Carol Hirschfeld

Carol Ann Hirschfeld (born 1962) is a New Zealand journalist, documentary maker, broadcaster, producer and media executive. She is best known for her role as a TV3 News presenter alongside John Campbell from 1998 until 2005. As a broadcast media executive she has been a powerful advocate for improving the coverage of Māori issues, and of increasing the diversity of voices within the media. “I think the biggest challenge is to have that Māori voice in mainstream media organisations. And one of my concerns has been how to integrate an informed Māori viewpoint into the fabric of our news.”

Early life Hirschfeld is Ngāti Porou, and lost her mother Ngawiki when she was ten. Her father was an Australian immigrant of German ancestry. She started her career after going to the ATI journalism school, at what is now AUT University, in Auckland.

Career After graduating with a diploma in journalism, Hirschfeld was hired by Radio New Zealand and sent to work at Lakeland FM in Taupo in 1984. Following this she worked as a sub-editor, first with the Auckland Star newspaper, then with TVNZ

In 2014, Hirschfeld resigned from Māori Television after a proposed restructuring of the broadcasting service. She later became Radio New Zealand's head of content, responsible for news, drama, music, spoken features and the broadcaster's international service, Radio New Zealand International. On 27 March 2018, she resigned after questions were raised in parliament over whether a meeting she'd had with Broadcasting Minister Clare Curran had been official or otherwise. Radio New Zealand was subsequently required to correct its record of the meeting at a Parliamentary Select Committee.

In June 2018 Hirschfeld was appointed Head of Video/Audio & Content Partnerships at news website Stuff.

In January 2022 she announced she would be leaving Stuff to take on a role as executive producer on Mediaworks' Tova O'Brien radio show, Today FM. Today FM was taken off air in March 2023 and in September 2023 it was announced that Hirschfeld would take up the position of executive producer of TVNZ's Breakfast programme.

In October 2023 Hirschfeld was the Executive Producer for TVNZ’s 2023 Election Debates and Election Night coverage.

Private life Hirschfeld is married to Finlay Macdonald, a former editor of the New Zealand Listener and book publisher. The couple live in Auckland, and have two children.

Awards

Best News or Current Affairs Programme (shared with Mark Champion): Assignment, TV Guide New Zealand Film and Television Awards, 1996 Best presenter, 3 News, NZ Television Awards, 2002 Distinguished Alumni Award, University of Auckland, 2017

Charitable work Hirschfeld has been active in a number of charities and trusts: Teach First NZ, the Hone Tuwhare Charitable Trust, New Zealand LAM Charitable Trust and Breast Cancer Cure.