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New Zealand's government has initiated significant reforms to modernise media regulations and ensure a sustainable industry. A key proposal was the Fair Digital News Bargaining Bill, intended to compel digital platforms such as Google and Facebook to remunerate local media organisations for news content.

The government put the bill officially on hold in December 2024, with the responsible Minister Paul Goldsmith saying it was not ready. The bill was introduced in July and drew parallels to Australia's legislation, which had led to tensions between tech giants and news outlets. Google, for instance, threatened to withdraw news links from its New Zealand services if the bill passed.

In February 2025, the government sought public input on broader reforms, including merging funding agencies NZ On Air and the New Zealand Film Commission, as well as introducing levies on international streaming services such as Netflix and Disney+. Additional proposals involved mandating that smart TVs sold in New Zealand come pre-installed with local media apps, increasing captioning and audio descriptions, as well as modernising regulations.

In January 2025, media company NZME, announced plans to eliminate 14 reporting and 24 production roles as part of a restructuring to merge news desks and focus on specialised content.

Market consolidation has continued, with smaller outlets either being acquired or closing operations. This has raised concerns about diversity, particularly in regional markets where local news coverage has diminished.

Streaming services have further strengthened their position, with international platforms such as Netflix and Disney+ maintaining strong subscriber growth. Local streaming platform TVNZ On Demand has responded by enhancing its content offerings and user experience.