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Tova O'Brien

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Tova O'Brien
Tova O'Brien looking at her cellphone
O'Brien in 2020
Born1982/1983
Papua New Guinea
NationalityNew Zealander
Occupation(s)Political journalist and broadcaster

Tova O'Brien (born 1982 or 1983)[1] is a New Zealand political journalist and broadcaster.[2][3]

She is a chief political correspondent for Stuff Digital, having previously worked for Newshub and the now-defunct Today FM.

Early life and education

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O’Brien was born in Papua New Guinea. Her mother, a British journalist, and her father, a New Zealand helicopter pilot, had met while working in the country. When O'Brien was six months old, the family moved to New Zealand. Her parents separated when she was three and O'Brien was raised by her mother in Wellington.[1]

After high school, she started a degree at the University of Otago in film and psychology. She did not complete the degree, instead going overseas to work in Melbourne and London in hospitality. In 2006 she decided to train as a journalist and completed a qualification at Massey University. Her first journalism role after graduating was at Radio Active in Wellington.[1]

Career

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O'Brien was a reporter in the parliamentary press gallery in Wellington before joining MediaWorks New Zealand in 2007.

In 2016 she was assigned the role of European correspondent for Newshub, the news division of MediaWorks. In 2018, she returned to Wellington and became Newshub's political editor,[2] succeeding Patrick Gower. Her style of journalism, according to Gower, is "edgy", and she attracts a lot of criticism due to her high profile.[4]

In October 2020, O'Brien's interview with Jami-Lee Ross, co-leader of the Advance New Zealand party, garnered 7 million views. She was internationally praised by journalists for preventing Ross from mentioning conspiracy theories about the COVID-19 pandemic during the interview.[5][6][7]

In November 2021, Mediaworks, O’Brien’s former employer, rehired her to host the breakfast radio show on new talk station Today FM.

She left Discovery and her role at Newshub in January 2022, prior to the launch of Today FM, which launched on 21 March 2022.[8]

O'Brien had appealed against a restraint of trade clause in her Discovery contract, which prevented her from joining Mediaworks for three months. But the Employment Relations Authority rejected her case and ordered O'Brien to pay $2,000 for breaching her employment agreement.[9]

On 30 March 2023, Today FM ceased broadcasting, shortly after O'Brien interrupted the mid-morning Duncan Garner Today show to announce the station's closure, with O'Brien quipping "They have fucked us."[10]

O'Brien and Garner, who had addressed the station's future during the 'Tova' breakfast show, continued to criticise station owners Mediaworks until the show was abruptly taken off air and replaced by automated music.[11] The station's closure was confirmed later that day.

On 19 July 2023, it was announced that O'Brien would be joining New Zealand news publishing firm Stuff Digital as its chief political correspondent.[12]

On 12 August 2023, after an article written by O'Brien about the National Party's election strategy was published, National Party MP Chris Penk made an online comment "Sorry but your poor ratings crashed an entire radio station." Christopher Luxon said the comment was "insensitive and inappropriate" because many people lost their jobs when Today FM closed. Penk apologised for the comment.[13]

Recognition

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In 2019, O'Brien won the award for Political Journalist of the Year at the Voyager Media Awards.[4][14] The citation read:[15]

Courageous, tenacious, O'Brien wielded considerable influence on the 2018 political scene with her scoops, as a good member of the fourth estate should. She leads from the lip and is not put off by those who would have her silenced. A true political muckraker.

Personal life

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O'Brien married Nathan "Nato" Hickey in 2016 in London; they had known each other since 2006 from Wellington.[1] Hickey is a drummer for the Wellington heavy metal band Beastwars.[16]

She announced in August 2024 that she is pregnant with her partner Cam (having separated from husband Nathan “Nato” Hickey). The baby is due summer 2024/25.[17]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "What They Really Talk About in the Press Gallery: Three's Political Reporter Tova O'Brien Spills". Now To Love. 28 March 2020. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  2. ^ a b "Tova O'Brien". www.nzonscreen.com. NZ On Screen. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  3. ^ "Tova O'Brien". Newshub. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  4. ^ a b "'Political muckraker' Tova O'Brien: 'Take a step back before you have a go'". Stuff. 1 May 2020. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
  5. ^ Ainge Roy, Eleanor (19 October 2020). "New Zealand journalist feted for brutal takedown of minor party politician". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  6. ^ Bond, Nick (18 October 2020). "Host destroys losing pollie in 'savage' live TV smackdown". NewsComAu. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
  7. ^ "'Masterclass': Jake Tapper, Piers Morgan, Glenn Greenwald among international journalists applauding Tova O'Brien's Jami-Lee Ross interview". Newshub. 19 October 2020. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
  8. ^ "Radio wars: MediaWorks poaches Tova O'Brien from Newshub to host breakfast show". NZ Herald. 1 October 2021. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
  9. ^ "Tova O'Brien loses restraint of trade ERA case against former workplace Discovery". NZ Herald. 24 January 2022. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
  10. ^ "'People crying and shellshocked': Today FM presenters Duncan Garner, Tova O'Brien say farewell live on air". Stuff. 29 March 2023. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
  11. ^ "Today FM abruptly axed, new station to launch on same frequency in April". Newshub. 29 March 2023. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
  12. ^ "Award-winning journalist and broadcaster Tova O'Brien joins Stuff Digital". Stuff. 18 July 2023. Retrieved 19 July 2023.
  13. ^ "Christopher Luxon addresses National MP Chris Penk's tweet about Tova O'Brien, Today FM going off air". The New Zealand Herald. 12 August 2023.
  14. ^ "Accolades for top journalists at Voyager Media Awards". Voyager Media Awards. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  15. ^ "Reporting winners' and judges' comments". Voyager Media Awards. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
  16. ^ "Reporter Tova O'Brien ties the knot in London". Stuff. 8 September 2016. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  17. ^ "'Hard to imagine being any happier': Tova O'Brien announces pregnancy". Stuff. 13 August 2024.
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