Winston Peters’ accusations towards the media for accepting a ‘bribe’ of $55 million from the Public Interest Journalism Fund has caused a stir. He insists the NZ media is not independent and has misled the public by pushing narratives aligned with te reo Maori, sparking both outrage and discomfort within media circles. Defending themselves, stations like RNZ and TVNZ, funded from this initiative, claim the investment has supported essential journalism projects. Peters remains unswayed, maintaining his provocative stance.