News, using extensive criteria developed by a multi-stakeholder industry coalition, can be accessed directly through a local market inclusion list, private marketplaces (PMPs) or a package of inventory against a biddable price.

Melissa Hey, GroupM Australia & New Zealand Chief Investment Officer, adds: “We’ve all seen as consumers and as an industry the damage that can be done to society when mis-information spreads. The War in Ukraine, local and global election cycles and the pandemic have all shown the importance of supporting credible, fact-based journalism. Supporting responsible journalism is one of the key pillars of GroupM’s Responsible Investment Framework which governs our approach to Investment. Through it we are continually working to ensure that our clients advertising dollars are invested effectively and responsibly.”

Chris Hajecki, Director, Internews’ Ads for News adds: “Responsible journalism is an essential part of society, and the business of brands. In New Zealand, the work of GroupM and Ads for News has created a diverse inclusion list of trusted news websites, reaching audiences in communities across the country. Now, it is up to progressive brands to take the lead by more sustainably investing media budgets in responsible journalism— ensuring their customers have access to fact-based news to make informed decisions about their lives.”

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