Do the people at the Regional News Network understand they are building a weapon? Do they have any idea how to wield such a weapon? What is the story they are creating? What do they want their readers to do? Are they willing to soak up millions in losses to secure narrative control?

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Nathan Smith is a former business journalist and columnist at the NBR. He also worked as the chief editor at the New Zealand Initiative policy think tank. He is now a freelance writer and copy editor.