The article reported on the findings of a DebtManagers survey.
The article reported on the findings of a DebtManagers survey.
The New Zealand Media Council has upheld a complaint against the New Zealand Herald over inaccuracies and a misleading headline in a story published during Debt Awareness Week.
The article, published on March 23, 2026, reported on a DebtManagers survey about New Zealanders’ attitudes to debt. Its original headline said“four in five New Zealanders are ashamed to admit they are struggling”. But the article itself cited different figures: 60% of respondents had experienced debt struggles, and 67% said there was significant shame around debt.
Martin Ryder said the headline was not supported by the data because it suggested that 80% of New Zealanders were personally ashamed of their own debt, which the survey did not show. He also criticised the NZ Herald for not responding promptly to his concerns.
After the complaint was raised, the NZ Herald amended both the headline and the article. The revised version said four in five respondents believed people feel embarrassed to admit financial struggles and added survey data showing 86% agreed.
The Media Council found that the original headline breached standards of accuracy and fair representation. It said the wording created a stronger and different impression than the survey supported, misrepresenting respondents’ views, indicating that 80% of New Zealanders were struggling with debt. The council also noted that the article’s opening sentence repeated the unsupported claim, reinforcing the inaccuracy.
Although the corrected version brought the headline and article into line with the survey findings, the council ruled that the original publication breached principles on accuracy and headline integrity.
The Media Council also criticised the NZ Herald’s handling of the correction. Ryder complained within days of publication, but the article was not corrected for nearly a month. Although the NZ Herald blamed staff absence, the council said media organisations must have systems to deal with complaints promptly.
Further, the council also found the correction lacked sufficient prominence. A brief note saying the story had been updated did not adequately explain the error or how it had been corrected.
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