Stuff

Corporate brand

Stuff is a privately owned New Zealand news-media company operating a major digital news platform, newspapers, magazines, community media, social networking and audiovisual news services.

Last updated October 27, 2026

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Overview

Stuff Limited is a privately held New Zealand news-media company and the operator of Stuff, one of the country's largest news websites. Its portfolio includes national, metropolitan, regional and community newspapers; magazines such as TV Guide; the Neighbourly local social network; digital publishing; audio and video production; and commercial media services. Its principal newspaper brands include The Post, The Press, Waikato Times and Sunday Star-Times, alongside a broad group of regional titles. The company is distinct from unrelated businesses using the word “Stuff” in their names. The business originated in the New Zealand newspaper operations of Independent Newspapers Limited. Those publications and the Stuff website were acquired by Australian media group Fairfax Media in 2003. Under Fairfax, the New Zealand operation became a major newspaper and online publisher, while the Stuff website developed into a central digital news destination. Fairfax New Zealand changed its legal name to Stuff Limited on 1 February 2018, reflecting the increasing importance of the Stuff digital brand. Later in 2018, Fairfax Media merged with Australia's Nine Entertainment, placing Stuff under Nine's ownership. Ownership changed again during the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. After unsuccessful attempts to sell the company and a proposed acquisition by NZME, Nine agreed in May 2020 to sell Stuff to its chief executive Sinead Boucher for NZ$1. The transaction completed on 31 May 2020 and returned the business to New Zealand ownership. Boucher subsequently remained a central figure in the company's editorial and commercial direction. In 2023, Laura Maxwell became chief executive while Boucher became executive chair and publisher, and the group appointed separate managing directors for its digital, publishing and commercial divisions. Stuff has faced the structural pressures affecting news publishers internationally: declining print advertising and circulation, the migration of audiences to digital platforms, rising production costs and the need to fund public-interest journalism. It has responded through digital subscriptions, consolidation of regional publishing, video and audio production, and the development of specialist editorial initiatives such as Stuff Circuit. It also created a television news service, ThreeNews, for Warner Bros. Discovery's Three network after the closure of Newshub's news operation in 2024. In December 2024, the company was reorganised into Stuff Digital and Masthead Publishing. Stuff Digital oversees stuff.co.nz, Neighbourly, ThreeNews and audio and video activities, while Masthead Publishing manages newspaper brands and associated websites. In June 2025, Trade Me acquired a 50 percent interest in Stuff Digital and the Stuff property section was rebranded as Trade Me Property. Stuff therefore combines a traditional masthead and newspaper portfolio with a separately structured digital media operation, while continuing to operate primarily in New Zealand.

History

Stuff's roots lie in New Zealand's Independent Newspapers Limited, whose newspaper operations and Stuff website were sold to Fairfax Media in 2003. Fairfax developed the portfolio as a combined print and digital publishing business, with the Stuff website becoming a major online news destination and the newspaper group retaining national, metropolitan, regional and community reach. The company was involved in an important proposed consolidation of New Zealand media. In 2016 Fairfax New Zealand and NZME sought regulatory approval to combine their New Zealand operations. The Commerce Commission rejected the proposal in May 2017, and the High Court and Court of Appeal subsequently upheld the decision. The companies abandoned the merger attempt in October 2018. During this period, Fairfax New Zealand changed its name to Stuff Limited on 1 February 2018. Fairfax Media then merged with Nine Entertainment in July 2018, transferring ownership of Stuff to the Australian group. Nine attempted to sell Stuff in 2019. NZME later proposed buying the company for a symbolic dollar and suggested a Kiwishare structure intended to protect local journalism. Negotiations failed, and an emergency injunction application by NZME was rejected by the Auckland High Court in May 2020. Nine ultimately sold Stuff to chief executive Sinead Boucher for NZ$1, with completion on 31 May 2020. The sale returned the group to New Zealand ownership at a time when the pandemic had intensified pressure on advertising and print media. The group continued to adjust its operating model. It acquired full control of Neighbourly in 2017 after taking a minority stake in 2014, and launched Stuff Circuit in 2019 as a long-form documentary and investigative journalism initiative supported by NZ On Air. Its journalism portfolio expanded into television in 2024, when Stuff agreed to supply ThreeNews, an evening bulletin for Warner Bros. Discovery's Three network after Newshub news was discontinued. Management and organisational changes followed. Laura Maxwell became chief executive in June 2023, while Boucher moved to executive chair and publisher. Separate managing directors were appointed for Stuff Digital, Masthead Publishing and Stuff Brand Connections. Regional newsroom restructuring in 2022 reduced or proposed reducing reporting positions in several newspapers and prompted industrial action. In December 2024, Stuff formally separated its digital and print operations into Stuff Digital and Masthead Publishing. The digital division subsequently attracted a 50 percent investment from Trade Me in June 2025, with the property section moving under the Trade Me Property brand. The company's history therefore reflects the continuing transformation of New Zealand news publishing from a newspaper-centred business into a mixed digital, subscription, broadcast and local-media group.

