Media chaplain and broadcaster Rev Frank Ritchie sits down with top New Zealand journalists to unpack that one story that most impacted them, personally and professionally.
After his bride’s death just hours after their wedding, a devastated groom struggles to process his grief. Five years later, he turns to Melissa Chan-Green to tell his heart-wrenching story for the first time.
Content warning: contains discussion of death and loss, and sexual assault.
Watch the video version of the episode here. (https://youtu.be/e0eK9ro5CaE)
A day after their wedding, a mourning groom struggles to process the death of his bride. A few kind words from Melissa Chan-Green brought him comfort, but her offer for him to tell his story was gently turned down.
Five years later, he would get back in touch with Melissa – ready to talk for the first time about the trauma of that day, and to channel his grief into raising awareness of the dangers of meningitis, the disease that claimed his beloved wife’s life.
In this conversation with Rev Frank Ritchie, Melissa reflects on the skill of being a human first and a journalist second, how she handled two young kids and a morning TV show on little sleep, and her career pivot after Newshub’s collapse.
Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details (https://www.rnz.co.nz/podcast/re_covering?share=c49d1e88-3079-452c-8ecf-bcbf20366863)
26 Aug 2025
Jack Tame | Trump's Rise to Power
Standing at Hillary Clinton’s election night ‘victory’ party in 2016, Jack Tame realised the real winner was elsewhere. Donald Trump’s rise to power exposed his blind spots as a reporter and fundamentally changed his journalism.
Watch the video version of the episode here. (https://youtu.be/a460gNcwj8Q)
On election night 2016, Jack Tame joined the throngs of media at Hillary Clinton’s victory party. But as the results filtered through, it quickly became clear they were in the wrong place.
The real party was across town. Underdog Donald Trump had won.
Like many journalists, Jack had overlooked the discontent precipitating Trump's rise to power, and the experience rattled him – drawing attention to his blind spots as a reporter and fundamentally changing the way he covered major stories.
In this conversation with Rev Frank Ritchie, Jack Tame speaks about being 1NEWS’ US correspondent in the Trump era, the radio skills that have helped him excel on TV, and how he landed a chance interview with Sir David Attenborough in Antarctica.
Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details (https://www.rnz.co.nz/podcast/re_covering?share=114a985e-f374-4ede-be29-3a4dc9aea7c1)
19 Aug 2025
Amanda Gillies | An Angel in Te Kuiti
Amanda Gillies was on the way to an interview when she got a call confirming Newshub’s closure. Despite the shock, she continued on – and in the telling of a brave Te Kūiti amputee’s story was reminded what had first drawn her to journalism.
Watch the video version of the episode here.
After a tip-off, Amanda Gillies drove to Te Kūiti to meet Bev McIndoe – a woman who had survived a catastrophic accident that left half her body amputated, and who now faced losing her home after an ACC funding cut.
But just five minutes from her destination, Amanda’s phone rang with news that turned her own world upside-down: Newshub was closing.
In shock, she decided to push on – and in sharing Bev’s story of grit and generosity, found her own perspective shifting and a timely reminder of why she became a journalist in the first place.
In this kōrero with Rev Frank Ritchie, Amanda Gillies opens up about the moment she learned her workplace of 23 years was shutting its doors, reflects on her time fronting The AM Show, and talks about her new role hosting RNZ’s The Detail.
Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details (https://www.rnz.co.nz/podcast/re_covering?share=12f7128a-5f53-4345-af92-88095cfbd280)
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