Journalism, Opinions and Columns

I’ve been doing professional journalism work since 2011, although it was 2014 before I picked my a Graduate Diploma in Journalism Studies from Massey University, where I once received a pretty darn cool certificate for outstanding work in my Investigative Journalism paper.

Journalism, news, articles, communications and PR 2020-2024

• NZ Herald – film news
• Communications – film news
• Travel journalism 
• Journalism examples
  • https://kiwiwords.co.nz/2021/04/12/news-written-by-kiwiwords-use-it-before-you-lose-it/
  • https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/pride-of-nz-scooter-rides-for-cancer-cash/3JYWI2KYLASIARDGX3LGDDHQRQ/
  • https://www.pressreader.com/search?query=%22Michael%20Botur%22&orderBy=Date&hideSimilar=0&type=2&state=1&searchFor=Articles

  Long form / larger articles

  NZ Listener 

  NZ Listener 

  Vice https://www.vice.com/en/article/v7dng4/deportations-australia-new-zealand-501

  NZ Listener

  https://www.discountmags.ca/magazine/new-zealand-listener-february-5-2022-digital/in-this-issue/103568

  Listener / NZ Herald https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/fighting-for-the-501s-why-filipa-payne-is-on-a-crusade-for-the-heartbroken-hard-men-deported-from-australia/SQKUKTEMLB7WGLH3UXDD2PB36M/

  NZME

  https://www.nzherald.co.nz/northern-advocate/news/the-shame-of-child-poverty-in-nz/NWX57REAZSSKX6Z6JEFYVBBRQM/

  Creating conferences through research, phone interviews and writing advertising

  • The Maori Legal, Business and Governance Forum
  • The (inaugural) Delivering Disability Services Conference

  General portfolio of communications written for a range of clients

  https://kiwiwords.co.nz/projects-portfolio-2/

  Examples of media releases written for clients

  https://search.scoop.co.nz/search?q=Kiwiwords&sort_by=date

  Examples of tech stories I’ve written for businesses:

  NZ Entrepreneur magazine:

  This particular story was very challenging! Hard to learn to speak the language of the Kry10 founder, understand his product and communicate it to audiences – but we got there in the end. 

  Operating systems and software https://nzentrepreneur.co.nz/kry10-is-building-a-new-computer-operating-system-to-power-the-internet-of-things/

   Artificial intelligence https://nzentrepreneur.co.nz/arcanum-tech-team-convincing-kiwis-artificial-intelligence-is-essential/

   Drones https://nzentrepreneur.co.nz/cancer-drives-altitude-conservation-founder-to-persist-with-wildlife-tracking-tech/

  Surveying with tech tools https://nzentrepreneur.co.nz/vizlinks-maps-and-plans-minimising-farm-mistakes/

  The lithium ion battery industry https://nzentrepreneur.co.nz/lithium-ion-battery-boom-big-opportunity-for-carbonscape/

  Robotic horticulture https://nzentrepreneur.co.nz/why-smart-machine-is-building-robotic-vineyard-vehicles/

  EdTech kits https://nzentrepreneur.co.nz/ed-tech-startup-to-make-steam-more-accessible-in-classrooms/

  Crytocurrency

  https://nzentrepreneur.co.nz/ruby-play-network-making-cryptocurrency-and-computer-games-from-the-remote-west-coast/

  Robotics

  https://nzentrepreneur.co.nz/wisp-aims-to-reinvent-how-we-do-hairdressing/

  https://nzentrepreneur.co.nz/poweron-hopes-its-sensitive-robots-will-take-care-of-dangerous-jobs/

   SaaS and software

  https://nzentrepreneur.co.nz/myiq-hopes-australian-hospitality-boom-will-be-big-for-its-business-tool/

  Foodtech

  https://nzentrepreneur.co.nz/berkano-is-about-to-level-up-its-vegan-meat-venture/

  STEM

  https://nzentrepreneur.co.nz/ed-tech-startup-to-make-steam-more-accessible-in-classrooms/

  Cybersecurity (penetration testing)

  https://nzentrepreneur.co.nz/blacklock-by-security-simplified-aims-to-simplify-it-penetration-testing-industry/

   

  News stories for TheBit.nz

  This publication received a lot of blockchain/crypto advertising/funding

  https://thebit.nz/news/auckland-blockchain-company-offers-500k-in-grants-to-build-apps-on-its-ecosystem/

  https://thebit.nz/news/swyftx-begins-crypto-trading-in-nz/

  https://thebit.nz/news/dan-carters-nft-marketplace-glorious-digital-will-be-carbon-negative/

   

  NZ video gaming company stories

  https://thebit.nz/news/tauranga-game-studio-smashes-kickstarter-goal/

  https://thebit.nz/news/analysis-what-to-make-of-todays-ddos-attack-on-major-nz-websites/

  https://thebit.nz/deep-dive/jobhop-tinder-for-jobs-employment-app-reaches-v2-0/

  https://thebit.nz/deep-dive/vr-burgers-and-fungus-tomorrows-techies-are-being-nurtured-up-north/

  https://thebit.nz/deep-dive/qa-with-hamish-mckenzi-the-kiwi-co-founder-of-substack-on-how-writers-can-make-good-money-again/

  https://thebit.nz/people/veteran-kiwi-writer-simon-sweetman-tried-substack-heres-his-verdict/

  Ad hoc tech news stories created for clients:

  https://nzbusiness.co.nz/article/what-it-takes-successfully-launch-new-app

  https://kiwiwords.co.nz/2019/01/14/how-to-get-your-business-story-into-the-news/

Being around so many reporters and columnists over the years must have rubbed off, because today I’m often called upon to help take on certain voices. Voices I utilise to create effective writing include:

