RCR Media, the registered third-party promoter behind
Vote Smart 2026, says recent reporting by major news outlets
has repeatedly confused separate election campaigns, their
organisers and their legal obligations.
RCR co-founder
Claire Deeks says the coverage has raised serious concerns
about journalistic accuracy, fairness and balance.
“We
welcome scrutiny of election advertising. But that scrutiny
must be accurate, particularly when allegations of electoral
non-compliance are involved.
“Across recent reports,
we’ve seen headlines, images and the sequencing of
information create misleading associations between separate
campaigns. In one instance, an earlier RCR advertisement was
prominently displayed alongside reporting about political
party authorisations obtained for an entirely different
advertisement.
“Our campaign and advertising have
featured prominently in this reporting, yet we have not been
approached for comment before publication.”
Separate
campaigns, separate responsibilities
Deeks says
confusion surrounding Mr Harry Mowbray’s Split Your Vote
initiative has made clarification necessary.
“Vote
Smart 2026 was conceived, developed and is managed
independently by RCR Media. Mr Mowbray has made a
contribution to our campaign for which we are grateful as we
have been for the many other contributions of the same scale
or greater. Mr Mowbray has not been involved in our
campaign’s strategy, advertising, creative development,
management or political party authorisations. Questions
surrounding one campaign’s compliance should not be
incorrectly attributed to another.”
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RCR Media has
been registered as a third-party promoter and obtained
written authorisations from ACT and New Zealand First for
its Don Brash advertorial.
“We’ve taken our legal
obligations seriously from the outset. We’ve also invested
considerable time and resources into ensuring our
advertising complies with the rules.
“We should not
have to defend our campaign against misleading impressions
created by reporting about another organisation’s
activities.”
A substantial nationwide
effort
We have printed more than one million flyers
for distribution nationwide, alongside dozens of billboard
sites, full-page newspaper advertisements, digital campaigns
and educational resources.
A nationwide network of
volunteers has supported the flyer delivery effort, drawing
on the established community infrastructure of RCR and
Voices For Freedom.
“We’ve spent years building
relationships and community networks across New Zealand, and
those networks have been invaluable in supporting this
campaign. We’re incredibly proud of the people who’ve
volunteered evenings, weekends and countless hours to make
it happen.” says Deeks.
RCR Media intends to lodge a
formal complaint concerning the 1News coverage and is
raising concerns about reporting by other
outlets.
“Media organisations rightly expect
transparency and accountability from those involved in
election campaigns. We expect the same commitment to
accuracy and fairness in return.
“With advance voting
underway, these distinctions matter. New Zealanders deserve
reporting that informs them accurately, not reporting that
leaves them with the wrong impression.”
About RCR
Media: RCR Media operates Reality Check Radio and is a
registered third-party promoter for the 2026 general
election. Its independently managed Vote Smart 2026 campaign
provides information and commentary on MMP, strategic voting
and the potential electoral consequences of different voting
choices.