2025
Trade Me invests in Stuff Digital
[1]Stuff (company)en.wikipedia.org
Trade Me acquired a 50 percent stake in Stuff Digital and took over the property section brand.
2024
ThreeNews launches
[1]Stuff (company)en.wikipedia.org
Stuff began supplying an evening television news bulletin for Three.
2024
Digital and print divisions separated
[1]Stuff (company)en.wikipedia.org
Stuff reorganised into Stuff Digital and Masthead Publishing.
2023
New executive structure
[1]Stuff (company)en.wikipedia.org
Laura Maxwell became chief executive and Sinead Boucher became executive chair and publisher.
2020
Return to New Zealand ownership
[1]Stuff (company)en.wikipedia.org
Sinead Boucher purchased Stuff from Nine Entertainment for NZ$1.
2018
Fairfax New Zealand becomes Stuff Limited
[1]Stuff (company)en.wikipedia.org
The company adopted Stuff Limited as its corporate name.
2017
Full ownership of Neighbourly
[1]Stuff (company)en.wikipedia.org
Stuff took full ownership of Neighbourly.
2014
Initial investment in Neighbourly
[1]Stuff (company)en.wikipedia.org
Stuff acquired a minority stake in the hyperlocal social network Neighbourly.
2003
Fairfax acquires the New Zealand newspaper operations
[1]Stuff (company)en.wikipedia.org
Fairfax Media acquired the relevant newspaper publications and Stuff website from Independent Newspapers Limited.

Products and positioning

A New Zealand-owned, multi-platform news and media group combining national digital journalism with metropolitan, regional and community publishing.

Digital news platform
Stuff.co.nz
Stuff.co.nz is the group's principal digital news platform, publishing national, political, business, sports, entertainment and regional journalism. It also serves as a distribution point for video, audio and newspaper content.
Daily newspaper and digital publication
The Post
The Post is Stuff's Wellington-based metropolitan newspaper and digital masthead. It was rebranded from The Dominion Post in 2023 and forms part of the company's subscription newspaper offering.
Daily newspaper and digital publication
The Press
The Press is a major Christchurch and South Island newspaper brand with a corresponding subscription website. It is one of Stuff's principal metropolitan mastheads.
Daily newspaper and digital publication
Waikato Times
The Waikato Times is a regional daily newspaper and digital publication included in Stuff's paid subscription newspaper package.
Local social network · 2014
Neighbourly
Neighbourly is a hyperlocal social-media network connecting residents, organisations and communities. It is part of Stuff Digital.
Documentary journalism · 2019
Stuff Circuit
Stuff Circuit is a long-form journalism and documentary initiative launched with NZ On Air funding. Its subjects have included abortion-law reform, Afghanistan, conspiracy theories, alleged links to human-rights abuses in Xinjiang, foetal alcohol spectrum disorder and vaccine disinformation.
Television news · 2024
ThreeNews
ThreeNews is Stuff's evening television news bulletin produced for Warner Bros. Discovery's Three network. It was created after the closure of Newshub's news service.
Magazine
TV Guide
TV Guide is a longstanding Stuff magazine and one of the group's best-known consumer magazine brands.