• Opinion columns for Property Plus magazine, in which I use the voice of the ‘Average Joe’ Kiwi and provide relatable commentary on property issues.
• I also provide parenting columns on a few websites when asked
• Perspectives on the world of creative writing for The Spinoff and The Big Idea

Recent journalism and news writing:

Recent journalism and news writing 2018-2020:

• News stories for an Auckland inventory management company
• Friendly news stories for a major travel cooperative, published in Travel Today, Travel Memo and others
• Journalism for He Ako Piringa / The Health Media https://www.akohiringa.co.nz/education/a-story-of-changing-lives-prescribing-equity
• Journalism for NZ Entrepreneur https://nzentrepreneur.co.nz/articles/
• Media releases for Propellerhead

Communications for Massey University’s e-centre business incubator

• Quadcopter racing launch
• RSVP for April Starting Blocks Workshop
• Sleep Research Grant for resident innovator
• Techweek win for ecentre and ProstheteX
• Global startup Ecosystem Report 2019

Communications for Signal – Public security software

• People are selling your stolen data online. Here’s what it looks like.
• How watching the dark web could have stopped a $140,000 theft. 
• Don’t wait for the news to tell you about a threat outside. 

Media releases for Wright Communications

• Band Of Strangers release Christchurch tribute song
• Breakthrough cyber-risk solution launched in Asia-Pacific
• See a Takahe Free This Easter

• Signal security software blogs and news announcements:

  • Selling stolen data online – blog and news
  • How watching the dark web could have stopped a $140,000 theft – blog / news

  Rentals.co Northland property management services newsletter, news and social media content:

  • Extremely awesome e-book from the rental experts Rentals.co
  • Insulation news blog
  • Urgent update for landlords

  Wright Communications – Public relations work:

  • I had to master Chinese social media to create this piece of thought leadership for Bananaworks and Wright Communications
  • Awards entry writing – the 2019 Westpace NZ Franchise Awards – I helped frame the messages of numerous entrants as a contractor for Wright Communications. Fingers crossed we have captured our clients in the best light!
  • News blogs and opinions from Wright’s leadership
  • Whole lotta journalism written for NZME. around 2014-2015
    • https://www.nzherald.co.nz/northern-advocate/news/majority-expects-to-be-looked-after/IVHGPAM7VCZNIVU6726DCJSOUY/
    • https://michaelbotur.journoportfolio.com/
    • https://www.nzherald.co.nz/northern-advocate/news/the-shame-of-child-poverty-in-nz/NWX57REAZSSKX6Z6JEFYVBBRQM/
    • https://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/top-homes-for-sale-movie-star-quality-mansion-yours-for-39m/3O2FTZXTF7TSDEG5BUTHUOKOAI/
    • https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/killer-crash-puzzles-gliding-folk/EQPHINBWSBECYCLQH37GIJ6QNA/
    • https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/milk-scares-leave-stench/ST3CTKWMQ6VBAFS3XS6TFOZWWM/
    • https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/pride-of-nz-31-year-veteran-still-loves-saving-lives/CROMBRPJYDEHSODXAUI6JEDXFI/

March-October 2018 content writing work for clients:

• News stories and media releases for Creative Northland
• Newsletters, web pages, SEO and Facebook for a property management client
• Insurance writing – interviews with industry leaders
• Journalism news writing – profiles of actors, athletes and authors
• Delivering creative writing workshops
• More paid journalism for leading news websites
• Seminar on blogging for business
• Columns about property and real estate for Property Plus
• Academic research writing for a gentleman’s thesis
• Blogs about asbestos and meth decontamination for a cleaning company
• Political columns
• Web pages for an information technology and aerial installer
• Transcription

Opinion Columns

• Property Plus
• Savvy / NZ Herald
• NZDads.co.nz
• The Spinoff

Awards for creative writing

• Whangarei Libraries Flash Fiction Comp 2015 – 1st and 2nd place winner
• Guest Fiction Writer (August 2014) – Tākahe magazine
• Miles Hughes Award – Third place in 2014
• Takahe poetry competition 2012 – runner-up
• Dan Davin Literary Award 2009 – Highly commended
• NZSA Short Story Competition 2008/9 – Third, for ‘Latter Day Lepers’
• Kiwi Short Story Competition, 2009 – Second, for ‘Home D’
• Her magazine Short Story Competition, 2008 – Winner
• F*nk short short story competition, 2005 – 2nd

Journalism by Michael Botur

Dozens of WW1 centenary stories for NZ Herald, including:

• Tongan Soldiers Struggled In A Strange Land
• The Battle of the Bottle 
• Secret Censorship War Raged At Home 

Pride of NZ Awards stories for NZ Herald. Dozens of stories including:

• Rugby Star’s New Dreams  
• Raging river: an incredible rescue  
• Scooter rides for cash 

Newsroom reporting for NZ Herald. Hundreds of stories published, including:

• Dispute led to terrifying machete attack on church 
• Woman survives freezing night up mountain in yoga pants  
• Maori King’s son admits theft 

Examples of features / investigative reporting

• Election night reporting for Herald on Sunday
• Feature ‘The Courage of Their Convictions’ for Sunday Star-Times
• Investigation into firefighter bullying culture in east Auckland
• Keeping Up With The Killers – The Database Debate – about the Sensible Sentencing Trust’s controversial database of offenders
• Two stories about segregation of Maori in Pukekohe, South Auckland
• An investigation into white supremacist groups around the country
• A feature for the Herald on Sunday about the ongoing interest in Christian churches