Controversies

2026
Stuff files High Court injunction over Neighbourly data breach
Stuff Group applied for an urgent injunction in the High Court at Auckland against unknown defendants to prohibit storing, publishing, sharing or using stolen Neighbourly user data that appeared for sale on a dark web cybercrime marketplace after a breach detected on New Year's Day.
Source 1 Source 2
2020
Stuff apologises for its coverage of Māori
Stuff publicly apologised for its historical portrayal and coverage of Māori, describing its coverage as ranging from racist to blinkered. It said it would continue consultation and engagement and work to repair its relationship with Māori.
Source

2019Stuff Circuit
New Zealand
Stuff launched a funded long-form documentary journalism programme covering contested public issues and investigative subjects.
Outcome. The programme became a recurring digital video and documentary strand.
Source
2016Kaikōura earthquake newspaper delivery
New Zealand
After the Kaikōura earthquake cut the town off by road, Fairfax New Zealand flew free copies of its newspapers to residents.
Outcome. The initiative maintained access to local and national news during the transport disruption.
Source

Brand decisions

2025
Trade Me investment in Stuff DigitalM&A
Background
Stuff sought a separate structure for its digital assets and explored collaboration with online marketplace Trade Me.
Action taken
Trade Me acquired a 50 percent stake in Stuff Digital and the property section was rebranded as Trade Me Property.
Aftermath
Stuff Digital became a jointly owned digital media operation while Masthead Publishing remained the print-focused division.
Source
2024
ThreeNews television bulletinProduct launch
Background
Warner Bros. Discovery needed a replacement evening news service after Newshub's closure.
Action taken
Stuff agreed to produce weekday and weekend evening bulletins and recruited former Newshub journalists.
Aftermath
ThreeNews became part of Stuff Digital's audiovisual portfolio.
Source
2022
Regional newsroom restructuringStrategy
Background
Stuff proposed reducing newsroom staffing at several regional newspapers and removing some regional news director roles.
Action taken
The company created a central regional news structure while proceeding with staffing changes despite employee opposition.
Aftermath
E tū-affiliated journalists organised strikes, and concerns were raised about workload and local coverage.
Source
2020
Sale to Sinead BoucherM&A
Background
Nine Entertainment had been unable to secure an acceptable commercial sale while the pandemic threatened employment and journalism operations.
Action taken
Nine sold Stuff to chief executive Sinead Boucher for NZ$1.
Aftermath
Stuff returned to New Zealand ownership on 31 May 2020.
Purchase price. NZ$1 (2020)
Source
2016
Proposed merger with NZMEM&A
Background
Fairfax New Zealand and NZME sought to combine their New Zealand media operations amid pressure on traditional media economics.
Action taken
The parties sought Commerce Commission clearance and later appealed the rejection through the courts.
Aftermath
The merger was rejected by the regulator and courts, and the companies abandoned the attempt in 2018.
Source

Recent events

2025
Trade Me buys half of Stuff Digital[1]Stuff (company)en.wikipedia.org
M&A
Trade Me acquired a 50 percent stake in Stuff Digital and the Stuff property section became Trade Me Property.
2025
Stuff employees vote to strike over collective agreements[1]Stuff (company)en.wikipedia.org
Other
Unionised employees voted to strike in opposition to plans to divide collective bargaining arrangements between digital and print divisions.
2024
Stuff announces ThreeNews partnership[1]Stuff (company)en.wikipedia.org
Product launch
Stuff agreed to provide an evening news bulletin for Warner Bros. Discovery's Three network following the end of Newshub news.
2024
Stuff Digital and Masthead Publishing divisions announced[1]Stuff (company)en.wikipedia.org
Leadership change
The group separated its digital activities from its newspaper and masthead publishing operations.
2020
Stuff sold to Sinead Boucher for NZ$1[1]Stuff (company)en.wikipedia.org
M&A · Leadership change
Nine Entertainment sold the New Zealand media group to its chief executive, restoring local ownership.
2018
Fairfax New Zealand changes name to Stuff Limited[1]Stuff (company)en.wikipedia.org
Other
The New Zealand Fairfax operation adopted the Stuff name as its corporate identity.
2017
NZME acquisition proposal for Stuff is rejected[1]Stuff (company)en.wikipedia.org
M&A · Regulation
New Zealand's Commerce Commission declined the proposed Fairfax New Zealand and NZME merger; subsequent court appeals were unsuccessful.

Sources14 sources

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